Papandreou is the former prime minister of Greece. He was prime minister in 2009, when the euro crisis flared up. Under pressure from the markets and from Greek citizens protesting harsh austerity measures, he resigned in 2011 to make way for a national unity government.

He has been invited to share his views on these events and other themes at TEDGlobal 2013, which will take place in three weeks. With all due respect for those who have signed the petition, the TEDGlobal program won’t change. Papandreou’s experience as the PM of his country during a phase of political and economic turmoil is an interesting lens into the broader problems that continue to trouble Europe. That’s why we invited him to TEDGlobal. What he learned from his period in office gives him a rare insiders’ viewpoint, at a crucial moment for the continent.

For the record, any politicians coming to TED are asked to give a talk that is framed around ideas and insights, rather than partisanship. And like all our speakers, Papandreou is not being paid to speak at TEDGlobal.

Here, go around the world in less than 180 minutes with TEDGlobal talks.

George Ayittey on Cheetahs vs. Hippos Continent: Africa George Ayittey on Cheetahs vs. Hippos It’s an often-told story: corruption is rampant in Africa. But there’s another story happening too.  In this talk from TEDGlobal 2007, economist George Ayittey introduces us to the “cheetah generation,” the movers and shakers who are effecting change. He predicts that they will soon overtake the “hippo generation,” those in power now.

Lee Hotz: Inside an Antarctic time machine Continent: Antarctica Lee Hotz: Inside an Antarctic time machine How can we get data on how the global climate has changed over the centuries? In this talk from TEDGlobal 2010, Lee Hotz describes a project to drill into 10,000-year-old Antarctic ice to find out more.

Leslie T. Chang: The voices of China's workers Continent: Asia Leslie T. Chang: The voices of China’s workers Over the past 30 years, a large portion of China’s population lifted out of poverty — in part thanks to jobs in booming factory towns serving new global markets. But journalist Leslie T. Chang finds one voice oddly missing from the debate about globalization. In this talk from TEDGlobal 2012, she shares words from factory workers themselves.

Elizabeth Murchison: Fighting a contagious cancer Continent: Australia Elizabeth Murchison: Fighting a contagious cancer The Tasmanian devil is an animal only found on the Australian island of Tasmania, and a virulent cancer is killing thousands of them. In this talk from TEDGlobal 2011, Elizabeth Murchison shares with his her fight to save the Taz from this unusual, contagious cancer.

Mark Pagel: How language transformed humanity Continent: Europe Mark Pagel: How language transformed humanity Mark Pagel is a biologist, and he has a fascinating theory about language — that it’s a technology that evolved to allow for cooperation. As he shares at TEDGlobal 2011, he looks at the example of the European Union—whose 27 members speak 23 languages, requiring translation costs in the excess of $1.45 billion a year.

Sheena Iyengar: The art of choosing Continent: North America Sheena Iyengar: The art of choosing Coke versus Pepsi. It’s a classic choice consumers in the United States and the rest of North America make on a daily basis. In this talk from TEDGlobal 2010, Sheena Iyengar shares her research on the assumptions Americans make about choices and how they are shaped by background.

Phil Borges on endangered cultures Continent: South America Phil Borges on endangered cultures Photographer Phil Borges documents cultures in the world that are in danger of disappearing. In this talk, he shares stunning images of the people living in the jungles of the Ecuadorean Amazon — a part of South America changing quickly following oil discovery in the 1970s.

Want to attend TEDGlobal 2013? Find out more here »

Watch David Bismark’s talk on TED.com where you can download it, rate it, comment on it and find other talks and performances from our archive of 800+ TEDTalks.

[Update: Deadline passed]: Write a haiku containing the phrase “smarter planet” and tweet it to @WiredUK — and you could win a pass to TEDGlobal 2010 next week! The contest is supported by IBM and WiredUK, and is open to UK residents only. The competition closes at Midday BST on Thursday 8 July, 2010. The prize includes a pass to TEDGlobal and lodging for the four days of the conference. Runners-up can win a free livestream of the conference. See full rules and all the entry details you’ll need. For inspiration, WiredUK suggests you visit www.ibm.com/smarterplanet/uk/.

(Pictured above, at right, is last year’s winner, Colm McMullan. He had to write an entire mini-essay to win. This year’s haiku will be a snap! As WiredUK defines it: A haiku is a traditional Japanese poem, and in the English language typically appears as a three-line prose containing 17 syllables — five in the first line, seven in the second line, five in the third line.)

Twitter URL: http://on.ted.com/325H

Watch Loretta Napoleoni’s talk on TED.com, where you can download this TEDTalk, rate it, comment on it and find other talks and performances from our archive of 500+ TEDTalks.

Google is the new forbidden apple.. Brother Terwitte.. – Gabelapagos

Terwitte on why we engage in “organized doing nothing” (pray, meditate, etc.). “We want to find the inner voice of things.” – brainpicker

Brother Paulus Terwitte: “We have again become primitive hunter gatherers – we are gathering information” #TED – WiredUK

now Monk dude is listing how many friends and followers he has on facebook and twitter etc haha AWESOME – grumblemouse

Paulus Terwitte providing an interesting perspective on social media and contemplating the world – what really matters? #TED – bwdumars

Paulus Terwitte: gives the audience 15 seconds in silence to think (and conducts this by holding up his hand). Felt like a century. – kokoe2

If you’re on Twitter, share your own ruminations under the tag #TED.

Rule #4 of conducting: Conductor Itay Talgam at #TED: Don’t look at the trombones; it only encourages them. – griley

Conductor culture is fascinating. Silly sense of humour. – Alli7on

conductor Itay Talgam is using classical music and conducting as a metaphor for leadership. Funny guy. Muti, Strauss and Karajan. – emilkang

Talgam: Trying unsuccessfully to conduct the TED audience again but making a pt of how diff condctor’s behaviors produce diff responses – pragzter

Talgam.. doing without doing.. orchestra directing.. with a smile.. and a nod.. – Gabelapagos

Pink on psychology research: “There’s a mismatch between what science knows and business does.” — brainpicker

Pink: “Rewards by their very nature narrow our focus, concentrate the mind.” Work only for concrete problems, not abstract — brainpicker

Daniel Pink: monetary incentives don’t work or often do harm. The most solidly verified theory in social sciences — lucadebiase

Dan Pink says rewards work well w narrow work and narrow goals…at Acumen, rules and envs are complex so if-then rewards don’t work… — jnovogratz

Pink: Dan Ariely experimnts w/ MIT students; then with villagers in India (WOOT MIT and India). higher incentives lead 2 worse prfrmnce — pragzterv

Magnus Larsson is an architect with a blueprint to build a wall across Africa. A wall made with bacillus pasteurii (microorganisms that create sandstone) to help provide shelter for individuals and curb the destruction of sandstorms. Support for this project was widespread from TEDsters on Twitter:

Magnus Larsson wants to build a sand wall across Africa – extraordinary practical imagination — sfbassociates

Architect Larson takes our childhood fantasies (and expertise) of building sand castles — into reality at the Sahara Desert! — Idit

Today’s speakers are hammering home the theme that humanity has created massive problems that require creative solutions & CHANGE. — ruthannharnisch

Larsson – hope you get a TED Wish for your efforts in building the sand structure using bacteria. — rom

I’m developing an even greater respect for architects. They are id’ing the massive problems AND creative solutions. — Alli7on

Photo: Magnus Larsson at TEDGlobal 2009, Session 11: “Cities past and future,” July 24, 2009, in Oxford, UK. Credit: TED / James Duncan Davidson

Ingels: Denish architect with a GREAT sense of humor – rare phenomenon! — Idit

… Some of his talk is untweetably funny, kinda a “you had to be there” moment. — ruthannharnisch

… Ingels features building designs that will WOW you! Thinking why can’t architects in UPD do something similar? –rom

Ingels is the FIRST architect who creates sustainable green architecture fun and desireable to live in.. the next Gehry !!! — Idit

I want to be an architect. Bjarke Ingels is a rock star. No wait better: he’s an architect. — nauiokaspark