The TED Conference - the annual event which brings together leading lights in the fields of Technology, Entertainment and Design (that's what TED stands for), as well as business, science, the arts, global affairs and sharing ideas via 18 minutes  presentation on stage is returning.

You might have watched Jamie Oliver talk about childhood obesity, Steve Jobs address the audience on seeing opportunites in setbacks, or Al Gore on climate change. What you might not know is that Vancouver is home to the TED Conference.

The 5 day meeting, headquartered at the Vancouver Convention Cente also features everything from thought provoking artistic performances, technology demontrations and innovative spaces to connect with fellow attendees.

Attending the TED conference is an exclusive opportunity, but even if you're unable to attend the conference itself, there are other ways to participate. During the conference, you can watch the TED live stream broadcast at sites set up around Vancouver, including some Vancouver Public Library branches. After the event, many of the talks will be uploaded to the TED website, allowing you to watch them at your leisure.

This year the TED Conference is running from April 10-14.