Each year, individuals have competed for the TED prize, a grant of $100,ooo for “one wish to change the world.” This year that prize has been awarded to a concept rather than an individual, with an emphasis on the role of cities to drive down human impacts and to optimize education, culture, economic opportunity, and innovation.
TED is busy combiling wishes on behalf of City 2.0 now via e-mail to tedprize@ted.com. The aggregated wshes will be unveiled at the TED Conference in Long Beach, Calif. on Feb. 29, 2012, with the promise of, “On a Leap Year date, we have a chance, collectively, to take a giant leap forward.” An active discussion is also taking place online via TED Conversations.
“The TED Prize organizing team is bringing together a group of visionaries — urban planners, architects, technologists, authors, policy makers, and economists — to act as advocates for The City 2.0 and craft a wish capable of inspiring collaborative action by many.”
Certainly among the advocates will be a geospatial voice. Esri has been active recently in TED events across many disciplines. Is this also the opportunity for GIS and BIM convergence to be discussed in a neutral setting for honest discussions beyond tool sets?
