Sign up, grab a drink and enjoy the latest edition of City Talks, which is Internationaal Theater Amsterdam's sip & talk show. On November 27, 2025, don't miss the discussion in The Bookshop at ITA. Get your ticket - a free drink is included!

City Talks offers a captivating new edition that delves into empathy in the present day! Join in for a special edition of the monthly talk show, where speakers explore the powerful intersections of city life, resistance, and celebration. Through dynamic conversations with the speakers and audience, you can expect to experience a blend of expression and urban life.

Exploring the human urge to speak, feel and connect

What does empathy look like in practice - in our words, choices, and communities? In a time marked by division, fear and indifference, this edition of City Talks invites us to embrace empathy as a radical act. Not as a vague ideal, but as a deliberate choice: to stay open, to listen deeply and to think differently.

Empathy begins with language. In a world where dominant narratives drown out nuance, many retreat into silence. But is silence truly a human choice - or the result of pressure, fear and suppression? Aren’t we, as humans, made to speak, to shout, to share? To make space for disagreement, emotion and complexity? Empathy means not only hearing others, but also daring to use our own voice - with respect, vulnerability and courage.

City Talks Amsterdam explores this human urge to speak, feel and connect. We gather artists, writers and changemakers who stand up for human dignity and freedom of expression through storytelling, activism and dialogue. They show us that empathy is not just a personal trait, it’s a social force. A bridge between worlds. A response to polarisation.

Empathy lives in small gestures: an open question, a moment of listening, a glance of understanding. But these gestures can grow into movements. Into collective action for justice, inclusion and transformation. In our neighbourhoods, in art, in education. Empathy is not weakness; it’s leadership. It demands presence, the willingness to face discomfort, and the ability to acknowledge both pain and hope.

This City Talks honours those who speak up, reach out and build bridges, people who refuse to choose cynicism or apathy, who believe that listening can be an act of resistance, and that speaking can be a form of care. Together, we explore how empathy can enrich our lives, not as an endpoint, but as the beginning of something greater.

Because in a world that often urges us to stay silent, empathy becomes a voice. A voice that says: "I see you. I hear you. I’m willing to understand." And that may be the most human thing we can do. 

The Prophet Song by the ITA Ensemble

The theme of this edition is inspired by The Prophet Song by the ITA Ensemble - a poignant reflection on freedom, compassion and the struggle to remain human when fear takes over. It's on from November 12, 2025 until January 25, 2026.

Details about the next edition of City Talks

• What: City Talks Amsterdam: Everyday Empathy
• Date: Thursday, November 27, 2025
• Time: 6pm-7pm (doors open from 5.30pm)
• Tickets: 7,50 euros (includes a free drink)
• Find out more on the ITA website

About City Talks Amsterdam

Every last Thursday of the month, you're welcome at The Bookshop in Internationaal Theater Amsterdam for City Talks Amsterdam. For this monthly talk show, there are special guests - from scientists to artists and from journalists to economists - who come to talk about a social topic or urban trends. Together, they dive into a theme and ask how it affects Amsterdam and its residents.

Themes that came up last season include the influence of money, political activism and artificial intelligence. So, grab a drink, join the conversation and get inspired!

The Bookshop

The Bookshop is ITA's new cultural living room on Amsterdam’s Leidseplein. This compact stage offers a space for innovation, reflection and new perspectives. Here, makers, performers and visitors meet for special programmes, from experiments to intimate performances. The Bookshop is a place for everyone, with a focus on accessibility and openness. It is a gift to the city, made possible by the support of more than 500 donors and various funds and partners.

Order a ticket and get a free beverage

Tickets cost 7,50 euros (5 euros for a reduced rate ticket) and this includes a free drink! Book your tickets on the ITA website.