About the program

Since its inception in 2003, the University of the Streets Café has focused on creating welcoming spaces where diverse groups of citizens can gather to share their unique experiences and perspectives. To date, the University of the Streets Café has organized over 350 public conversations in cafés and community spaces across Montreal.

The program is free and open to participants of all ages, all backgrounds, and all levels of education. Without grades or diplomas, the University of the Streets Café reinvents the idea of ‘the university’ by creating spaces for lifelong learning, critical thinking, knowledge-building and community engagement in local neighbourhoods.

Conversations for a learning society

Can you imagine a world without conversations? We can't! It is our belief that the simple act of talking with one another provides an incredible opportunity for growth, empowerment, community building and social change. With this in mind, the programming we offer is about real-time, people-centered, face-to-face public conversations.

The public conversations organized by the University of the Streets Café are slightly more structured than those you might share with your family, co-workers or friends, but the underlying idea is the same: A group of interested and open-minded people coming together to talk.

Frequently asked questions