TED Circles is an open community of small groups that engage in conversations about big ideas.
Hosted by volunteers, Circles watch and discuss a TED Talk about the monthly theme. They share takeaways online to consider each other’s perspectives and create a global conversation. That conversation needs everyone so we hope you join as a host or as a guest.
Circles can take place in-person and online so they are helping communities stay connected, especially now. The video illustrates how Circles work and why TED believes in them.
Host a TED Circle
Anyone can host a TED Circle! Hosts invite guests, select a talk about the monthly theme, and facilitate a productive conversation...it's that simple! Our host resources are available if you want to learn more.
Hosting is an important role and TED wants to help you be a great host! After you register as a host, you receive a welcome email confirming your hostname, granting access to our Circles registration and invitation generator, and inviting you to join our host community group (a special online space for hosts from around the world to connect).
Want to host a TED Circle?
Register hereThis Month
March | Consumption, what's your function?Join an online Circle hosted by TEDWant to change climate change? Host TED Circles about Countdown
Aparna MehtaWhere do your online returns go
Conversation starters
- Does this talk make you reconsider your online shopping habits? Why or why not? Additional resource: Andrew Dent's Talk
- Were you aware of this practice before the talk? If not, how does it make you feel? If so, share how you learned about it.
- What do you think needs to be done to stop this destructive habit? Consider options starting from the everyday shopper all the way to your favorite retailers.
- Instead of returning an item, what are other ways to part with it more responsibly and sustainably? Brainstorm alternatives like repurposing, regifting, reselling — or something beyond. Think big (and small)!
Graham HillWhy I'm a weekday vegetarian
Conversation starters
- Did Hill convince you to adopt his weekday vegetarian plan? Why or why not?
- Meat is a big part of many cultures around the world. Brainstorm ways to adopt more vegetarian meals without sacrificing important parts of a culture overall.
- Have you naturally been moving in this direction without realizing it? If so, what caused the change? If not, what would make you reconsider? Additional resource: Birke Baehr’s Talk
- Swap some of your favorite vegan or vegetarian recipes — and/or discuss how you could make meat-based meals more plant-based.
Kathryn BouskillThe unforeseen consequences of a fast-paced world
Conversation starters
- In her research, Bouskill met people who said they would “rather burn out than rust out.” Before you watched this talk, to which category did you belong, if either? Why? Has your view changed as a result of this talk? If so, how?
- As noted in the talk’s reading list, Bouskill wrote a piece asking, “What could the world look like in 25 years if the pace of social, environmental, technological, and biological change keeps accelerating?” What’s your answer? Is your vision of the future something you’re excited for? Why or why not?
- Bouskill mentions side effects of the perpetual time crunch we so often seem to find ourselves in, including whiplash and hurry sickness. What are some of the consequences of our speedy society that you’ve encountered?
- What are the occasions in your life or in your community when you wish things would happen faster? What are the times you wished happened more slowly? Are there commonalities within each category?
TED-EdHow to choose your news
Conversation starters
- How do you personally decide that a news outlet is trustworthy? After everyone shares, consider if there are any other methods from the TED-ED lesson you could use.
- What are the benefits of relying on the same outlets for your news? What are the dangers and/or limitations?
- As a group, decide on one recent news item. Compare/contrast how this same event is covered across three different outlets and three different journalists. Are there differences or similarities in coverage that surprise you?
- What has social media’s impact been on news dissemination and awareness?
Upcoming months
April | Appreciating EarthJoin an online Circle hosted by TEDWant to change climate change? Host TED Circles about Countdown
Emma MarrisNature is everywhere — we just need to learn to see it
Conversation starters
- How do you define your locale’s nature? Is nature everywhere, nowhere, or somewhere in between? Describe in detail or share images to illustrate what you mean.
- Has this talk challenged you to see your surroundings differently? If so, how? If not, why not?
- Where do kids in your area interact with nature? Brainstorm ways to engage children more with their surroundings. Additional resource: Nirupa Rao's Talk
- What is your favorite piece of nature on Earth? What untended patch of nature can you embrace in order to better nurture nature?
Menno SchilthuizenHow animals and plants are evolving in cities
Conversation starters
- Schilthuizen shares some unexpected ways that creatures have adapted to the urban jungle. Which evolutionary adaptation impressed you the most?
- How has your region changed in your lifetime? What animal-friendly environments have come and gone? Additional resource: Prosanta Chakrabarty's Talk
- Picture a plant or animal you’ve seen in your region. What adaptations might it have undergone to survive in your changing landscape? Or, what sorts of environmental changes will it need to evolve to adapt to in the near future?
- As Schilthuizen mentions, many species go extinct because of the change to their environment. How might we make our urban spaces more habitable so that the species that do evolve and those that otherwise can’t are both able to survive?
Enrico Ramirez-RuizYour body was forged in the spectacular death of stars
Conversation starters
- What came to mind during this talk? Did your mind stay in the present, travel light years away, or reconsider what you see when you look up at the night sky?
- What did this astrophysics history lesson teach you about cosmic life and Earth life? Additional resource: Dave Brain's Talk
- Which historical figure’s atoms are you the most excited to know created the oxygen atoms you breathe and the very atoms that make you?
- How does the metaphor between our atoms and the Chichimecan myth resonate with you? What would it look like to 'treasure and share every single one of our pieces'? How might that make us 'become more complete'?
Marah J. HardtAre we interrupting the kinky sex lives of fish?
Conversation starters
- How has Hardt’s talk helped you see sea life differently? Additional resource: Heidi Sosik's Talk
- In what ways are your habits connected with the ocean? Consider your diet, travel, and consumer goods.
- What adjustments are you willing to make to ensure that sea life can continue?
- The sex lives of fish can be truly fascinating. What bit of trivia do you think you’re most likely to remember from this talk?
Previous months
February | Our memoriesJoin an online Circle hosted by TEDWant to change climate change? Host TED Circles about Countdown
TED-EdHow memories form and how we lose them
Conversation starters
- What surprised you most about the process of making memories?
- Which memory-affecting factors (e.g. age, mental/physical health, stress, depression, isolation) are you most susceptible to? What would help you combat these factors?
- How do you currently exercise your brain? What “brain workouts'' might you be willing to try in order to help preserve your memories?
- Erin Sullivan encourages us to “Be intentional - don't lose a beautiful, irreplaceable memory because you were too focused on getting the [photograph].” This video says “memories are encoded most strongly when we’re paying attention”. When does photography help/hinder your attention and thus memory making?
Anne BastingHow to meaningfully reconnect with those who have dementia
Conversation starters
- Basting explains that family members most commonly “evoke a shared past” to connect with each other. When do you rely on memories for connection? What could happen if you invited more shared discovery into your conversations?
- How can “beautiful questions” -- questions that don’t have a right or wrong answer -- invite a partner with dementia to engage their imagination instead of their memory? What shared paths might this open for human connection?
- Before this talk, how did you feel about reconnecting with those who have dementia? How do you feel after watching this talk?
- What memory do you hope outlasts any dementia you or a loved one might experience?
Farish Ahmad-NoorWhy is colonialism (still) romanticized?
Conversation starters
- Are there memories that you remember more positively than they really were? Why do you think that is the case?
- How can bringing diverse perspectives to our history (e.g. psychology, anthropology, arts, media) provide a better representation of what happened during that time?
- Do you feel your current identity is shaped by someone else’s history?
- Ahmad-Noor explains “we carry the history in us, and history carries us along”. If we all take part in writing history, how can we ensure that we better define it to be true to collective experiences?
Aparna PallaviWhat foods did your ancestors love
Conversation starters
- Was it surprising to find out that many foods are disappearing from our plates? Do you see this happening in your own home, city, or country?
- Can you recall any local foods or dishes that you previously ate as a child which are no longer eaten? Why was it that people stopped eating this food/dish? And why do you think cultivated food (e.g. wheat, corn, etc.) is consumed more often than foraged foods (e.g. mushrooms, wild vegetables, etc.)?
- Pallavi explores “shame” as a crucial point for the disappearance of traditional foods. Have you experienced this “shame” around eating a specific food? How have those experiences affected what you eat today?
- Pallavi describes several ways in which we can better connect with our food. What is one way you can start today to better connect with your food?
January | Intergenerational learningJoin an online Circle hosted by TEDWant to change climate change? Host TED Circles about Countdown
Hajer ShariefHow to use family dinner to teach politics?
Conversation starters
- Sharief shares the story of her family’s weekly meetings as an example of commonplace politics. Where in your life do everyday instances of politics — negotiation, compromise, alliance building and decision making — appear?
- Can you think of a time when you felt unfairly excluded from decision-making? What was that instance? How did it make you feel? Brainstorm how you could improve the situation if this occurs in the future.
- Has this talk altered the way you see politics, or your place in it? Why or why not?
- Did your childhood include anything like the Family Democracy Meeting? What do you think it would have been like if it had been in place? Would you adopt it with your own family? Why or why not?
Leah GeorgesHow generational stereotypes hold us back at work
Conversation starters
- How have stereotypes about your own generation affected the way you see yourself and others?
- How do you navigate the multigenerational divide — in and outside of work?
- What is one of the most valuable lessons (advice, practical knowledge, etc.) that you have learned from a generation outside your own?
- What is one of your favorite things from another generation (music, fashion, philosophy, etc.)?
Hindou Oumarou IbrahimIndigenous knowledge meets science to solve climate change
Conversation starters
- Do you have any knowledge passed down from previous generations? Share an example. (Examples can be as serious or silly as you like — for example, knowing when it’s about to rain or your grandmother’s cure for hiccups.)
- How have your communities, households or otherwise married old and new knowledge to solve a problem?
- When have you been corrected or shown a better way by old-school knowledge? If comfortable, share your story.
- What knowledge would you like humanity to pass down to future generations?
Roman KrznaricHow to be a good ancestor
Conversation starters
- Krznaric’s talk includes several examples of people planning well into the future. Can you think of other examples that fit this theme? (Some may be in your community.)
- Is there a destructive legacy from the past that impacts you today that you wish had been prevented? Share it with the group. If there are actions being taken to right those wrongs, share those as well.
- What’s one small habit you could change or practice you could adopt that could have a ripple effect for future generations?
- Do you have what it takes to be a time rebel? In what ways can you take bigger steps to decolonize the future? (For more ideas, see Krznaric’s essay for six ways to think long-term).
December | Building momentumJoin an online Circle hosted by TEDWant to change climate change? Host TED Circles about Countdown
Matt GoldmanThe search for aha moments
Conversation starters
- Describe the feeling of an aha moment to you. Is there a pattern (a specific time, place, etc.) to when you usually have them?
- How could you better create the conditions for aha moments in your own life?
- Where in society do you think reshaping the environment would have the most beneficial results for creativity and innovation? Suggestions can be as serious (or silly) as you can muster.
- What would be your ideal space (imagined, real, or in-between) for aha moments to flourish?
Rana Abdelhamid3 lessons on starting a movement from a self defense trailblazer
Conversation starters
- Abdelhamid builds momentum by starting with what she knows, Shotokan karate. What skill or talent (big or small) do you have? Would you be willing to teach it to others in your Circle?
- Abdelhamid started with who she knew and shared her skills with others who expanded that reach. What are the strengths (and limitations) of building momentum with this train-the-trainer approach?
- The third lesson was starting with joy. Abdelhamid felt joy from seeing women in her community support one another. What brings you joy? How has it inspired your journey?
- Is there something you’ve been wanting to start? How might these lessons help you launch your idea?
Bunker RoyLearning from a barefoot movement
Conversation starters
- Where have you been most surprised to find your best ideas?
- Was there a time your perspective changed on the definition of a professional? (e.g. a cook in your family, delivery person, neighborhood handyman, etc.)
- Roy’s curriculum includes democracy, citizenship, land measurement, and more. What lessons (from school and life) do you believe help us build momentum for ourselves and our communities?
- How can you create versions of Roy’s Barefoot College in your own life?
Thomas CrowtherThe global movement to restore nature's biodiversity
Conversation starters
- Crowther shares that in his excitement to share his landmark research, he oversimplified his message and put the legacy of the work in jeopardy. Have you had costly moments of miscommunication, big or small? What were they? What lessons have you drawn from them?
- The “Restor” platform adds artificial intelligence to lessons from those working in the field to develop strategies and identify insights to empower the restoration movement worldwide. What other epic pairings of human ingenuity and modern technology can you think of that have (or could) work to improve our lives?
- Restoration, as Crowther explains, is not a silver bullet. It alone cannot solve our climate crisis. What are some of the ways that your community is addressing the problem at the individual, neighborhood, or governmental level?
- What’s your favorite forest, tree, or plant? Why?
Suggest other themes and talks here
Find a TED Circle
The Circles listed below are registered by hosts who invite their own guests. If you want to attend a Circle, join one hosted by our team! Also find out what Circles are discussing by visiting our community takeaways.
- TEDxBoardingSchoolofHumanitiesAktanysh05 Mar 2021
- Wiputra CendanaOnline05 Mar 2021
- Hanan Derby and Manal AllamDubai05 Mar 2021
- Bill WongOnline06 Mar 2021
- Iggy PacanowskiKrakow06 Mar 2021
- Bronagh HealeyOnline06 Mar 2021
- Önder SitAnkara06 Mar 2021
- TEDxPerugiaPerugia06 Mar 2021
- Ireremena Felix-OtuorimuoOnline06 Mar 2021
- Bright TenbilAccra06 Mar 2021
- TEDxHangzhouHangzhou07 Mar 2021
- TEDxYouth@AikenHighSchoolOnline07 Mar 2021
- Cacilda Pereira Widmer StadlerOnline07 Mar 2021
- Anushka GoelOnline07 Mar 2021
- Iftekharul KabirBronx08 Mar 2021
- ECHOOnline08 Mar 2021
- Jovana DejanovOnline08 Mar 2021
- TEDxFrankfurtOnline08 Mar 2021
- TEDxChicagoOnline09 Mar 2021
- David BlankeOakland09 Mar 2021
- TEDxFromeOnline09 Mar 2021
- UAA AlumniOnline10 Mar 2021
- TED Circles teamOnline10 Mar 2021
- TEDxMidAtlanticOnline10 Mar 2021
- TEDxSunnyvaleOnline10 Mar 2021
- PUC MinasOnline10 Mar 2021
- Jim Smith XR BanburyOnline10 Mar 2021
- Johan StuveOnline11 Mar 2021
- Terry SidfordOnline11 Mar 2021
- Julie Wilson and Alyssa HamptonOnline11 Mar 2021
- Catherine RainoneNewtown Square11 Mar 2021
- TED Circles teamOnline12 Mar 2021
- Marcia PlatilhaNova Lima12 Mar 2021
- Wiputra CendanaOnline12 Mar 2021
- Beste OzerOnline13 Mar 2021
- Bill WongOnline13 Mar 2021
- RADIANTISMOnline13 Mar 2021
- Dr Priy DwivediOnline13 Mar 2021
- TEDxHangzhouHangzhou14 Mar 2021
- Jhelvee CachoOnline14 Mar 2021
- TEDxTangamangaOnline15 Mar 2021
- Legal Learning CenterOnline15 Mar 2021
- TED Circles teamOnline15 Mar 2021
- Mihika TewariBrooklyn15 Mar 2021
- Oksana Rovna & Chrissi FlörkeOnline16 Mar 2021
- Helene Carpentier and Joanna LeydenOnline16 Mar 2021
- Lindy BoeckOnline16 Mar 2021
- WiTTOnline16 Mar 2021
- TED Circles teamOnline16 Mar 2021
- Julia Feng - Positive Change Practitioners Center PhilippinesOnline17 Mar 2021
- Victoria Perez ValinoOnline17 Mar 2021
- Jim Smith XR BanburyOnline17 Mar 2021
- Myrna Selzler ParkOnline17 Mar 2021
- TEDxSunnyvaleOnline17 Mar 2021
- The European School of EconomicsOnline17 Mar 2021
- TEDxWinchesterOnline18 Mar 2021
- Helene Carpentier and Joanna LeydenOnline18 Mar 2021
- Johan StuveOnline18 Mar 2021
- TED Circles teamOnline18 Mar 2021
- Lucila CaceresOnline18 Mar 2021
- Carlos CorderoOnline18 Mar 2021
- TED Circles teamOnline18 Mar 2021
- Susan Hailey, Entrepreneur & AuthorOnline18 Mar 2021
- OvalhoPorto18 Mar 2021
- TechIP Talent and Legal ConsultingBengaluru18 Mar 2021
- Yusuke SuzukiTokyo19 Mar 2021
- Nickolas JekogianOnline19 Mar 2021
- TEDxFrankfurtOnline19 Mar 2021
- Alison SeddonOnline19 Mar 2021
- TEDxYouth@AikenHighSchoolOnline20 Mar 2021
- Naveen Samala (#TGV Podcast Host)Online20 Mar 2021
- Bill WongOnline20 Mar 2021
- TEDxHangzhouHangzhou21 Mar 2021
- Lead from InsightsOnline22 Mar 2021
- The South Shore Literacy CouncilOnline23 Mar 2021
- Pharan AkhtarkhavariGold Coast23 Mar 2021
- Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library - The New York Public LibraryOnline23 Mar 2021
- Valante Grant and Vanyce GrantOnline24 Mar 2021
- Sylvia HendersonOnline24 Mar 2021
- TEDxNiteroiOnline24 Mar 2021
- TEDxRioOnline24 Mar 2021
- TEDxSunnyvaleOnline24 Mar 2021
- Báltico IdeasOnline24 Mar 2021
- Antoinette SarpongOnline25 Mar 2021
- Johan StuveOnline25 Mar 2021
- Negar KiavarOnline26 Mar 2021
- Buddies SpaceOnline26 Mar 2021
- TEDxWinchesterOnline26 Mar 2021
- Ting-Ya LiangTaichung26 Mar 2021
- TEDxHamamatsuHamamatsu26 Mar 2021
- Gunjan Syal, Emerald Technology Group Inc, Transform ThisOnline27 Mar 2021
- TEDxWumaStreetWenzhou27 Mar 2021
- Yuliana GaytanOnline27 Mar 2021
- Begüm KütüklüOnline27 Mar 2021
- Hasan AtasoyOnline27 Mar 2021
- Kgomotso SekhuteOnline27 Mar 2021
- Bill WongOnline27 Mar 2021
- RADIANTISMOnline27 Mar 2021
- Angie JohnsonOnline27 Mar 2021
- TEDxMacedoOnline28 Mar 2021
- Rasha TiozonOnline28 Mar 2021
- TEDxAnjoOnline28 Mar 2021
- Leah StewartBiggleswade28 Mar 2021
- April Benjamin and Dawn CommunicationLagos28 Mar 2021
- IgnitedNeuronsOnline28 Mar 2021
- UAA AlumniOnline28 Mar 2021
- TEDxTangamangaOnline29 Mar 2021
- TEDxBanburyOnline30 Mar 2021
- Love UniversityOnline30 Mar 2021
- Carolyn SchulteisOnline30 Mar 2021
- Masteclass LatinamericaOnline31 Mar 2021
- victoria perez valinoOnline31 Mar 2021
- Jim Smith XR BanburyOnline31 Mar 2021
- Jessica ParishOnline31 Mar 2021
- The New York Public LibraryOnline31 Mar 2021
- TEDxFCUOnline31 Mar 2021
- TEDxBanburyOnline31 Mar 2021
- TEDxSunnyvaleOnline31 Mar 2021
- Bronagh HealeyOnline31 Mar 2021
- Ting-Ya LiangTaichung31 Mar 2021
- HumanitechMelbourne01 Apr 2021
- Bill WongOnline03 Apr 2021
- TEDxLeveranoLeverano03 Apr 2021
- Anuj Manoj KumarPune04 Apr 2021
- Stephanie TaOnline05 Apr 2021
- Richard Lucas and Mel RosenbergOnline07 Apr 2021
- TEDxFerhadijaSarajevo07 Apr 2021
- Burak GülOnline08 Apr 2021
- Julie Wilson and Alyssa HamptonOnline08 Apr 2021
- Bill WongOnline10 Apr 2021
- RADIANTISMOnline10 Apr 2021
- PUC MinasOnline14 Apr 2021
- Zachary SolieNew Berlin16 Apr 2021
- Bill WongOnline17 Apr 2021
- Bill WongOnline24 Apr 2021
- RADIANTISMOnline24 Apr 2021
- Spike Humerlas vegas27 Apr 2021
- Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library - The New York Public LibraryOnline27 Apr 2021
- Dr. Shoshannah Bryn Jones Square and Ana Benham and Genna Trindad and Kennedy Holick and Michelle Mendoza and Naaz Sidhu and Jasmeen Deol and Ravneet Sahota and Jasleen Johal and Emmanuel Juma and William Westerberg and Aaron Moy and Manveer Singh and Kristyn Ing and Alisha Chauhan and Calvin TiuOnline30 Apr 2021
- Peggy LuBrooklyn01 May 2021
- Julie Wilson and Alyssa HamptonOnline13 May 2021
- Career College BhopalOnline15 May 2021
- RADIANTISMOnline15 May 2021
- Kanha KarismaOnline19 May 2021
- Uri NgozichukwukaLagos25 May 2021
- GreenfestPorto29 May 2021
- RADIANTISMOnline29 May 2021
- Salvatore MauroRome08 Jun 2021
- PUC MinasOnline09 Jun 2021
- Julie Wilson and Alyssa HamptonOnline10 Jun 2021
- Lili AbdiArdebil15 Jun 2021
- Fred KagameKigali20 Jun 2021
- Romanian Academy of Medical ScienceOnline20 Jun 2021
- Rob AuerMelbourne25 Jun 2021
- Praise EmmanuelPort Harcourt04 Jul 2021
- Julie Wilson and Alyssa HamptonOnline08 Jul 2021
- PUC MinasOnline14 Jul 2021
- Uri NgozichukwukaLagos26 Jul 2021
- PUC MinasOnline11 Aug 2021
- Julie Wilson and Alyssa HamptonOnline12 Aug 2021
- PUC MinasOnline08 Sep 2021
- Julie Wilson and Alyssa HamptonOnline09 Sep 2021
- Charles Shasky and Jessica KehererOnline23 Sep 2021
- Environment and Sustainable Development OfficeJeddah07 Oct 2021
- PUC MinasOnline13 Oct 2021
- Julie Wilson and Alyssa HamptonOnline14 Oct 2021
- PUC MinasOnline10 Nov 2021
- Julie Wilson and Alyssa HamptonOnline11 Nov 2021
- PUC MinasOnline08 Dec 2021
- Julie Wilson and Alyssa HamptonOnline09 Dec 2021
- PUC MinasOnline12 Jan 2022
About TED Circles
TED Circles is a global community of small groups who discuss big ideas together. We believe in the power of ideas and frequent, face-to-face conversations to positively impact ourselves, our communities, and our world. Through TED Circles, a host can invite their friends, neighbors, strangers, or a mix - many who have not attended TED or TEDx events - into their home, school, office, and more to discuss a variety of interesting topics. TED provides monthly themes, recommended talks, and specific conversation starters so the host can focus on engaging everyone in constructive conversations. Here’s a summary of what TED Circles are and are not:
- They are volunteer-hosted, small, face-to-face (in-person, online) gatherings where topics are safely discussed.
- They are not a TED event, they are not a club or a one-off gathering, and they do not sell things or raise money.
FAQs
TED Circles are purposefully easy to adopt so they occur regularly plus they are easy to adapt so they reflect hosts’ and guests' style. With many possibilities come many questions:
Who can host a TED Circle?
Anyone! Register to host TED Circles.
Who can participate in a TED Circle?
Hosts invite guests to participate in their Circle.
What is discussed during a TED Circle?
TED provides monthly themes with aligned talks and questions to support, not limit hosts. Hosts are welcome to select any content that relates to the monthly theme. Further, hosts may suggest guests watch the content independently beforehand or together at the beginning of the TED Circle.
Where do TED Circles take place?
Taking place in-person and online, locations for TED Circles include yet are not limited to: homes, parks, cafes, schools, workplaces, libraries, and video calls.
When do TED Circles take place?
Scheduling can be set by the host or collaboratively agreed with guests. TED Circles are intended to occur monthly and last 1-2 hours.
If you have additional questions, please email tedcircles@ted.com
Rules of engagement
TED Circles is an open community which welcomes everyone who believes in TED's values and wishes to engage in constructive conversations about ideas. A volunteer-powered platform calls for some ground rules.
Each Circle is independent but all TED Circles are connected virtually and through a shared brand. Hosts and Circles that do not adhere to the spirit and rules of the program or harm the community in any way will be removed from the program and must discontinue the use of the TED Circles brand. If you notice non-compliance, please email tedcircles@ted.com.
Tell the world about your Circle
Every TED Circles host is required to annually register as a host and register each TED Circles event they host. This does not mean that the Circle is open to the public - hosts decide if the Circle is closed (by invitation only) or open (accepting new participants) - but it provides official designation as a TED Circle.
Show off your TED Circles affiliation
When a TED Circle is registered and active, the host may present themselves as a TED Circles host and use TED-provided TED Circles logo and designs. Always be clear that TED Circles are volunteer-hosted gatherings, not TED events produced by TED staff, and accordingly use the TED Circles logo, not the TED logo.
Be cool
Hosting is a big opportunity and responsibility. Each TED Circles host must ensure the safety and comfort of their guests.
Do it for public good
TED Circles is a volunteer endeavor and free to attend. Hosts may ask for in-kind contributions (such as food and meeting space). Hosts and guests may not use TED Circles to gain revenue sponsorship, make money, raise funds, or organize crowdfunding.
Focus on ideas
TED Circles uphold the spirit of TED, focusing on the power of ideas. Welcoming a wide range of perspectives, TED Circles encourage equal participation within a safe environment that promotes curiosity, inclusion, debate, and impact. Agendas and self-promotion have no place in these conversations.