Mary Gordon is recognized internationally as an award-winning social entrepreneur, educator, author, child advocate and parenting expert who has created programs informed by the power of empathy. In 2000 Gordon established the national and international organization Roots of Empathy, which now offers programs in every province of Canada, New Zealand, the USA, the Isle of Man, the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland, and Germany. Gordon's talk The Yellow Brick Road to Empathy shows the major role that empathy plays in dissolving the borders that separate us and allow us to deem one group or an individual to be less human. Empathy allows us to understand difference and recognize that our emotions are universal and connect us. This is something that children do through a tiny baby in Roots of Empathy classes. Gordon goes on to demonstrate how the 'Empathy Deficit' will be interrupted as children develop the capacity to perspective take and as they develop emotional literacy. In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

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