This series of Weekend Workshops has entered its thirteenth year, originally inaugurated in 2003 by James D. Lewis (Alberta), Stefan Müller-Stach (McMaster, now at Mainz, Germany) and Noriko Yui (Queen's). This is now a biannual event at Fields with a meeting in the Fall, followed by a meeting in the Spring.

The subjects covered in the workshops range widely from arithmetic/algebraic geometry, Galois representations, complex geometry, symplectic geometry, to mathematical aspects of string theory. Participants of the workshops consist of those well established iconic leaders working on the leading edge of the subject, a very promising next generation of younger researchers (including graduate students and postdoctoral fellows), and leading experts in closely related areas where fruitful interactions are deemed likely.

The workshops are generally self-supporting, and have an informal character associated to them.