Live from TED2016

Get ready to Dream — TED2016 begins tomorrow

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DREAM image

The TED Conference always celebrates dreams. Not the fluffy, snoozy kind — but the big, bold, beautiful visions that have the potential to send ripples of change out into the world. That’s why the theme of TED2016 is: Dream. We are thrilled it begins tomorrow.

Over the next week, 65 speakers will share their dreams on the TED mainstage, in addition to 10 performers, 27 TED Fellows and 18 audience members, each a big idea worth spreading too. Check out the full speaker lineup. For the first time ever, you at home will get the chance to watch live and on the big screen — the Opening Night of the conference will be in cinemas across the US, Canada, Europe and Australia. Find out how to buy tickets. And as always, bookmark the TED Blog. We’ll be bringing you recaps of every talk given during the conference, plus a few special surprises too.

To get your mind primed, powerful words from just a few of the dreamers who will speak between now and Friday:

“Failure is always an option.” —Adam Savage of Mythbusters, who will speak in Session 2

“Dreams do not come true just because you dream them. It’s hard work that makes things happen.” —Writer and producer Shonda Rhimes, who will speak in Session 1

“There is no black, no yellow, no white in my work. These are not our true colors.” —artist Angélica Dass, who will speak in Session 10

“Think of ideas as ‘potential energy.’” —astronaut and engineer Mae Jemison, who will speak in Session 3

“Our government is only as good as we make it.” —technologist Haley Van Dyck, who will speak in Session 2

“Philanthropy is the market for love. It is the market for all those people for whom there is no other market coming.” — activist Dan Pallotta, who will speak in Session 1

“Change is created by turning points.” —climate advocate Christiana Figueres, who will speak in Session 7

FAILURE quote

“Passion unlocks something in all of us.” —philanthropist Sue Desmond-Hellmann, who will speak in Session 12

“Who defines ‘the norm?’ Who decides who fits into it?” — sonic astrophysicist Wanda Diaz Merced, who will speak in Session 3

“Toughness is just a way of being closed off from new ideas.” — cultural commentator Casey Gerald, who will speak in Session 12

“It has never been more important to understand the aspirations of ordinary people.” —Muslim studies scholar Dalia Mogahed, who will speak in Session 7

“We’ve reached an inflection point. The American public is demanding solutions like never before.” —activist Dan Gross, who will speak in Session 8

“I’ve become such a believer in stories that take a while to unfold.” —journalist Jennifer Kahn, who will speak in Session 8

“My role is to show people what is possible.” — autonomous systems pioneer Raffaello D’Andrea, who will speak in Session 6

The stairs up to the TED2016 conference aim to inspire dreams. Photo: Marla Aufmuth / TED

Tomorrow morning, the TED2016 conference begins. May the stairs to the convention center start inspiring big dreams. Photo: Marla Aufmuth/TED