Stories of Hope

Stories of Hope

The Stories of Hope programme is filled with inspiring talks by groundbreaking conservationists, inspiring youth leaders, and celebrity figures. We will find out what is happening in the Cambridgeshire countryside and in pioneering British schools, and we will journey from the forests of India to the grasslands of Kenya.

The Stories of Hope Speakers Programme is comprised of 6 sessions running from 10am to 6pm. Tickets for these sessions will be released from 16 March. If you don't manage to get a ticket, don't worry, there will be overflow seating available for all of the sessions. We will be live streaming them in the Cockroft Lecture Theatre on the New Museums Site. Ask one of the volunteers on the day for directions.

Session 1

Reasons for Optimism

Time: 10.00 – 11.00am

Chaired by Rosie Trevelyan and Andrew Balmford

Responding to the biodiversity and climate crisis Junayd Ul Islam
Who Cares Wins: why optimism is worth fighting for Lily Cole
The Wicken Fen Vision Sarah Smith
The science of optimism Netta Weinstein

Session 2

Choosing Sustainability

Time: 11.10am – 12.10pm

Chaired by Gillian Burke

Cambridge Zero Emily Shuckburgh
Reducing an organisation’s footprint Amy Munroe-Faure, Emma Garnett & Nick White
Bringing peatlands back to life in Belarus Anna Trofimtchouk
Ocean optimism in the wake of plastic pollution Heather Koldewey

Session 3

Making Space for Nature

Time: 12.30 – 1.40pm

Chaired by Tony Juniper

Lessons from transforming UK landscapes for wildlife and people Martin Harper
The Penpont Project and real youth leadership Penpont Project Youth Leaders
Recovering India’s Megafauna Krithi Karanth
Tropical Rainforests Making a Comeback Steve Backshall

Session 4

Innovating for Conservation

Time: 2.30 – 3.35pm

Chaired by Veronica Pickering

Activating new wildlife enthusiasts via games Rafael Mares
Forest to furniture: a sustainable journey in home improvement Caroline Laurie
Inclusive Conservation Mya-Rose Craig, @BirdGirl
How the tuna saved the shark Lisa Sabry
Big data, big brother and the big blue ocean Mark Spalding

Session 5

Saving Species

Time: 3.45 – 4.50pm

Lessons from the Dodo: saving species and rebuilding ecosystems Carl Jones
40 rays of hope: transforming lion killers into lion guardians Salisha Chandra
Butterflies as agents of change within a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Dorothy Stringer School
How many species would have gone extinct without conservation action? Stu Butchart

Session 6

Hope for Our Planet with Sir David Attenborough

Time: 5.10 – 6.00pm

Chaired by Liz Bonnin

Come back soon to book live-screening tickets for session 6

Speakers