I was thrilled to receive this email from TED talks hero Hans Rosling. He's been battling for this for ten years... a key step in the world gradually getting smarter!
From: Hans Rosling <hans.rosling@gapminder.org>
Subject: Give me a TED talk and I shall move the world!
Hi Chris, June, Laura, & Jason!
So it did happen! Just hours ago the World Bank president did completely change the World Bank data policy.
This story shows the power of Ideas worth spreading:
The story runs in 5 acts:
1. My TED2006 talk yields Google's acquisition of software from Gapminder.
2. Tim Berners-Lee adds pressure for free data at TED 2009
3. 2010 Google launches Public data explorer with moving bubbles and a few of the free indicators from World Bank
4. On 20 April 2010 President Bob Zoellick of World Bank gives up the old habit of selling public data and the change in policy is comprehensive and includes the right for institutions and companies to redistribute the data. In his Youtube video at 1.46 min the moving bubbles from my TED2006 in their new Google formate forms the background for the spread of ideas from the stage at TED in 2006 to World Bank in 2010.
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Archimedes said: Give me a fulcrum, and I shall move the world!
Rosling says: Give me a TED talk and I shall move the world!
Kind regards from a happy Hans