Overview
TED Democracy, which officially kicked off in July 2024, features a series of high-profile events over three years centered around the concepts and pillars that are essential to preserving modern democracy.
And it’s all happening right here in the City of Brotherly Love in celebration of America’s Semiquincentennial in 2026.
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TED Democracy Fireside Chat No. 2.
— Photo by Visit Philadelphia
TED Democracy: Events Overview
2024: Fireside Chats
The TED Democracy Fireside Chat initiative brought together big thinkers and civic leaders who are protecting and reimagining democracies across the globe.
Each event featured TED Talks from esteemed thought leaders, followed by moderated Q&A sessions with the audience, along with light bites and refreshments.
Held at historic locations in Philadelphia, the first two of these three chats were also be live-streamed at key community centers throughout the city.
2025: TED Speaker Series
The best and brightest TED speakers bring their ideas to Philadelphia stages during this three-part speaker series centered on the state of modern democracy around the globe.
The series will be curated after Americans make their voices heard in the 2024 United States presidential election.
2026: Flagship Event
TED Democracy culminates with a massive, daylong symposium showcasing ideas and solutions designed to inform and inspire a global audience.
The event will be curated in 2025 to address current events and the latest conversations in the country.
Past Events
TED Democracy Fireside Chat 3: Moving Forward Together
Held at Reading Terminal Market, the third TED Democracy: Fireside Chat event on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, focused on finding common ground in moments of profound disagreement.
Hosted by award-winning journalist, filmmaker and TED curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers, the event featured talks from:
- Julia Dhar, business strategist and champion debater, and
- Scott Shigeoka, author and curiosity expert.
TED Democracy Fireside Chat 2: The Power of Participation
Held at historic Eastern State Penitentiary, the second TED Democracy Fireside Chat focused on the power of participation.
— Photo by Visit Philadelphia
The event featured special guest Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and was hosted by moderator and political commentator Sally Kohn. The evening spotlighted thought-provoking TED Talks from two of the nation’s most influential voices for voting change:
- Katie Fahey, citizen changemaker and executive director of The People, who led a successful movement in her home state of Michigan against gerrymandering — the practice of drawing district lines to favor one political party over others, and
- Desmond Meade, a formerly homeless returning citizen who now serves as president of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, a grassroots organization that has helped restore voting rights to more than 1.4 million Floridians with past felony convictions.
TED Democracy Fireside Chat 1: Living in a Democracy
Held at the National Constitution Center on July 8, 2024, the inaugural TED Democracy Fireside Chat highlighted the opportunities we all have as a result of living in a democratic society and examines how we can be better citizens for one another.
— Photo by Visit Philadelphia
The event — hosted by A.J. Jacobs, New York Times best-selling author and host of the podcast The Puzzler With A.J. Jacobs — featured TED Talks from:
- Katherine Maher, president and CEO of National Public Radio and former CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation, and
- Baratunde Thurston, Emmy-nominated host, producer, writer and public speaker best known for his work on The Daily Show and the host of the How to Citizen podcast.
More About the Semiquincentennial in Philadelphia
As the birthplace of America, Philadelphia will be the epicenter for a year-long Semiquincentennial celebration filled with festivals, fireworks, freedom and fun.
The Liberty Bell
— Photo by J. Fusco for Visit Philadelphia
Click the button below for our guide to America’s Semiquincentennial in Philadelphia.
