While the theme contains many references to economics and politics, our aim is to draw in people from a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds. Speakers will come from many disciplines and backgrounds, including both the highest levels of society and grassroots voices, creative thinkers and cultural figures:
- Nobel and Alternative Nobel Prize winners
- elder statesmen/women;
- the social sciences, economics and politics in particular;
- the peace movement and other civil society sectors;
- parliamentarians, religious leaders, journalists, community organisers and artistis.
As per January 2016, the following speakers have been confirmed:
- Samir Amin, Economist
- Frank Bsirske, President of ver.di (German United Services Trade Union) (since 2001)
- Sharan Burrow, General Secretary ITUC (International Trade Union Confederation)
- Noam Chomsky (video), Author, USA
- Jayantha Dhanapala, President of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs (since 2007)
- Aude Fleurant, Director of the new Arms and Military Expenditure Program – SIPRI
- James Galbraith, Economist and member of the executive committee of the World Economics Association
- Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev (video), former Soviet statesman, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (1990)
- Philip Jennings, General Secretary of UNI Global Union (since 2000)
- Angela Kane, Senior Fellow at the Vienna Centre for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation
- Gabriele Krone-Schmalz, Journalist and Author
- Harold Walter Kroto (video or in person), Humanist, Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1996)
- Jagoda Munic, Chair of Friends of the Earth International
- Vandana Shiva, Indian environmental activist, Right Livelihood Laureate (1993)
- Jakob von Uexküll, Founder of the World Future Council and the Right Livelihood Award
- Jody Williams (video), Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (1997)
- Federico Mayor Zaragoza, former Director-General of UNESCO (1987-1999)
- Jean Ziegler (video), Former UN Special Rapporteuer on the Right to Food (video)