Agents of Change: Botanic Gardens in the 21st Century, is a symposium presented by the National Tropical Botanical Garden and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History on Tuesday, October 7, from 9 – 5, at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC.  This symposium celebrates NTBG’s 50th anniversary, and will explore Extinction or Survival: Conserving Plants in a Changing World; Feast or Famine: How We Can and Will Feed 9 Billion People; Biocultural Conservation: Interpreting the Richness of the Human Experience; and Operational Sustainability: Are Botanic Gardens an Endangered Species?

What lies ahead as the world faces grave challenges to the natural environment, struggles to feed the hungry, and loses cultural diversity?  This one-day event will bring together the world’s leading scientists, researchers, academics, and garden leaders to share the most pressing issues, trends, and solutions.

Then, at 7 pm at The St. Regis Hotel in Washington, you are invited to a Gala Dinner with featured speaker Thomas L. Friedman, internationally renowned Pulitzer Prize winning author, reporter, and New York Times columnist.

Tickets for the Symposium are $125 for the full day and $90 for half day (2 – 5,) and dinner tickets are $400 per person.  Register online at https://ntbg.wufoo.com/forms/m1vsoytu0x069wy/.