WOMADelaide today announced the full line-up for its 2020 Planet Talks program, hosting some of the world’s foremost thinkers, scientists, activists and leaders in a four-day program of inspiring and thought-provoking conversations about all manner of issues concerning the planet and how we can work to achieve a sustainable relationship with it and each other.

Leading the discussions will be an in conversation with two of the architects of the landmark 2015 Paris Climate Change agreement in former UN Secretary for Climate, Christiana Figueres and co-founder of Global Optimism Tom Rivett-Carnac.

Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac were the key drivers behind the landmark Paris Climate Change agreement, in which 197 sovereign nations agreed on a collaborative path forward to limit future global warming to well below 2°C, and strive for 1.5°C in order to protect the most vulnerable. Their mission didn’t stop in Paris. The duo continues to empower the world to make a difference for the sake of future generations via international campaigns, engagements and initiatives such as Global Optimism, Mission 2020, Profiles of Paris, Future Stewards, podcast – Outrage and Optimism and they will launch a new book at WOMADelaide titled The Future We Choose.

Christiana Figueres
On International Women’s Day – the Sunday of WOMADelaide, the Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre present the International Women’s Day address delivered by 2019 Walkley Award-winning journalist and TV personality Jan Fran, hosted by The Advertiser State Editor, Tory Shepherd. Jan Fran is an ambassador for Plan International Australia, an organisation that works alongside children, young people, supporters and partners to tackle root causes of the injustices facing girls and the most marginalised children. She’s best known for her work as host of SBS TV’s The Feed and Medicine or Myth, Network Ten’s The Project and podcasts Sexism and the City and The Few Who Doand her insightful commentary through The Frant.

The program also includes a conversation featuring three tech thinkers, A.I. expert and author, Dr Robert Elliott Smith, author of Webtopia, Peter Lewis and international expert on technology law and policy Julia Powles. They will discuss how our personal data has become the most valuable commodity the world has ever seen, yet most of us give it away for free to the likes of Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon (Big Tech). Hosted by Marc Fennell the panel of algorithmic guardians will discuss the future use and misuse of our data.

Photo: Jack Fenby
Other speakers and sessions announced today include:

  • The return of The Party Room Podcast LIVE with Fran Kelly, Patricia Karvelasand special guests. Australia’s best politics podcast, The Party Room, has been described as biting and brilliant and Planet Talks 2019 showed it’s even better live. If you missed it, don’t worry because Fran and PK are bringing their super sharp political minds and even sharper wit back in 2020 for a special International Women’s Day edition.
  • Moderated by award-winning science writer and presenter at the ABC, Bernie Hobbs, a panel featuring writer and director of the innovative documentary, 2040, Damon Gameau, internationally renowned Earth System scientist, Will Steffen, Adelaide Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor and interdisciplinary biodiversity law scholar, Michelle Lim will discuss protecting, restoring and funding the transformative change required to address the climate crisis.
  • The power and passion in the student climate strike movement will be explored by Doha Khan, Harriet O’shea Carre and Milou Albrecht, three of the leaders of the Australian Student Strike for Climate movement.
  • Much-loved broadcaster and comedian, Tim Ross and respected musician Kit Warhurst will bring their experiential show Motel, taking audiences on a sentimental, informative journey through Australian holidays of the recent past. It’s a love-letter to a golden era of Australia at leisure, before airbnb, hotel aggregators and discount airlines changed the holiday experience and regional towns forever.
  • And wrapping up the WOMADelaide Talks on the Monday will be internationally respected sleep researchers Greg Roach, Jill Dorrian and Danny Eckert as they talk about the secrets of sleep and what we can do as individuals and a society to improve our waking life through sleep. Hosted by ABC Presenter Deb Tribe, the panel will discuss the silent sleep loss epidemic in our modern 24/7 society.


WOMADelaide 2020 will be held from 6-9 March in Botanic Park, Adelaide, South Australia. For information and tickets visitwww.womadelaide.com.au

The Planet Talks are generously supported by Claire Pfister and David Paradice – and the City of Adelaide.

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