TEDxKyotoChange (04.07.2012)

Event Details

TEDxChange 2012 was a TEDx event co-organized by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and TED. Convened by Melinda French Gates. Hosted by Chris Anderson. TEDxChange focused on issues surrounding global health and development. TEDxChange type events are TEDx events hosted around the live webcast of TEDxChange, and also feature local speakers.

Our event was called TEDxKyotoChange, and is one of many TEDx events that happened around the globe on or near April 5th that expand on the ideas brought up at TEDxChange 2010.

Event Program

Date : April 7, 2012

Venue : Kyoto Institute of Technology, 60th Anniversary Hall(Map)

Local Speakers (Kyoto)

Kanae Doi

Kanae Doi

Kanae Doi, a lawyer in Japan, was born in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture. A graduate of University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Law, she passed the national bar examination while still a student in 1996. In 1998, she traveled to what was at the time the newest African country, Eritrea, and devoted herself to the enactment of criminal laws. After returning to Japan, she actively engaged in refugee human rights issues. Currently, she serves as the Japan Director of the international human rights NGO, Human Rights Watch.

» TEDxTalks | Developing Human Dignity from Japan



Satoru Yamamoto

Satoru Yamamoto

Satoru Yamamoto is currently the Director / Head of Planning Section of the Product Planning Department at Daiwa Securities. After entering Daiwa Securities in 1998, from 2001 he became engaged in debt finance and new product development in the Product Planning Department, leading impact investment in Japan. In November 2009, with the cooperation of the International Finance Corporation, Mr. Yamamoto started a microfinance bond and developed a microfinance investment trust fund (Daiwa Microfinance Fund, est. March 2011), both firsts in Japan which tied with his subsequent promotion. He is also in involved with other initiatives such as International Finance Facility for Immunisation (IFFlm), World Bank “Cool” Bond, World Bank Green Bond, ADB Water Bonds, European Investment Bank Ecology Bond, Inter-American Development Bank Child Support Bonds, AfDB Education Bonds, and JICA Bonds among others. In March 2012, he was chosen as one of the “Young Global Leaders for 2012” by the World Economic Forum-hosted Davos Forum. Mr. Yamamoto holds a BA in Economics from Keio University and MBA from UC Berkeley.

» TEDxTalks | “Impact Investing – Innovative finance for development”



Kazuko Sako

Kazuko Sako

Kazuko Sako was born in Ujiwara-cho, Kyoto Prefecture. From 1974 she became a midwife and in 1989 started a maternity center in Fushimi, Kyoto in an effort to revive natural childbirth, sending shockwaves throughout the midwife community. From 1995, through a JICA international project, she became involved in reforming Brazil’s birth situation and has contributed to the decrease in Brazil’s once over 90% rate of C-section births to 25% and the improvement of its once 60% newborn mortality rate. She stands as a legendary midwife who has delivered 1852 children.

» TEDxTalks | How You Bear is How You Live; Your Choice



TEDxChange 2012 Speakers (Berlin)

Melinda Gates
Melinda Gates serves as co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. She helps shape and approve foundation strategies, review results, advocate for foundation issues, and set the overall direction of the organization. She received a bachelor’s degree from Duke University in 1986 and a master’s degree in business administration from Duke’s Fuqua School of Business in 1987. Since retiring from Microsoft in 1996, she has dedicated her energy toward the nonprofit world.

Sven Giegold
Sven Giegold is a Member of the European Parliament and one of the founding members of Attac Germany. Sven has dedicated much of his career towards green industry issues, speaking out on issues of globalization, ecology, and tax policy. He devoted over 15 years to voluntary work in the youth environmental movement, and today is a representative of Friends of the Earth Germany. He holds a University degree in Adults Education, Policy and Economics in Lüneburg, Bremen and Birmingham and a Master’s degree in Economic Policy and Economic Development at the University of Birmingham (UK).

Jeff Chapin
Jeff Chapin uses design as a means to address longstanding social and environmental issues that exist in developing countries and in his homeland of the United States. He strongly believes in a user-led approach to design, engaging local communities in the research, ideation and testing that leads to new products and services. He currently leads an array of projects at IDEO and frequently collaborates with iDE (International Development Enterprises). Jeff strongly believes in the market as a means to address social issues and applies the lens of design across all aspects of supply and demand.

Theo Sowa
Theo Sowa is an independent advisor and consultant, specialising in international social development with a particular emphasis on children’s rights and protection issues, especially in conflict situations. She is currently the Interim CEO of the African Women’s Development Fund, a pan African women’s grant making organisation. Born in Ghana, she has lived and worked in many countries in Africa, as well as the UK, Europe, and the USA. Her work includes advisory roles to African and other international women and children’s rights activists and leaders, plus policy development and advocacy with a variety of international agencies and organisations.

Baaba Maal
Baaba Maal is a Senegalese singer and guitarist born in Podor, on the Senegal River. Baaba sings primarily in Pulaar and is the foremost promoter of the traditions of the Pulaar-speaking peoples. He has released several albums. In July 2003, Baaba was made a UNDP Youth Emissary. In March 2012 he visited Mauritania with Oxfam to call attention to the humanitarian need resulting from the food crisis in the Sahel. Also an Ambassador for Nelson Mandela’s 46664 campaign, he has become an increasingly vocal champion for the rights of women and girls.


» TEDxKyotoChange Volunteers and Crews


Venue : Kyoto Institute of Technology, 60th Anniversary Hall (Link)


Supported by

The Kyoto Chamber of Commerce and Industry The Kyoto Chamber of Commerce and Industry

In Kind Partners

In Kind Sponsors

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