INTRO: Psychology of Risk and Courage

International education expert and activist Heather Wokusch gives insight into the dynamics of risk and courage, this year's festival theme. Central topics: What deep roots of risk-taking favor or torpedo courage? And how can the natural urge for personal growth impact life’s adversities?

This multimedia presentation reveals stories from inspiring personalities all over the world: an atomic bomb survivor who found the strength to speak out decades later, a young woman who fled Syria and became a voice for refugees, an activist who did jail time for breaking into a weapons-manufacturing plant, a lawyer empowering women in Nepal’s post-conflict peace-building, a whistleblower running for political office…

What motivates these people? Is there a shared denominator - independent of demographic or situational factors? Approaches for tackling the great challenges of our time are shared in this presentation.