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Virtual Reality: Closing the Empathy Gap?

Thursday, April 12, 2018

Session Description

In a world where we feel increasingly dislocated from each other, virtual reality can build empathy and connection across great distances and cultures. But what does it mean if we never meet the people on that screen or set foot into their environment? Does this technology bring us together or pull us farther apart? Hear how nonprofits and filmmakers are using VR to engage communities in more meaningful ways, with the hope of inspiring solidarity and action—even from afar.

Time & Location

Time:
1:30 PM - 2:45 PM, Thursday, April 12, 2018 BST
Location:
Lecture Theatre 4
Speakers
  • Speaker
    Chief of the Yawanawa, Associacao Sóciocultural Yawanawa
    Tashka Yawanawá is chief of the Yawanawá people in Acre, Brazil. As chief, he leads 900 people stewarding 400,000 acres of Amazon rainforest in Brazil. The son of the former leader of the Yawanawá, Tashka grew up witnessing the virtual enslavement of his people by the rubber industry and…
  • Speaker
    Founder, Novo Films
    Lindsay Branham is an Emmy-nominated and visionary film director, a social scientist, environmental psychologist and author. She is the founder of the social and environmental production studio NOVO, with media reaching 25M+ worldwide. She pioneered community-based collaborative journalism…
  • Speaker
    Lawyer, International Justice Mission
    When he was 14 years old, Raja’s whole family became trapped in bonded labor slavery at a brutal brick kiln, all because of a small loan. For two years, Raja worked 19 hours a day, sleeping in a one-room hut with his parents and without access to school. In 2004, International Justice Mission began…
  • Speaker
    Filmmaker, Coco Films
    Nicole Newnham has been a documentary filmmaker for over twenty years. Most recently she produced “Collisions”. Previously, Nicole co-directed & produced the Emmy-nominated documentary The Revolutionary Optimists, which screened globally and was selected by the Emmy-award winning…
  • Moderator
    Executive Editor, Virtual Reality, The Guardian
    Francesca Panetta is Executive editor of virtual reality at The Guardian. An multi-award winning digital artist and journalist, she has lead immersive innovation at the Guardian for the last 10 years. She currently runs the Guardian’s in house virtual reality production studio, dedicated to creating…