Internationally renowned speakers come to Exeter for TEDxExeter 2017
Conflict, mental health, climate change and marine conservation are just some of the challenging issues facing us all today.
They are also all on the agenda for this year’s TEDxExeter conference, when experts from a wide range of fields will come to Exeter to share their ideas and hope for the future.
TEDxExeter is announcing its first group of speakers today, with more announcements coming soon.
Renowned TED speaker Andrew Solomon will come to Exeter to share his hope for internationalism in the face of growing isolationism. Andrew is Professor of Clinical Psychology at Columbia University, president of PEN American Centre and an activist in LGBT rights, mental health, education and the arts. He writes about politics, culture and psychology and his TED talks have been viewed an incredible 15 million times around the world.
At a time when conflict around the world is never far from our minds, some speakers will talk about how they have found hope in dark places.
Christina Lamb is a bestselling author and the Sunday Times’ chief foreign correspondent. As an award winning war correspondent, she has seen the worst evils and excesses of mankind first hand. What keeps her going is all the amazing people trying to keep their life together in the darkest times. She co authored I am Malala, the powerful story of the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize who risked her life to go to school, and Nujeen, about the remarkable young refugee who escaped from wartorn Aleppo to Cologne in a wheelchair.
Another inspirational speaker is Gulalai Ismail. Driven by a passion to challenge intolerance and extremism in north-west Pakistan, 16 year old Gulalai co-founded Aware Girls which trained hundreds of girls and young women - including the young Malala - to challenge oppression and fight for their rights to an education and equal opportunities. Aware Girls has grown into an internationally renowned organisation and in November 2016 was awarded the Chirac Peace Prize for its exceptional peacebuilding work in Pakistan.
Karima Bennoune is making a much anticipated return to TEDxExeter. Her 2013 talk there has been viewed over 1.3 million times around the world. Karima is a professor of international law at the University of California–Davis School of Law and also the UN Special Rapporteur on Cultural Rights. She will share her passion for protecting the world’s cultural heritage for us all.
Speakers will also consider how to build resilience in communities and individuals. both
Howard Johns is chair of the positive climate change charity 10:10 and author of “Energy Revolution – Your guide to repowering the energy system. ” Howard is convinced we have all the technology and money we need to implement the climate and energy solutions we need. At TEDxExeter he’ll inspire the audience get involved with making it happen.
Against a backdrop of stunning imagery Vik Mohan will inspire the audience with his story of how deep listening to tropical coastal communities and meeting their needs for healthcare has helped them safeguard the oceans
Closer to home, Gill Hayes and her family moved to Devon for a better quality of life, but ‘living the dream’ didn’t go quite according to plan when Gill became severely depressed. By sharing her story of recovery, Gill wishes to spread hope to other people with depression and encourage us to all to play a role in the mental health revolution.
As the debate around fake news intensifies, Kester Brewin makes a welcome return to explore how we find hope in troubled times. Kester teaches mathematics in South East London and is also an author and broadcaster. He has written and presented for BBC Radio 4, and spoke at TEDxExeter 2013 on the theme of Mutiny - his acclaimed work on pirate culture. His latest book Getting High – A Savage Journey to the Heart of The Dream of Flight explores the human quest for altitude through the prism of the events of the 1960s.
TEDxExeter also features music, and art. Poet Matt Harvey is coming back with a specially commissioned piece for the day, and Kagemusho Taiko will entertain and energise the audience.
TEDxExeter is organised by a team of local volunteers and made possible by the generosity of local companies who support the event.
“The whole ethos of TED and TEDx is to share ‘ideas worth spreading’” says TEDxExeter licensee and curator, Claire Kennedy. “Our team works hard all year to identify people who are at the top of their game. Some of them have spent years working to solve seemingly intractable problems, others inspire by following their dream. Some amaze by their physical prowess.
“This is our sixth year of TEDxExeter and we continue to attract remarkable speakers to Exeter. Our aim is to inspire, challenge and entertain our audiences and to make them think. We make a point of having long breaks during the day, so people can come together to reflect on and discuss what they have heard, and we know that it can lead to people making changes in their life and work. Are talks are all filmed and so far they have been viewed an amazing 10 million times around the world.”
The day-long conference will take place in the Exeter Northcott Theatre on 21 April 2017. There is a simultaneous livestream to the nearby Alumni Auditorium.
Tickets for both of these events sold out in a record 16 minutes. However there are other opportunities for people to take part. There will be public livestream events in Exeter. Individuals can watch the livestream, or organise a private livestream viewing party. Details of how to host a livestream event, and announcements about more speakers, will be on the TEDxExeter website soon.
First group of speakers and performers for TEDxExeter 2017
Christina Lamb is an award winning journalist, author and chief foreign correspondent for the Sunday Times.
Andrew Solomon is Professor of Clinical Psychology at Columbia University. and writes about politics, culture and psychology.
Karima Bennoune is professor of International Law at the University of California–Davis School of Law and the UN Special Rapporteur on Cultural Rights.
Gulalai Ismail is chairperson of Aware Girls in Pakistan and a renowned peace builder.
Gill Hayes is an advocate on mental health issues.
Howard Johns is chair of the positive climate change charity 10:10 and author of “Energy Revolution – Your guide to repowering the energy system.
Dr Vik Mohan is a GP and Medical Director of the marine conservation charity, Blue Ventures; Kagemusha Taiko is a performing arts company based in the South West.
Kester Brewin is a writer and broadcaster who is making a return visit to Exeter.
Matt Harvey is a performance poet, based in Totnes.
