Explorers Festival, Thursday June 15 | National Geographic

from a distance it always seems impossible. But impossible is just a place we haven't been to yet. Impossible is what beckons us to go further, to explore. It calls us from the wild, lures us into the unknown, asks us to dig deeper, to look at things from new perspectives. And sometimes it forces us to change the way we see. The impossible appears in the darkest hours, taunts us with answers in the most unlikely places, hides solutions where there once were none. It can drive us to the brink, but it's what beats in the heart of every explorer.

[Music] Because the further you go into the impossible, the closer we are to making it possible. Ladies and gentlemen, National Geographic is proud to present the 2017 National Geographic Explorers Festival. Please welcome to the stage President and CEO of the National Geographic Society, Gary Knell.

Good morning everyone, and welcome! Everyone in the lounge where I know you're enjoying breakfast burritos—that was a personal request of mine this year—and all those live-streaming around the world, today we welcome you to the first big livestream of this incredible festival.

As you know who have been here before, once a year we bring our amazing family, our National Geographic family together: our extraordinary explorers who have traveled thousands of miles to be here; our amazing contributors who support our unparalleled research and exploration storytelling; and of course, the dedicated National Geographic staff who work tirelessly every day to make National Geographic Society a reality.

And the members of our board of trustees, including our visionary chairperson, Jean Case, who's here today. Jean, would you—[Applause]—and Peter Raven, who is the head of our Committee on Research and Exploration. [Applause]

We're all so privileged to have Lexi Grosvenor Eller here, who has some connection to the name of this auditorium, Mark Moore, and Tracy Wolfson Croft. Welcome! And a special shout-out to my colleague who's done so much to lead our media side of the organization, to expand it and integrate it around the world to reach more people than ever, Declan Moore. Declan—and and his boss, the chairman of National Geographic Partners and the chairman of Fox Networks Group—we're really pretty privileged to have an amazing visionary in his own right and someone who has dedicated himself to the mission of National Geographic, Peter Rice. Peter! [Applause]

So we're dedicating this week to the fact that we live in interesting times, and we think that never before has National Geographic been more relevant. We need to protect and preserve species; we need to build a better, healthier planet as we see nine billion people, as Peter Raven likes to remind us, here by the year 2050, and perhaps 11 billion by the end of the century.

There are actually twice as many people on the planet since the day I graduated high school, which wasn't that long ago, but that's a remarkable thing to think about—twice as many people on the planet! And just last year alone—China, in three years—I know my favorite statistic—used more cement in building than the United States used in the entire 20th century.

So the rapid nature of growth, the rapid nature of population, the critical state of climate all comes together. And at the same time, National Geographic has been there for 129 years to chronicle this progression and to give voice to those who are trying to do something about it.

A hundred years ago this year, National Geographic magazine offered a series of moving portraits in an article called "Our Foreign-Born Citizens." It was a year before World War I ended, when many were flocking to the United States for a new life, including my grandparents. We brought attention to immigrants striving to come to this country and start over. We showed the world their faces, their fears, their hopes and joys, and we made their struggles relevant to all those that we reached.

Exactly one century later, National Geographic continues to shine a spotlight on the plight of the world's refugees and migrants, raising awareness of the often heartbreaking challenges that they face through the work of Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and National Geographic Fellow, Paul Salopek, and many others.

And exactly 65 years ago this year, National Geographic published our first photos by Jacques-Yves Cousteau, pioneering a new age of underwater research and revolutionizing oceanography and ocean conservation. Fifty years ago, with the help from Dr. Louis Leakey and grants from National Geographic and others, Dian Fossey began her monumental 18-year study of mountain gorillas. Her work would fundamentally change the way that we view these magnificent creatures and their relationship to humankind.

These milestones serve as reminders of the world-changing impact of all that we do with all of you. Today, our planet faces increasingly urgent challenges from overpopulation to climate change and beyond, and the global conversation around many of these issues continues to be polarized, as evidenced by the recent U.S. withdrawal from the Paris agreement.

In many ways, our work is more critical than ever before. And we have the people, the organization, and the tenacity to push forward to advance the world: science and research, to tell stories that build awareness and spur action, to educate and create change.

A year and a half ago, we took a major step forward, creating a new funding model here at National Geographic to allow us to expand and accelerate our research, exploration, and storytelling. Nearly every day we are hearing of major media organizations or nonprofits that are being forced to cut back or shrink their mission, but not National Geographic. We're moving ahead at full steam.

We now have a sustained way to fund our future in the form of a $1.2 billion endowment. This is allowing us to lean in, to be bolder, and to be more proactive. For example, our expanded resources have made it possible to build some amazing public-facing elements around this symposium, creating our first-ever Explorers Festival to showcase our explorers' work to the world.

Just last week, we took another major stride. We announced we will direct $50 million of our enhanced endowment into impact investments or financial vehicles designed to promote a greater good, such as protecting the environment. With this move, we are building on our commitment to protect the planet and help create a more sustainable future.

We are reaching further and moving more decisively than ever to carry forth our mission. And everyone today in this room has a critical role to play. I want to take a moment now to acknowledge that—to acknowledge you. First, I'd like to ask our explorers to stand up. What a thrill it is to have you all here today to work with you! The ideas and innovation that you bring—these men and women show bravery. They make incredible sacrifices; they uncover amazing discoveries. They make National Geographic what it is, and they make an extraordinary mark on the world. We are in awe of you.

And these include, of course, our explorers in residence in the audience. Please, PLEASE wave or stand up to be acknowledged: Sylvia Earle, Bob Ballard. [Applause] You're gonna see Lee Berger and Reek Solace shortly—they're being kept in there for now. And a special shout-out because I know they're tuning in to our incredible explorers in residence, Beverly and Derek Jaber. [Applause] We know you are here, and we know that you're telling me right now to stand back from those animals.

So next, I'd like our contributors to stand because your spirit of generosity and diehard support of our mission allows National Geographic to travel to the most remote places on earth, to develop and harness revolutionary new technologies, to take on the planet's toughest challenges, and to solve some of the most intractable problems. We're so grateful for all that you do—please, our ICA and other donors! [Music]

And finally, I would like to ask the National Geographic staff to stand because from program management to marketing and communications, lawyers and accountants, financial people and fundraisers, the magazine channel, travel licensing, and digital and beyond, you all pull together to make this symposium, week-long festival, and everything at Nat Geo happen. Take a bow, please! [Applause]

[Music] So I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge our partners at Rolex, without whom this event would not be possible. This symposium is our chance to come together, to learn, and to celebrate. It's also an opportunity to relax, to refuel our batteries, to close the Lucky Bar, and to rev up our engines for the year ahead.

Finally, it's a—I don't get paid by the Lucky Bar motto—but finally, it's time to reconnect to our larger purpose: to protect our natural world and make an incredible difference. I ask each of you to make the most out of this week. I know I will; my wife Kim will. It's so inspiring to all of us! We want you to get to know your colleagues, to share your ideas, and to dream together.

And then take all of that—what you learned—back home and take action to keep pushing and keep striving to make new discoveries and to drive much-needed change. The theme of our gathering this year is: anything is possible! With our Nat Geo explorers, our supporters, our staff, and our proud 129-year legacy, anything and everything is possible!

So let's have a great symposium and a great year, and let's make history! And now, I'd like to welcome to the stage the Society's Executive Vice President and Chief Program Officer to share how her team is supporting our Explorer universe. Please welcome my colleague, Brooke Runté. Thanks, everyone!

[Music] Ah! Look at you! I'm so excited to be here today. This week is the largest assemblage of returning explorers we've ever had. So look around here, you guys. This is more of you than we've ever had in one place before, and there are probably a bunch of them spilling into campus still after last night—a little late.

One of the things that I think is clear—from what any of you have seen here before—this is the week that shows what we are. This is really about the core of us, the heart and soul of the organization. The entire enterprise is explorers; it's all about you in here, and it's all about getting you all together, which is so important. Because collaborating and showing this community of change is really what we are, and when we feel like we are at our best.

Because the explorers have always been at the core of what we are and what we do, we feel like we are the catalyst, and explorers are the change. We are the helpers of everyone who is here, and whether it's trying to get you started on the first grant or...