Now Live: The 2025-2026 Line-Up
The 2025–2026 season brings international thought leaders to Whistler to explore bold ideas with global impact and local relevance. Each event showcases expert insights, positions Whistler as a stage for conversations that matter worldwide, and strives to spark action.
New this year: Tickets are now available through Eventbrite—making it easier to discover and book events before they happen.
You can once again purchase a Series Pass for all four events, supporting the full season of thought-provoking dialogue while enjoying special access to upcoming programs.
This year’s lineup dives into challenges that affect us all—climate change, youth mental health, and the future of our towns and economies. These global discussions have real implications for our mountain community, helping us reflect, adapt, and thrive together.
Our guiding principles:
- Explore topics with global significance and local impact
- Feature experts who are clear, insightful, and approachable
- Offer practical ideas you can apply in daily life
- Position Whistler as a platform for conversations with worldwide reach
Join us for another inspiring season of dialogue, discovery, and connection.
When Worry Becomes More: Understanding Anxiety in Today’s Youth
Decoding Global Climate Policy with Dr. Mark Jaccard
In Progress…
You can watch the recordings of all our 2024-2025 events on our YouTube channel.
Sign up for our newsletter to be the first to know when our season launches.
Our Supporters
Event Format
Our speaker events are held in the theatre at the Maury Young Arts Centre, located at 4335 Blackcomb Way, Whistler, BC.
Doors open at 5.30pm with the speaker (or panelists) starting at 6.00pm. An audience Q&A follows all presentations.
A cash bar is open in the Gallery from 5.30pm onwards.
Respectful Dialogue Agreement
As part of our commitment to fostering an inclusive and thoughtful space for meaningful dialogue, all attendees of the Global Perspectives Speaker Series are required to accept the Respectful Dialogue Agreement. This agreement reflects our shared responsibility to engage in discussions that strengthen our community and deepen our understanding of the world.
When you join us, we invite you to bring:
- CURIOSITY – Approach discussions with a genuine desire to learn, ask thoughtful questions, and explore new ideas with an open mind.
- INTEGRITY – Engage with honesty, thoughtfulness, and a commitment to truth-seeking, even when perspectives differ.
- COLLABORATION – Recognize that meaningful change and deeper understanding come from exchanging ideas and working together.
- RESILIENCE – Embrace challenging conversations with patience and an open heart, understanding that growth often comes through discomfort.
- RESPECT – Foster a space where all voices are valued, ensuring that dialogue remains considerate and inclusive.
Together, we create an environment where curiosity is encouraged, perspectives are broadened, and ideas inspire action. Thank you for being part of this conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Attendees are encouraged to arrive at 5:30pm, when doors open. There is a cash bar open at that time, too, serving light refreshments. Speakers begin at 6:00pm.
Topics are selected based on a blend of community input, global conversation trends, and input from our Global Perspectives Speaker Series Committee. If you would like to suggest a future topic, please complete the post-event survey or share suggestions with contact@whistlerinstitute.com.
The 2025-2026 Global Perspectives Speaker Series features four different events from October through to May. Individual events cost $30.00, or you can purchase a Season Pass for $120.
Yes, absolutely! Speakers are typically onsite for doors opening; otherwise there is the opportunity to meet speakers post-event (7.30pm).
Yes, we always welcome the support of sponsors and donors to grow our programming! Please email contact@whistlerinstitute.com to learn more about our sponsor opportunities.
Past Speaker Series Events:
- Peaks and Pressures: From Resort to Resilient Mountain Towns (October 2025)
- Melting Glaciers, Healthy Watersheds & You (April 2025)
- Democracy & Science: Anecdotes, Positive Notes & a Forward-Thinking Approach (March 2025)
- Raising Healthy, High-Performance Athletes (February 2025)
- AI: Ethics, Empathy & Humanizing Technology (January 2025)
- Mother Nature v. Okanagan Wineries: a Climate Conundrum (November 2024)
- My Journey to the Invictus Games (September 2024)
- Concussions: Advances in prevention, identification and treatment (April 2024)
- The Future of Health Care (March 2024)
- Higher Education: The Next Paradigm (October, 2023)
- Canada, the Asian Century, and what comes next (Sept, 2023)
- A Roof Over Our Heads: Exploring Mountain Resort Housing Possibilities (April, 2023)
- The Role of the Olympic Movement in an Ever-Changing World (April, 2022)
- Climate Emergency – An Action Guide for Citizens (Dec 9, 2021)
- Tourism: Building Back Better (May 14, 2021)
- How Autonomous Vehicles Could Shape Whistler (Sept, 2020)
- Gearing Up for the Electric Vehicle Economy (Nov, 2019)
