100 brilliant people  -  young and old - from all sectors and all continents.

Four days on a veteran ship  -  undisturbed - with no wifi or cellular coverage.

Together  -  exploring the Arctic and witnessing climate change first hand.

Together  -  engaging in the most important discussions of our time.

​

What should our societies be like?

How can wealth be more equally distributed?

How does tech affect democracy and the distribution of power?

How do we meet the blurring divisions between man and machine?

What are the consequences of bioengineering?

Should there be restrictions on AI?

How can we prepare our children for the future instead of the past?

And many more...

​

A 4-day expedition was designed paying extreme attention to details. At the core of the experiment laid bringing the leaders of today and tomorrow together as equals, and facilitating engaging discussions and conversations from holistic and system-driven perspectives breaking down the normal silos. Often one sees a divide between the young and the established, the representatives from different sectors, and from different geographies. We wanted to avoid this and for everyone to get to know each other as human beings - and not as CVs. Removing everyone from access to technology was part of this strategy; Googling each other was not possible in the isolated Arctic dessert, and without data or wifi, a safe space was created where social media sharing could not take place. To deepen the level of connection even more, we published a book called "Ice Breaker" profiling everyone where personal stories and reflections were shared, and during the expedition, everyone was encouraged to write postcards and reflection cards to themselves and other members that were sent by mail to everyone in the months following the expedition keeping the memories and experiences flowing. FutureTalks was all about connecting the hearts on equal grounds.

​

The Arctic Expedition took place under Chatham House Rule, and both the program and results from our discussions are hence private. The main idea behind the FutureTalks experiment was connecting people, and our belief that "magic happens when the right people meet" has proven true again and again based on the numerous of projects and initiatives started by the members after the expedition.