Few places on Earth have captivated the human imagination like the North Pole, an otherworldly expanse of ice and water where the sun defies logic, rising for six months before plunging into a half-year of darkness. Renowned explorer and writer Erling Kagge joins us at The Conduit to take us on a journey to the edge of the Earth, weaving together his own expedition experiences with the epic tales of legendary adventurers like Fridtjof Nansen and Robert Peary.

Kagge’s work goes beyond history, exploring the deep psychological and emotional allure of this “silver-shining vacantness.” What drives humanity’s relentless pursuit of the unreachable? From ancient cartographers’ dreams to the determination of modern explorers, Kagge reveals how the North Pole has shaped our understanding of ambition, adversity, and the essence of human resilience.

Kagge invites us to reflect on the spirit of exploration—its triumphs, its sacrifices, and what it reveals about the human drive to push boundaries and seek the unknown.

Speakers:

Erling Kagge is a Norwegian explorer who was the first in history to reach the ‘three poles’ – North, South and the summit of Mount Everest. He is the author of multiple books, including Silence, which is published in forty-two languages. He lives in Oslo.