TED Announces Plans to Move Annual TEDGlobal Conference to Rio de Janeiro in 2014

NEW YORK, June 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- TED, the nonprofit known for "Ideas Worth Spreading," announces today it will move its annual TEDGlobal Conference to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2014, moving from its current Edinburgh, Scotland venue.

The theme of the Rio-based conference will be "South!" as TED brings its global community of thinkers and doers across the equator to celebrate the outpouring of innovation, dynamism and creativity taking place all over the global south.

TEDGlobal will take place in a custom-built venue on Rio's Copacabana Beach from October 6-10, 2014. Registration will open this fall.

"Rio has been beckoning TED for many years, both metaphorically and literally," said TED Curator Chris Anderson. "It's at the heart of a continent bursting with fresh thinking. We're delighted to finally be going. This conference will be ambitious, a thrilling new chapter for TED's growing community of global souls."

TEDGlobal was held in the United Kingdom for the last six years – first in Oxford and then in Edinburgh. The move to Latin America is a continuation of TED's 30th anniversary celebration, with the annual TED Conference having announced its move from Long Beach, California to Vancouver, British Columbia earlier this year.

"We are proud of the conferences we've held in Edinburgh," said Bruno Giussani, TEDGlobal Director.  "As TED's international reach has expanded, Latin America has emerged as a clear and exciting next move. Rio is not only a hub of innovation and fresh thinking, but it presents a rich history and exquisite physical setting. We will gather forward-looking speakers from all over the world."

Rio de Janeiro was chosen for several reasons: 

• It is one of the world's great cities, recognized for its landscape, innovation, and rich culture.
• The venue sits right on the beach of Copacabana, providing a new setting for this annual global gathering. 
• Immediately next to the convention center are world-class hotels, restaurants and event spaces.  
• As TED's global footprint grows – with incredible momentum throughout Latin America – Rio provides an ideal setting in the heart of the global south. 
• Brazil's leaders have been very supportive of bringing TED to Rio, and are committed to helping make TEDGlobal 2014 a success.

"We are delighted to host TEDGlobal 2014," said Rio de Janeiro's Mayor Eduardo Paes. "I experienced TED firsthand when I spoke at the TED2012 conference. It is a unique gathering of the world's most fascinating thinkers and doers. As Rio continues to grows, hosting TEDGlobal is a reflection of how far we have come – and where innovation and creativity can take us."

About TED
TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California almost 30 years ago, TED has grown to support those world-changing ideas with multiple initiatives. The two annual TED Conferences invite the world's leading thinkers and doers to speak for 18 minutes on a diverse mix of topics. Many of these talks are then made available, free, at TED.com. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Stephen Hawking, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Nandan Nilekani, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and Isabel Allende. The TED2014 Conference will take place next spring in Vancouver, British Columbia, along with the TEDActive simulcast in neighboring Whistler. 

TED's media initiatives include TED.com, where new TED Talks are posted daily; the Open Translation Project, which provides subtitles and interactive transcripts as well as translations from volunteers worldwide; the educational initiative TED-Ed; and TEDBooks, short e-books on powerful ideas. TED has established the annual TED Prize, where exceptional individuals with a wish to change the world get help translating their wishes into action; TEDx, which supports individuals or groups in hosting local, self-organized TED-style events around the world; and the TED Fellows program, helping world-changing innovators from around the globe to amplify the impact of their remarkable projects and activities.

Contact: Erin Allweiss, TED@groupsjr.com, +1-917-512-2118