TEDxSummit 2012 Opening Night was a two-hour TED session featuring speakers and performers from the region and beyond.
Monday April 16, 2012
Theme: The Power of Reframing
Curated by Bruno Giussani
Hans Rosling
Global Health Expert
One of the most popular TED speakers, Hans Rosling presents data and global trends in health and economics like no one else. At TEDxSummit he will analyze how declining fertility rates and economic development are connected. Watch Hans' TEDTalks >>
Raghava KK
Artist
An Indian artist whose work spans painting, installation and film. Raghava KK argues that "everyone should have a 200-year plan". At TEDxSummit he will share parts of his plan, and explain how we are becoming self-curators of our own experiences and memories. Watch Raghava's TEDTalks >>
William Noel
Rare Book Scholar
The curator of manuscripts and rare books at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, which houses a splendid collection of illuminated manuscripts, William Noel has used a particle accelerator to read ancient works, and pioneered open-source collaborative research.
Maz Jobrani
Comedian
Maz Jobrani is an Iranian-American actor and comedian who starred in the groundbreaking "Axis of Evil Comedy Tour" which travelled around the world, including parts of the Middle East. Maz, who has appeared in numerous films, finds inspiration for his comedy in his multicultural background. Watch Maz's TEDTalk >>
Nesrin Ozalp
Energy Researcher
The director of the Sustainable Energy Lab at Texas A&M University in Doha, Nesrin Ozalp works on the technology enabling a solar-powered process, called "solar cracking", to split natural gas -- with which Qatar is rich -- and make it cleaner.
Wolfgang Kessling
Physicist
Last year Wolfgang Kessling and his team at Transsolar designed the solar cooling and comfort concepts that helped Qatar win the bid for the 2022 football World Cup, by making sure that an open-air game in a desert stadium can be experienced at comfortable temperatures.
Zain Awad
Singer
A Jordanian singer and pianist captivated by music since she was four years old, Zain Awad sings for the humanitarian causes that have defined her musical career and identity. Zain sings beautifully in Spanish, Italian, French, and, of course, Arabic.
Fahad Bin Mohammed Al-Attiya
Chairman, Qatar National Food Security Programme
Fahad Bin Mohammed Al-Attiya was appointed as Chairman of the Qatar National Food Security Programme by His Highness the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani in 2008. Under his leadership, the QNFSP is developing a master plan which, upon implementation, will become a model for sustainable, environmentally friendly agriculture in arid regions.
Yahay Alabdeli
TEDxBaghdad
Inspired by an Arabic-language talk he heard at a European TEDx event, Yahay Alabdeli travelled back to Iraq in 2011 after a 34-year absence (he carries a Swedish passport) to organize TEDxBaghdad. His experience is captured in the theme of his event: "Making the Impossible Possible".
Diana Laufenberg
Teacher
Diana Laufenberg has taught students aged 12 to 18. She currently teaches at the Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia. After her TEDx talk on "How to learn? From mistakes" was featured on TED.com, she had to learn from success.
Location: Katara Amphitheater
About TEDx and the TEDxSummit
In mid-2009 the idea-sharing platform pioneered by TED evolved into TEDx, a movement encouraging communities, organisations and individuals around the world to gather local communities and organize their own events, inspired by the TED format and methods, to further "Ideas Worth Spreading".
Nearly 3500 TEDx events have taken place in three years, in 1000 cities, in over 125 countries.
By increasing accessibility and encouraging TEDxers to foster TED-like experiences, the idea-sharing has been expanded at a local level, often in local language. TEDx events weave together screenings of TEDTalks and live presentations to stimulate conversations that matter while striving to elevate and expose local ideas, perspectives and insights.
Each event is unique and is planned and curated independently, on a community-by-community basis, allowing more regional voices and perspectives to be heard; fostering greater collaboration in fields of science, technology, arts and culture, design and entertainment. Pivotal to the platforms’ success is creating open and accessible programming that avoids any commercial, religious or political agenda.
While the content and programming of each TEDx event is independent, all events have several features in common and adhere to TED’s format; one which explores carefully selected talks, performances and demos that educate and inspire.
The 2012 TEDxSummit in Doha, Qatar furthers this mission of inspiration and represents the first event of its kind — hosting over 600 TEDx organizers, innovators, and those pushing the boundaries of avant-garde and inventive idea curation.
The impetus for the Summit is to expand the global reach of the TEDx community. Attendees will collectively shape a vision for the TEDx platform, paving the path of future developments by sharing some of the best practices and concepts.
The TEDxSummit will also host sessions featuring some of the best past TED and TEDx speakers.