This session presents speakers who are at home in awe-inspiring places. These bold explorers come bearing discoveries from the tundra and the rainforest, from beneath the ocean’s surface, and even from that most elusive of mighty spaces — the happy human heart.

The speakers who’ll appear in this final session of the conference:

Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard has been called “the happiest man in the world.” He believes that altruism and empathy don’t just improve personal well-being, but could allow for the evolution of a more compassionate society.

Fabien Cousteau spent 31 days underwater this summer in a lab off the coast of Florida, where he studied the current state of coral … and beat his legendary grandfather’s world record in the process.

As fast as the rainforest is disappearing — the people of the rainforest are disappearing even faster. Mark Plotkin works to preserve generations of knowledge.

Aakash Odedra choreographs the classical Indian dance forms of Kthak and Bharat Nagyam and juxtaposes them with modern contexts, telling a story of global change through movement.

Robert Swan has walked to both the South and the North Pole, and is dedicated to making sure that Antarctica remains a wild, untouched wilderness free from drilling and mining.

Curious to hear what these speakers had to say? Read recaps of these talks.

And below, check out the introduction video for this session.

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