For more than 15 years across 50 countries, Joel Sartore has been on a quest to create a photo archive of global biodiversity for his Photo Ark project. In “Portraits of Hope,” Sartore will present stunning images from around the world and chronicle his effort to create portraits of more than 12,000 species of birds, fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. In addition to presenting on his work and photographic adventures, Sartore will reflect on his mission for the Photo Ark to serve as an important record of each animal’s existence and a powerful testament to the importance of saving them. *Allies receive free admission, exclusive access to a breakout session with Joel Sartore, and a signed copy of his new book.

The well-being of our planet depends on the health of our oceans, yet we have initiated an unprecedented age of alterations to marine systems. Penguins are a species group particularly impacted by these phenomena, and they’re telling us a story we need to hear. Biologist Dr. Pablo Borboroglu, founder and President of the Global Penguin Society, joins the Hidden Compass community to share how penguins can inspire changes throughout the international community for the betterment of us all.

In December 2021, four indigenous Macushi and Wapishana brothers and a British woman emerged from a 253-mile journey on foot through the jungle of Guyana’s Kanuku Mountains, one of the world’s last unexplored wildernesses. Their extraordinary feat shed light on the unfamiliar — not only within the stretch of Amazon they took 50 days to cross, but also within our cultural understanding of who gets to be an explorer. Two of these expeditioners, Lucy Shepherd (presenting live) and Vivian Smith (presenting via video recorded exclusively for Hidden Compass), will share the story of their Amazon Uncharted Expedition and reimagine the modern explorer. In the process, they hope to shed light on the new faces of exploration, and the wild places contemporary explorers can help us better understand — and better protect.