Keynote Speaker
Inspiring audiences to turn apathy into action.
Mining engineer turned creative activist. Bold keynotes on turning complex crises into stories that actually move people.
48+ keynotes 19 countries 5 UN summits
Keynote Speaker
Mining engineer turned creative activist. Bold keynotes on turning complex crises into stories that actually move people.
Benjamin Von Wong didn’t set out to influence UN treaty negotiations. He was a hard-rock mining engineer until a personal turning point pushed him to pick up a camera. Those early experiments evolved into large-scale environmental art — a Guinness World Record sculpture from 168,000 straws, a four-story faucet spilling plastic onto the lawn of the United Nations, a six-meter “Biodiversity Jenga” tower at COP16.
His driving idea: if you want people to care, you have to make them curious first.
On stage, Ben isn’t an activist with all the answers. He speaks as someone who invented his own path — learning to persuade institutions, mobilize communities, and translate overwhelming systems into stories that move people. His core message is disarmingly hopeful: you don’t need to be the hero who saves the world. You need to lean into what you uniquely bring and create change where you are.
“I have watched Von Wong speak more than once, and every time I leave the room lighter and more determined than when I walked in. He has the rare gift of making an audience laugh, lean forward, and care — all in the same breath. He doesn’t just inform you; he moves you — and that is exactly what this work needs.”
“His talk was easily one of the highlights of our conference. Ben captured the room.”
Satpal Gobindpuri, Managing Partner — DLA Piper Asia“A brilliant speaker. His ability to captivate and engage the students was truly remarkable.”
Ahmad Antar, Ph.D. — Harvard University“I’ve seen many speakers over the years, and Ben’s talk was up there with the most relatable, inspirational, and well-adapted to the audience.”
Tobias Lindström Battle, Specialist — Global Shapers Community, World Economic ForumHow your fear of irrelevancy might be our greatest strength — and why the art of the impossible starts with asking for help.
Watch talk → World Economic ForumWhy data alone doesn’t change minds — and the creative strategies that make environmental crises go viral.
Watch talk → Creative MorningsThe honest reality of building massive installations with limited budgets, tight timelines, and why micro-bravery shapes careers and impact.
Watch talk →