Theme: TEDxChange 2012 "The Big Picture"

This will be TEDxThapaeGate's 3rd event, and first event in collaboration with TEDxChange by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and TED.

TEDxChange 2012 is a global TEDx event co-organized by convened by Melinda French Gates and hosted by Chris Anderson, Over 170 cities and countries including us in Chiang Mai are participating with our own parallel events. TEDxChange will focus on issues surrounding global health and development.

The current economic climate has drawn our focus to immediate needs closest to home. But now, more than ever, it's critical to keep site of the fact that we are part of interdependent, global community. And too many within that community cannot meet their most basic needs: food, clean water, life-saving medical treatment and vaccines.

In this TEDxChange, we'll take a step back and look at the big picture: Why should we, as a society, continue to invest in global health and development? How can we work across borders and political boundaries to make positive change? And what returns can we expect on our investments?

Featuring talks by some of the world's most inspired thinkers and doers, we looked at what changes have taken place around the planet, and what more needs to be done to ensure the health and well-being of future generations.

TEDxChange type events are TEDx events hosted around the live webcast of TEDxChange. Our event is one of many TEDx events happening around the globe that will expand on the ideas brought up at TEDxChange 2010.

On April 5, 2012 (in Thailand on the 7th), we'll take a step back and look at the big picture: Why should we, as a society, continue to invest in global health and development? How can we work across borders and political boundaries to make positive change? And what returns can we expect on our investments?

Speakers
Melinda Gates: Melinda Gates serves as co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. She helps set the overall direction of the foundation, shaping strategies, reviewing results, and advocating for the foundation’s issues. Melinda will discuss family planning and how the power to plan changes the lives of women and their families and improves whole societies.

Jeff Chapin: Jeff Chapin is a mechanical engineer and product designer for IDEO. He specializes in designing sanitation solutions for the developing world and has conducted projects in both Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Jeff will challenge traditional perceptions of ‘design’ by emphasizing the importance of sustainable, market-based systems for developing societies.

Sven Giegold: Sven Giegold is a Member of the European Parliament and one of the founding members of Attac Germany. Sven has dedicated much of his career towards green industry issues. He will talk about the power of collective action and how the actions of individuals, communities, and progressive business can lead to critical changes at a national and international level.

Theo Sowa: Theo Sowa is an independent advisor and consultant, specializing in international social development with a particular emphasis on children’s rights and protection issues, especially in conflict situations. She is currently the Interim CEO of the African Women’s Development Fund, a pan African women’s grant making organization. Born in Ghana, she has lived and worked in many countries in Africa, as well as the UK, Europe, and the USA. Her work includes advisory roles to African and other international women and children’s rights activists and leaders, plus policy development and advocacy with a variety of international agencies and organizations.

Baaba Maal: Baaba Maal is a Senegalese singer and guitarist born in Podor, on the Senegal River. Baaba sings primarily in Pulaar and is the foremost promoter of the traditions of the Pulaar-speaking peoples. He has released several albums. In July 2003, Baaba was made a UNDP Youth Emissary. In March 2012 he visited Mauritania with Oxfam to call attention to the humanitarian need resulting from the food crisis in the Sahel. Also an Ambassador for Nelson Mandela’s 46664 campaign, he has become an increasingly vocal champion for the rights of women and girls.

137 Pillars House
2 Soi 1, Nawatgate Road
Tambon Watgate, Muang Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai, 50000
Thailand