Dubai – Saturday, 15 February, 2020
Gathering change-makers from a diverse range of industries and sectors, TEDxOudMetha explored a significant number of topical and current issues as participants were invited to think more broadly and to become even more socially conscious global citizens. This well-attended and inclusive event proved to be an enriching intellectual journey for all present. The architectural splendor of the Ismaili Centre and its magnificent courtyards provided the perfect setting for an exchange of ideas between attendees of this inspirational event whose theme was “Exponential Change.”
The audience were addressed by industry disrupting speakers who took a magnifying glass to thought provoking questions and presented their ideas and solutions.
Vithika Yadav spoke of the mindless consumption that has led to modern day slavery, and announced that it was possible to end slavery within our lifetimes by working together to making simple change and keeping the hope of a slave-free world alive.
Dr. Salmaan Keshavjee embarked on a journey towards zero tuberculosis, and Dr. Ammar Albanna described ‘Vaccine Hesitancy’ and the mental virus that is convincing people not to vaccinate against curable diseases – a problem that is literally killing people.
Dr. Jennifer Camulli and Steve Dering explored the impact of accessibility and the importance from an economic perspective of ensuring that businesses make themselves accessible to people of determination. They concluded that “the cost of inaccessibility is much more costly than accessibility.”
The day ended with Nick Watson sharing his personal story which motivated the audience and to find new ways to togetherness.
The courtyard Majlis fostered a setting for personal exchange, new friendships and collaborations while performing artists added a musical touch in the interludes between speeches.
Aziz Merchant, President of the Ismaili Muslim Community in the UAE said, “As a Strategic Partner of TEDxOudMetha, we extended support in the planning and execution of this event through Ismaili Centre and our community volunteers. Extending support to such a meaningful initiative that spreads thoughtful and relevant ideas, resonates strongly with the ethos of the Ismaili Centre, which is to share knowledge, broaden the intellectual and cultural horizons and to foster pluralistic ideas”.
“Today’s event at The Ismaili Centre, is a clear reflection of tolerance in the United Arab Emirates and specifically in Dubai. What we experienced at TEDxOudMetha was multiculturalism and diversity at all levels, the speakers created a mosaic, each bringing a different dimension of the theme, Exponential Impact. It is wonderful to see so many volunteers coming together to give back to the community with a clear understanding of the values, rules and regulations of the wider community. As an Emirati woman, I consider myself as a product of a very well tolerant community which is only 46 years old, the values that we have of tolerance, pluralism and diversity are also reflected in The Ismaili Centre and this allows us all to feel a sense of belonging when we are here.” H.E Dr. Maryam Mohd Fatma Matar, Founder & Chairman, UAE Genetic Diseases Association
For us, the importance of today is really to be able to tell our unique story. We hope that todays stories by all the participants communicates our passion and in the spirit of inclusivity, inspires the whole community at large. It is such an honor for us to be a part of our first TEDx and we truly believe that through all our stories, we can make a difference on this planet. I am very grateful to The Ismaili Centre for offering such a wonderful opportunity. Nick Watson, Team Angel Wolf
“When you bring together strategic partnerships, well curated content, and an audience of change makers, improvements in quality of life become all the more possible for all, inclusively.” Soraya Sarif
About TEDx
In the spirit of “ideas worth spreading,” TED has created TEDx. TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. Our event is called TEDxOudMetha, where x = independently organized TED event. At TEDxOudMetha, live speakers and performers will combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events, including ours, are self-organized.
About TED
TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading, often in the form of short talks delivered by leading thinkers and doers. Many of these talks are given at TED conferences, including our annual gathering in Vancouver, as well as TEDWomen, intimate TED Salons and thousands of independently organized TEDx events around the world. Videos of these talks are made available, free, on TED.com and other platforms. Audio versions of the talks from TED2019 are published to TED’s podcast TED Talks Daily, available on all podcast platforms.
TED’s open and free initiatives for spreading ideas include TED.com, where new TED Talk videos are posted daily; TEDx, which licenses thousands of individuals and groups to host local, self-organized TED-style events around the world; the TED Fellows program, which selects innovators from around the globe to amplify the impact of their remarkable projects and activities; the Audacious Project, which surfaces and funds critical ideas that have the potential to impact millions of lives; TEDSummit, which gathers the most engaged members of the global TED community for brainstorms, discussions, performances, workshops and an eclectic program of mainstage talks; and the educational initiative TED-Ed. TED also has a growing library of original podcasts, including The TED Interview with Chris Anderson, WorkLife with Adam Grant, TED en Español and Sincerely, X.
Follow TED on Twitter at http://twitter.com/TEDTalks, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TED, on Instagram at https://instagram.com/ted and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/ted-conferences.
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