29 November 2006

Announcing TEDGlobal 2007: "Africa: The Next Chapter"

TEDizens: Tonight in New York, we officially unveiled plans for our first TEDGlobal conference in Africa, to be held in Arusha, Tanzania from June 4 to 7, 2007. Africa, The Next Chapter will feature 50 extraordinary speakers who are shaping Africa's future though innovation and world-changing ideas.

Underlying this new initiative is our recognition that Africa is at an important tipping point. It’s problems and challenges are well known. But across the continent, tremendous change is afoot. Ingenious solutions are being applied to tackle some of the toughest health and infrastructure problems; businesses are being launched that are capable of transforming the lives of millions.

A new generation of Africans is emerging who refuse to be daunted by Africa's familiar litany of challenges, and instead believe an exciting future beckons. They include leading entrepreneurs, inventors, cultural ambassadors, scientists, designers, artists, writers, activists, musicians and mavericks making real change across the continent.

Leading our efforts is TEDGlobal Program Director Emeka Okafor: entrepreneur, analyst and creator of the influential blogs Africa Unchained and Timbuktu Chronicles. Together, we're thrilled to announce our speaker line-up, which throws a spotlight on these emerging African leaders, along with a few non-African counterparts:

TEDGlobal 2007 speakers include:

Binyavanga Wainaina: Award winning author of "Discovering Home" and "How To Write About Africa.”

Bola Olabisi: The inspiring founder of Global Women Inventors & Innovators Network, an organization that seeks to identify and support talented women in Africa and elsewhere.

Ken Ofori-Atta: CEO & Co-Founder of Databank, a leading stock brokerage firm in Ghana.

Simon Mwacharo: CEO of Craftskills, an innovative manufacturer of renewable modular energy systems based on solar and wind power.

Carol Pineau: Journalist and producer of the documentary “Africa Open for Business.”

Chris Abani: Award winning author of the novels "Graceland" and "Kalakuta Republic.”

Chris Johns: Editor-in-Chief of National Geographic and acclaimed photographer of "Valley of Life: Africa’s Great Rift."

Danniel Annerose: CEO and Founder of Manobi, developer of prize-winning cell phone-based services that, for example, give farmers market intelligence and allow them to achieve better prices for their crops.

Dele Olojede: A journalist who won the Pulitzer Prize for a series of articles on Rwanda.

Ernest Chijioke Madu: Surgeon, medical outsourcing pioneer and Founder (in the Caribbean) of the Heart Institute, a world-class cardiovascular center.

Eleni Gabre-Madhin: Economist and leading researcher on African agricultural markets.

Andrew Mwenda: Leading journalist, activist and Stanford Fellow.

George Ayittey: Economist and outspoken author of books that have helped redefine the agenda for African development, such as "Indigenous African Institutions" and "Africa Unchained.”

Noah Samara: Founder and CEO of Worldspace, leading provider of satellite radio to Africa and the Middle East.

H Chinery-Hesse: Founder and CEO of Softtribe, a developer of what has been described as ‘tropically tolerant software.’

Jacqueline Novogratz: After 20 years' involvement in Africa, she founded the Acumen Fund, a leader of the "new philanthropy" movement which, instead of offering charity, supports entrepreneurs who are building businesses in areas such as healthcare, low-cost housing and water distribution.

James Shikwati: A Kenyan writer and commentator on public policy. He is known for promoting trade and economic freedom as a way to tackle poverty.

Seyi Oyesola: Physician and Co-Inventor of 'Hospital in a Box', a portable operating theatre that runs on solar power. Also an expert in medical simulator training.

Florence Seriki: Founder and CEO of Omatek Computers, who have proved it’s possible to be a successful computer manufacturer in West Africa.

Kwabena Boahen: A leading Stanford-based researcher in "neuromorphic processors” – he is creating silicon chips capable of emulating parts of the brain.

Jane Goodall: Famous for her pioneering work with chimpanzees in Tanzania, she has become a globally recognized conservationist and a United Nations "Messenger of Peace."

Leon Kintaudi: Physician leading efforts to rebuild the rural health infrastructure in the Congo.

Ndidi Nwuneli: Founder of Leap Africa, which is committed to inspiring and equipping a new generation of African entrepreneurs.

Alieu Conteh: As CEO and Founder of Vodafone Congo, he has proved the power of cell phones in one of the toughest markets in the world.

Onesmo Ole MoiYoi: A Tanzanian molecular biologist, regarded as a leader in the global research effort to develop environmentally sound ways to combat disease in humans and animals.

Ory Okolloh: Lawyer, Activist, Blogger and Founder of "Mzalendo: Eye On Kenyan Parliament."

Patrick Awuah: Co-Founder of Ashesi University, Ghana, a leading West African Liberal Arts College.

Russell Southwood: Founder and publisher of Balancing Act, a publication covering ICT developments on the continent.

Moses Makayoto: A globally recognized Kenyan scientist with a string of successful inventions, such as a pesticide for use in refugee camps, new technologies for processing honey and cotton, and a low-cost detergent made from local materials.

Ted Kidane: Co-Founder and COO of Feedelix, the developer of a non-Latin script for Ethiopic, Hindi and Mandarin-speaking cell phone users.

Ron Eglash: Professor and publisher of "African Fractals," an investigative overview of fractals in African aesthetics and visual imagery.

Raoul Peck: Acclaimed filmmaker, "Lumumba", "Sometimes in April.”

Spencer Wells: Leading geneticist and anthropologist, author of the acclaimed book "The Journey of Man: A Genetic Odyssey," an account of how genetic data has been used to trace human migration over the past 60,000 years.

Patty Stonesifer: CEO of the Gates Foundation, the world’s largest philanthropic organization. The Foundation funds multiple projects in Africa with a major focus on tackling AIDS, malaria and other public health issues.

We invite all of you to look at Africa through a new lens: the Africa of progress, change and inspirational success, the Africa where powerful new ideas can change the face of the continent. More information and registration details on TED.com.

A note of gratitude to our sponsors: TEDGlobal 2007 is presented with the generous support of AMD, GE, Google, and Sun Microsystems.

Posted by Chris Anderson | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (2)

19 November 2006

Thomas Dolby: The tour, the blog, the podcast ... the CD-release party (SF)

For Thomas Dolby fans like us, there's a lot to look forward to right now. Along with the highly entertaining blog he's had for some time, TED's music director just released a beautifully produced podcast series with excerpts from his extraordinary tour earlier this year. He's also releasing a CD and DVD: "The Sole Inhabitant." For those in the Bay Area: The release party is this Thursday (Nov. 21) at San Francisco's Red Devil Lounge, where his national tour begins the following week.

Posted by June Cohen | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

16 November 2006

Something Important to Encounter

Encounter Point, an incredible documentary that follows a former Israeli settler, a Palestinian ex-prisoner, a bereaved Israeli mother and a wounded Palestinian bereaved brother who risk their lives and public standing to promote a nonviolent end to the conflict, is opening in select cities in the US and the Middle East tomorrow. The film is co-directed by Julia Bacha, who worked with TEDPrize Winner Jehane Noujaim on the Control Room. Jehane showed clips of the film during her TED Prize talk on film's power to change the world. Part of Jehane's wish is to build a larger audience around films that matter, so help it come true by going to see this film... screening information here.

Technorati tags: Jehane Noujaim

Posted by Amy Novogratz | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

14 November 2006

Inventor Ray Kurzweil on TEDTalks

Inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil illustrates the increasingly exponential evolution of technology, predicting a sharp rise in computing capability, robotics and life expectancy within the next 15 years. He outlines the shocking ways we'll use technology to augment our own capabilities, forever blurring the lines between human and machine. A prolific inventor, Kurzweil developed the first Optical Character Recognition (OCR) system, the first text-to-speech reader for the blind, one of the first speech-recognition systems, and numerous electronic instruments. He's written several books exploring the social impact of technology, including The Age of Spiritual Machines and The Singularity is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology. (Recorded February 2005 in Monterey, CA. Duration: 23:41)

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Posted by June Cohen | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (1)

14 November 2006

Wired Editor-at-Large Kevin Kelly on TEDTalks

Wired Editor-at-large Kevin Kelly traces the remarkable similarities between the evolution of biology and technology, ultimately declaring technology the "7th kingdom of life." He poses an intriguing question: "What does technology want?" As we hurdle forward, evolving increasingly complex, biological and independent machines, how will it affect our humanity? Kelly, widely regarded as an expert on digital culture, has played leading roles at the Whole Earth Review (editor), Wired Magazine (founding executive editor), the WELL (co-founder), and the All-Species Foundation (co-founder). He's author of several books, including Out of Control: The New Biology of Machines, Social Systems and the Economic World. (Recorded February 2005 in Monterey, CA. Duration: 20:39)

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Posted by June Cohen | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

09 November 2006

Skeptic founder Michael Shermer on TEDTalks

Skeptic Magazine founder Michael Shermer takes us on a hilarious romp through the strange claims we humans put forth as truth - from alien encounters to Virgin Mary sightings on pizza pies, to hidden messages revealed while playing "Stairway to Heaven" backwards - and explains the evolutionary and cognitive basis for these lapses in reason. Don't miss the one-minute challenge testing your own observational skills... Shermer is the founder/publisher of Skeptic Magazine, and author of several books, including Why People Believe Weird Things. (Recorded February 2006 in Monterey, CA. Duration: 17:29)

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Posted by June Cohen | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBack (1)

09 November 2006

Statistician Peter Donnelly on TEDTalks

Statistician Peter Donnelly explores the common mistakes humans make in interpreting statistics, and the devastating impact these errors can have on the outcome of criminal trials. Donnelly is a Statistics Professor at Oxford University who collaborates with biologists, applying statistical models to genetics, with the hope of shedding more light on evolutionary history and the structure of the human genome. (Recorded July 2005 in Oxford, UK. Duration:22:06)

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Posted by June Cohen | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

01 November 2006

Worldchanging, the book

The Worldchanging book, "A user's guide to the 21st century", is published today. Our friends at Worldchanging.com in Seattle have been for a few years now publishing an insightful and inspiring collective blog disseminating information about sustainability and social change and describing pragmatically what's possible, what new technologies are coming along, what solutions to the world's global and local most pressing problems people and organizations are putting in place.

Now a lot of that cleverness has been packed into a 600-pages book, with great photographs accompanying the inspiring stories by more than sixty writers (plus forewords by Al Gore and Bruce Sterling). "We need, in the next 25 years or so, to do something never before done. We need to consciously redesign the entire material basis of our civilization", Alex Steffen writes in his editor's introduction (Alex spoke at TEDGLOBAL last year). As we face a planetary crisis, "we also find ourselves in a moment of innovation unlike any that has come before... We live in an era when the number of people working to make the world better is exploding". Many of them are TEDsters.

Worldchanging is sometimes a bit visionary, but it's not naive. They have a sane optimism about the future that carries through the book, which covers topics as diverse - yet interconnected - as biomimicry, clean energy, water, disaster relief, green design and architecture, transportation, megacities challenges, education, public health, South-South science, social entrepreneurship, microfinance, start-ups, ecological economics, networked politics, transparency, citizen media, climate foresight, etc. It's a fabulous compendium of ideas. A very timely one: the newspapers these days are full of the Stern Review about the economics of climate change, and the WWF report on human footprint.

A smart book of ideas and solutions could not come without an idea for making it a success - for making sure that those ideas travel far. So Worldchanging is asking for help to "hack the publishing system":

Our book is not Big. It is thick; it is packed with solutions. But ... we have no marketing budget at all... Here's what we do have: you... We have the capacity, if we work together, to put the Worldchanging book on the top of the Amazon bestseller list (so that) every other bookseller, reviewer, producer and store manager will hear about Worldchanging.

Or you can buy it at an independent local bookseller if you prefer not to send business Amazon's way, and in order to save the monetary and ecological costs of shipping if you live outside of the US. But do buy it, and read it, and discuss it, and present it to others, because this is an important, smart, world-changing book.

(Cross-posted on LunchOverIP)

Posted by Bruno Giussani | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)