As you’re no doubt aware, the theme for our event this year is ‘home’. We’ve curated a diverse line-up of 14 speakers, who’ll be sharing their inspiring ideas in 12 talks on our stage in November.
But what defines ‘home’? And what does it mean to belong?
Is it about people? Places? Memories? All of these? None of these?
To whet your appetite, here’s a round up of a few existing TED Talks that explore the concept of ‘home’.
Don’t build your home, grow it!
TED Fellow, urban designer and architect Mitchell Joachim presents his vision for sustainable, organic architecture: eco-friendly abodes grown not only from plants but also from meat.
More and more people worldwide are living in countries not considered their own. In this thoughtful talk, writer Pico Iyer – who himself has four ‘origins’ – meditates on the meaning of home, the joy of travelling and the serenity of standing still.
Don’t ask where I’m from, ask where I’m a local
When someone asks you where you’re from, do you always know how to answer? Writer Taiye Selasi speaks on behalf of ‘multi-local’ people: those who feel at home in the town where they grew up, the city they live now and maybe another place or two.
Why stay in Chernobyl? Because it’s home.
For the past 27 years, the area around Chernobyl – the site of the world’s worst nuclear accident – has been known as the Exclusion Zone. Yet a community of about 200 people live there. These proud grandmothers defied orders to relocate because their connection to their homeland and their community are “forces that rival even radiation”. Explorer and filmmaker Holly Morris tells their story.
My road trip through the whitest towns in America
Despite America becoming increasingly multicultural, journalist Rich Benjamin noticed that some communities were actually growing less diverse. So he grabbed a map, found the whitest towns in the USA – and moved in. In this funny and deeply honest talk, he shares what he learned as a black man in Whitopia.
Home is a song I’ve always remembered
For musician Teitur, singing is about sharing. Listen as he plays on stage at TED2015, offering two songs about love, distance and home. ‘Home’ is the 2nd song (about 6 minutes in). Here are a few of the lyrics:
“I’m always going to feel at home… no matter where I may roam. I’m always going to find my way back home… no matter how far I’m gone. I’m always going to feel this longing… no matter where I might stay.”
If you’re itching to hear more on the subject, there are several other home-related TED Talks available now.
Or you can wait until 18th November, and then come hear our 14 amazing speakers!
