In conversation with special guest, philosopher Roman Krznaric, TED speaker, author of The Good Ancestor.

Our descendants own the future, but the decisions and actions we make now will tremendously impact generations to come, says Roman. From a global campaign to grant legal personhood to nature to a groundbreaking lawsuit by a coalition of young activists, Roman will share examples of ways we can become good ancestors, or, as he calls them, "Time Rebels”, a movement redefining lifespans, pursuing intergenerational justice and practicing deep love for the planet.

We will also be joined by Roland Pyle. Roland is head of policy at Devon County Council, working to make best use of public money and support our elected representatives and the people and communities they serve. He believes in the benefits of thinking holistically; trying to understand and address the messy complicated problems facing us all, and recognising that there is never one simple answer to anything. He is keen to be part of this event because he believes that we all have a responsibility to think long-term and become good ancestors.

We can’t gather in person, but our community can still meet, explore ideas and connect with one another, albeit by Zoom! We are delighted that Roman will join us for a live conversation on 26 January. We’d love you to join us to watch his short thought-provoking TED talk together, and then hear more about how his ideas can shift our approach to the climate crisis. There will be plenty of opportunity to share your own thoughts and connect with other participants when we break into small, facilitated groups to explore what being good ancestors might mean for us in our own lives. No preparation or prior knowledge required - just curiosity to hear about long-term thinking for a short-term world!

The TEDxExeter Countdown series was launched last October, in tandem with the global TED Countdown campaign, focussing on how we can all play our part in the climate change journey to net zero. Exeter has an ambitious plan to reach net zero by 2030. The TEDxExeter 2021 programme will draw inspiration from Countdown talks around the world to inspire positive action.

Tickets for this online event are free; donations are welcome and this option can be selected at registration stage. We look forward to seeing you.