Monica Lewinsky headlines TED 2015 Conference in Vancouver

The TED 2015 Conference kicked off in Vancouver on Monday and among the celebrated guests is former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

It's the second year in a row the speakers conferencedescribed as "the ultimate brain spa" has been hosted at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

The conference features speakers from around the world giving brief presentations on a variety of topics. The exclusive event costs $8,500 and there are often celebrities in the audience.

This year, the theme is Truth and Dare, the idea being that the most important truths are not always obvious and that it takes someone daring to expose them someone who is willing to fight the status quo and willing to look foolish.

Highlights for the week include:

Monica Lewinsky

The infamous former White House intern is at the conference to advocate for more compassion on social media and in the media.

Kevin Rudd

The former Prime Minister of Australia, Rudd will speak about China. He believes major conflicts are in store.

Daniel Kish

Kish lost both of his eyes as a child and taught himself how to move around the world by echolocation.

Dame Stephanie Shirley

Shirley created a company In England in the 60s that hired mostly women, allowed them to have flexible schedules, and paid them well. That company has made her one of the richest women in the UK.

CBC Story Producer Jodie Martinson will be at the conference all week and sharing her findings on On the Coast. To see what she's up to throughout the week, follow her on Twitter @JodieMartinson