 Thank you, Hadrian. Thank you so much And indeed we acknowledge that this gathering is situated on the Lenape homeland and we pay respect to the Lenape land water and Ancestors past present and future and this is our institutional Position, but I ask all of you now individually to think what such a land Acknowledgement and recognition means to you and how it impacts what you're doing and what your actions are now And of course in the future You saw previously if I low risked off one of our fellows this year From one of his works asked us to use the future wisely And I think that's really an Important motto or theme for today if I know are you here? Ah, so if I was here, you'll see his work throughout the day on the screen. Thanks if I know So I'm delighted to welcome you to this first full arts link assembly It's an annual gathering of international and US artists curators arts professionals cultural institutions academics arts funders NGOs and policymakers. Let me know if I missed anyone But we we see it as a vital forum for Sharing both critical practices the way in which our fellows are working on the way artists are engaging in the world But also the key ideas that emerge from that and how we could all re-imagine future possibilities Because at the moment, we're currently sharing an extraordinary cultural moment in our in our history the impact of human activity on the earth's Geological and ecological systems is now Irrefutable and we're experiencing some of the hottest temperatures ever recorded and the coldest winters. We have known the oceans temperatures and its water levels continue to rise and we're seeing extreme and catastrophic weather phenomena from wildfires currently in Australia and California and Floods and with increasing frequency some of the most destructive hurricanes on record But as the population exponentially grows currently 7.7 billion and climbing We're experiencing widespread civil unrest and indeed revolution Currently in Hong Kong in Chile in Bolivia in Iraq and in Lebanon. We have Amanda Who arrived from Beirut yesterday speaking to you this afternoon? But all these are ignited by broadly similar concerns Economic and political systems that suppress free speech and democratic values and at the same time foster obscenely unequal distributions of wealth Resources and opportunities. It's happening all over the world Here in the US a recent paper by New York University economist Edward Wolf points out that today the top 1% of households in the US now holds more wealth than the bottom 90% of households and Since 2013 that division is increasing So these geological and political developments are now threatening the ecological the civil and the social systems That we have come to rely on and that have nurtured and sustained what we know as modern humankind Whilst this current moment seems extraordinarily bleak I Remain optimistic and its artists you guys that give me hope We recognize that living together and maintaining productive peace is a complex and fragile process requiring myriad forms of dialogue sharing and mutual engagement But here artists are often at the forefront of building fellow citizens awareness and understanding fostering engagement and stimulating action This is happening all across the globe and has spawned widespread and diverse practices amongst artists Developing a vast range of socially engaged approaches and methodologies and many examples of that you'll see from the artists Who'll be presenting this morning Artists are truly unique in their ability to generate dialogue between and within communities between and within countries Artists help create a safe and engaging space for sharing ideas Sharing values and perspectives and thus play a critical role in this ongoing process of building and developing the healthy peaceful society We know is possible As well as fostering understanding and cooperation internationally This I feel is what we must protect nurture and develop as a Bullwork against humankind's darkest and it seems most selfish Instincts. I hope today's arts and assembly can give us a glimpse of what is possible and inspire us all to renewed energy and positive action But I'm thrilled now to introduce another one of my inspirations Someone who has tirelessly and feellessly worked to expose injustice around the world and Since 1996 when she established democracy now the award-winning journalist host and executive producer of the Daily Independent New Show Amy Goodman. Amy. Thank you