“A dream does not become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.”
– Colin Powell
That was exactly what happened to ignite the first spark of our TEDx dream in 2013. It all started when a group of ambitious students along with a couple of their teachers believed in the unrivaled power of hard work to bring up ideas and thoughts together that can alter the world by changing the way people are thinking. But what is the TEDx dream? And why is it considered so? It is the vision of getting a license from the international non-profitable organization; TED, that aims to share ideas worth spreading in a form of talks, to host local and self-organized TEDx events that allow communities to preserve their authenticity while spreading their innovative notions. Hosting such a TEDx event in our school: Manarat AlFarouk was merely an aspiration that turned into a reality in 2017; since we are regarded as the first national school in Egypt to possess a TEDx license. Since day one we had confidence in the fact that “youth working with adults brings on wonders”, our team is formed of school students, graduates, and teachers; that ages all the way from 12 to 35 years old. The fertile minds working with the experienced ones in an environment full of love, passion, productivity, and professionality have successfully created outstanding events throughout the past few years.
Months and months passed by while the team toiled and fought to bring their dream to life, all while keeping their identity close to heart. In 2017, the first TEDxManaratAlFaroukSchool event was brought to life, under the theme “Secret Code”. It targeted a wide range of audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
The event was a booming success that left a mark that kindled the potential buried within every single person and lifted the spirits as high as ever, as the team members were tempted to push their limits and test their boundaries to manifest an even more thriving event themed “Dimensions”. It left every single attendee completely satisfied with their experience and the memories they made, that will continue to persuade them all for eternity. After the first milestone “Secret Code”, and the second “Dimensions”, the team was able to receive a TEDxManaratAlFaroukSchoolSalon license that is more about the engagement. Taking after its name, Salon was an event that zeroed in on the discussions that linked the speakers and the attendees in a way no other event could. The cherry on top “Semicolon”, one of TEDxManaratAlFaroukSchoolSalon events, raised the audience’s expectations and drove us to set the bar even higher for ourselves. Inspired by the attendees encouraging and motivating feedback on our work over the years, the members are more than ready to embark on a new journey leading to many more spectacular upcoming events; reflecting who we are and what we stand for. We are TEDxManaratAlFaroukSchool and now we are dreaming bigger for a splendid future. All it takes is action to turn a dream into reality. And we are here for the ultimate ride of a lifetime with all the ups and downs that will be worthwhile to reach our destination.