TED’s inaugural Countdown Summit got underway on October 12 in Edinburgh, Scotland. As we reported in our last post, a team of TED Translators attended the four-day gathering — both in person and remotely — where they delved into “imaginative and scalable solutions that we’ll need to turn the tide on climate change and create a healthier and more equitable world for all.”
Those translators on the ground in Edinburgh linked up on the eve of Countdown’s kickoff for a welcome from TED Translators’ deputy director Helena Batt, and a casual meet-and-greet over drinks and dinner. The next afternoon saw all of the invited translators participate in the summit’s first session. Afterward, those who’d made the trip to Countdown got the chance to mingle with distinguished attendees like Al Gore and Emma Watson at the event’s launch party.
Throughout the rest of the week, the entire cohort of TED Translators was immersed in Countdown’s incredibly wide array of talks, workshops and breakout sessions, all of which homed in on potential solutions for climate change that are simultaneously science-based, creative and bold.
As the summit closed out and the translators parted ways, they were in unanimous agreement that their time together had been extremely stimulating and constructive. Our sights are now set on TED2022, which is scheduled for April of next year. Check back in with us here in the near future for application information on that and other upcoming gatherings.