In November 2018, 120 people gathered in Toronto for a day. The room included executives and policy leaders, tech entrepreneurs, a Nobel laureate, journalists, youth activists, elders, researchers, teachers, a rock-and-roll legend, wealthy elite, social workers and philanthropic foundations, among others.

It was an improbably diverse group of people who share a passion for making the world better and a tendency for thoughtful action.

The core insight behind the gathering was:

• We recognize that widespread anxieties (in short: "The world faces big challenges that have to be solved but can't be solved!") have also created a widespread willingness to try new approaches.
• Let's leverage our shared willingness in order to:
  • Convene the "mix that is missing" (and get out of each of our echo chambers)
  • Collectively re•imagine new approaches to a better society, and to
  • Participate in launching and supporting inclusive expeditions that can "re•base" humanity.

(To "re•base" humanity means to adopt better/different ways (or "systems") of thinking, doing and being.)

The strongly positive response to the basecamp:Toronto invitation was taken as evidence that, yes, these messages resonate. Yes, thoughtful actors have a strong interest in "something like this."