The role of art and forgiveness in democracy | Marc Bamuthi Joseph and Wendy Whelan

TED Talks Daily
Apr 23, 2025 11 min
The role of art and forgiveness in democracy | Marc Bamuthi Joseph and Wendy Whelan
Open in Clue

About this episode

<p>Can art pave the way for a politically divided nation to move forward? Artist, cultural strategist and TED Fellow Marc Bamuthi Joseph reflects on the role of art, forgiveness and remembrance in the pursuit of public healing — especially at a time when trust is contested and community forums fractured. Wendy Whelan, associate artistic director of the New York City Ballet, joins him on stage for a rendition of “The Carnival of the Animals,” exploring how the cuckoo bird exemplifies the cycles of inaction that lead to injustice. It's more than a performance — it's a reckoning.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Listen to this episode in English to learn English

Podcast episodes are one of the highest-density ways to absorb English at native pace. The role of art and forgiveness in democracy | Marc Bamuthi Joseph and Wendy Whelan from TED Talks Daily gives you natural dialogue, unscripted speech, and vocabulary that actually appears in real conversations.

In the Clue app, every word in the transcript is tappable. Tap an unknown word, see the translation in your language instantly, and keep listening without breaking flow.