Direct Talk: 2022 season 2024

Overcoming Prejudice: Chang-Haeng / Juggling Performer

The Peanut Butter of Dreams: Naka Kotobuki / CEO, Sanchai

The Challenge of the Food Crisis: Antoine Hubert / Ÿnsect's Chairman and CEO

Acting With a Mission - A Better Future for All: Bella Galhos / Human Rights Activist

Sustainable Gastronomy Is Possible: Christopher Coutanceau / Chef

Love of Sumo: Kon Hiyori / Sumo Wrestler

What Dinosaurs Can Teach Us: Steve Brusatte / Paleontologist & Evolutionary Biologist

Regreening Sinai Peninsula: Ties van der Hoeven / Co-Founder of The Weather Makers

Glaciers Are Our Lifeline: Jemma Wadham / Glaciologist

The Fight To End Digital Violence: Olimpia Coral Melo Cruz / Founder of "Frente Nacional para la Sor

Socially Conscious Performance Artist: Nut Brother / Performance Artist

Filmmaking Beyond Borders: Ota Akimi / Filmmaker, Anthropologist

Anime Is Not to Be Underestimated: Tomino Yoshiyuki / Animation Director

Personalized Dolls for an Inclusive World: Amy Jandrisevits / Founder of A Doll Like Me

Standing Between Elephants and Humans: Wang Bin / Asian Elephant Specialist

This Too Will Pass: Olivia Newton-John / Singer, Actor

Plastic That Returns to Nature: Mori Ryohei / CEO, Green Science Alliance

Turning Uniqueness Into Influence: Brandon Farbstein / Global Empowerment Speaker & Gen Z Activist

Dream Big and Tear Down Barriers: Lamont Marcell Jacobs Jr. / Tokyo Olympic Men's 100m Champion

Taking Classical Music on the Road: Guilhem Fabre / Pianist

The Cutting Edge of Nihonbuyo: Hanayagi Juraku / Nihonbuyo Performer, Choreographer

Advancing Inclusion Through Technology: Joshua Miele / Accessible Technology Designer

Personal Stories Drive Politics: Sarah McBride / Delaware State Senator

A New Wagashi Movement: Mitsubori Junichi / Wagashi Artist

A Gameplan for Change: Leena Kejriwal / Founder of Missing Public Art Project

Taking Fukushima Silk Global: Saito Eita / Managing Director, Saiei Silk

Reviving Rationality: Steven Pinker / Experimental Cognitive Psychologist

A Life Devoted to Bees: Ryad Alsous / Professor, Beekeeper

Math Can Help: Ingrid Daubechies / Mathematician

Protecting Biodiversity Through "Edible Tea": Kenneth Rimdahl / Founder & CEO Monsoon Tea / MONTEACO

Protecting Venice: Jane Da Mosto / Environmental Scientist

An Inside View of Policing: Rosa Brooks / Police Reformer, Law Professor

Eco-Friendly Graffiti Removal: Fujimoto Yasushi / Ultra-High Pressure Washer Developer

Resilient Afghan Tech Women: Roya Mahboob / CEO of Digital Citizen Fund

Living With Robots in Aging Countries: Gajan Mohanarajah / Robot Engineer

Keeping the Beauty of Life Alive: Inata Miori / Photographer

Ocean Rescue Is Fun: Benoit Schumann / Director, Project Rescue Ocean

A Supercomputer for Everyone: Matsuoka Satoshi / Director, Riken Center for Computational Science

Preventing Disaster-Related Deaths: Takahashi Tomohiro / Journalist, Photographer

Projecting Diversity on Screen: Yalitza Aparicio / Actor, Activist

A New Model for Capitalism: Jay Coen Gilbert / Cofounder, Global B Corporation Movement

The Power of Plants: James Wong / Botanist

Accessible and Inclusive Fashion: Hirabayashi Kei / Representative Director, Japan Persons with Disa

Building Relief Shelters from Paper: Ban Shigeru / Architect

Broadway Diversified by Asian Power: Baayork Lee / Co-founder of National Asian Artists Project

Agents of Change: Rafa Jafar / Founder, EwasteRJ

Makeup That's Changing the Homeless: Shirley Raines / Founder of Beauty 2 The Streetz

Soothing Sounds for the Soul: Okawa Yoshiaki / Koto Player

Food Waste Into Nutrients!: Tinia Pina / Founder & CEO of AgTech Startup, Re-Nuble

Breaking the Oil Stranglehold: Mark van Baal / Founder, Follow This

Rediscovering the True Russia: Boris Akunin / Author

Supporting Expectant Mothers in Tanzania: Shinpuku Yoko / Midwife / Professor, Global Health Nursing

Eradicating Female Genital Mutilation: Waris Dirie / Founder of Desert Flower Foundation

A Gen Z Response to Global Problems: Avi Schiffmann / Internet Activist

Changing the World Through the Power of Food: José Andrés / Chef/Founder, World Central Kitchen

Gaming with Passion: Tokido / Pro Gamer

Serving Up Udon Worldwide: Awata Takaya / President & CEO, Toridoll Holdings

Drones Changing Logistics: Keller Rinaudo / CEO of Zipline

Speak Up! Generation Z!: Deja Foxx / Activist, Founder of GenZ Girl Gang

Russia - A Filmmaker's Story: Vitaly Mansky / Documentary Filmmaker

The Man Who Predicts Punches: Fukuda Naoki / Boxing Photographer

The War Seen From the "Grey Zone": Andrey Kurkov / Writer

Turning Waste Into Luxury Brands: Giulio Bonazzi / Chairman and CEO at Aquafil Group

Giving Food Waste a Chance: Nicole Klaski / Founder of The Good Food

Secrets of the Swarm: Maeno Ould Koutaro / Entomologist

Murals for a Brighter Future: Miyazaki Kensuke / Artist

Seeking True Equality: Nalutporn Krairiksh / Executive Editor, ThisAble.me

A Digital Revolution in Fashion: Kerry Murphy / Co-Founder & CEO of The Fabricant

Steady Effort Saves Lives: Firdausi Qadri / Vaccine Scientist

Illuminating Lives in Rural Africa: Kawaguchi Nobuhiro / CEO, Kawaguchi Steel Industry

Understanding Volcanoes: Tamsin Mather / Professor of Earth Sciences, Oxford University

Ukraine as the Breakwater for Europe: Oleksandr Frazé-Frazénko / Poet, Musician, Filmmaker

The Alchemist of Copper Coloring: Orii Koji / CEO, Momentum Factory Orii

Farming for the Future: James Rebanks / Farmer and Author

A Safer World for Children: Firzana Redzuan / Founder of Monsters Among Us

Bravely Climb to New Heights: Xia Boyu / Mountain Climber

Taking on the Waves: Horie Kenichi / Ocean Adventurer

The Necessity of an Intimacy Coordinator: Jean Franzblau / Intimacy Coordinator

Rising From the Slums as an E-Sport Professional: Brian Diang'a / Pro Gamer

Determined To Be Me: Naomi Shimada / Model and Author

Pushing the Boundaries of Bamboo: Tanabe Chikuunsai IV / Artist

Sacred Flowers, Sacred River: Ankit Agarwal / Founder & CEO of Phool

Saving Ukraine's Forgotten Animals: Radosław Fedaczyński / Veterinary Surgeon

Confronting "Europe's Last Dictator": Svetlana Tikhanovskaya / Exiled Belarus Opposition Leader

Aiding Others: Osa Yukie / President, Association for Aid and Relief, Japan

Taking Tokachi Cheese Global: Nagahara Chisato / Fromager

Illustrating War for Children: Romana Romanyshyn / Picture Book Creator, Art Studio Agrafka

A Temple of Refuge: Thich Tam Tri / Buddhist Nun

For a More Tolerant World: Hayakawa Chie / Film Director

Making Baseball Fun the "Fans First Way": Jesse Cole / Owner, Savannah Bananas

Saving the "Sea Slaves": Patima Tungpuchayakul / Co-founder, Labour Protection Network

Clear Leadership for Diversity: Bill Kramer / CEO of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences

Sportswomen Shining With Equality: Kathryn Bertine / Former Pro Cyclist & Activist

Shaping a Shrine's Legacy: Kishikawa Masanori / Priest, Kanda Myojin Shrine

The Joy of Social Change: Robin Takashi Lewis / Social Entrepreneur

Solid Solutions for Regional Challenges: Ikehara Masaki / CEO, Morutaru Magic

Casting Light on Gender Inequality: Matsuda Aoko / Novelist

Tackling the Global Food Crisis: Mark Lowcock / The Relief Chief 2017-2021, United Nations

Capturing a Black Hole: Honma Mareki / Astronomer/Professor, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan

Ultrarealistic Metal Creatures: Mitsuta Haruo / Jizai Craftsman

Sustainable Pads Empower Indian Women: Kristin Kagetsu / Saathi Co-Founder

A Maestro's Passion: Fabio Luisi / Conductor

Striving for Sustainable Design: Shinohara Tomoe / Designer, Artist

The Key to Preventing School Shootings: Dewey Cornell / Forensic Clinical Psychologist

Finding New Visions: Yamamura Koji / Animation Artist

Keeping Hope Alive for Myanmar: Shibuya Źarny / Fashion Designer, Full Moon Foundation Founder

Turning Pollution Into Ink: Anirudh Sharma / Co-founder, Graviky Labs

Visualizing War with Digital Tools: Watanave Hidenori / Professor, The University of Tokyo

A New Foot Forward: Misawa Noriyuki / Shoemaker, Artist

Music Is the Firestarter: Mukengerwa Tresor Riziki / Musician and Refugee Activist

Between Wildness and Civilization: Miyazaki Manabu / Photographer

The Pianist Ukraine Loves: Nakamura Tempei / Composer & Pianist

Finding a Cure for Allergies: Nadim and Tanya Ednan Laperouse / Founders, Natasha Allergy Research Foundation

Believing in the Power of Haiku: Mayuzumi Madoka / Haiku Poet

AI Translation for a Better World: Jaroslaw Kutylowski / Founder and CEO of DeepL

Medical Support for a World in Crisis: Zaher Sahloul / Physician and the President of MedGlobal

The Language of Incense: Fu Jingliang / Modern Incense Culture Founder

Signs of Change for Deaf Performers: Monique Holt / Actor, Director, Writer

A New Frontier in Space: Maggie Aderin-Pocock / Space Scientist

Mime Speaks Louder than Words: Gamarjobat / Mime Artist