TEDxRamallah Inaugural Event set to take Palestinian “Ideas worth Spreading” Around the World
RAMALLAH, PALESTINE – 16th March 2011: A diverse range of inspirational and thought-provoking speakers are set to participate in the first TEDxRamallah, an independently organized TEDx event, taking place in Palestine on Saturday, 16th April 2011.
Created in the spirit of TED’s mission “ideas worth spreading”, the TEDx program is designed to give communities, organizations and individuals the opportunity to stimulate dialogue through TED-like experiences at a local level. TEDxRamallah is particularly unique because it is taking place at the Convention Palace in Bethlehem in a city on occupied land where access is denied to a large part of its own population, as well as to other neighboring nations.
This has not deterred the organizers of the event who are determined to gain as wide an audience as possible for TEDxRamallah, resulting in the one-day event now scheduled to take place in three venues in three locations simultaneously – Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan.
“The partner cities, Beirut and Amman are supporting Palestine which has such limited access, by bringing people who cannot be part of the event in Palestine closer to the live experience,” explained Beirut event curator Joumana al Jabri. “While the majority of our 16 speakers will be giving talks live from Palestine, those speakers who cannot access the country will be live streamed in from the partner cities, allowing attendees in all partner cities and people from around the world to be a part of this special event.”
Ramzi Jaber, TEDxRamallah curator, added “Through working on TEDxRamallah, from Ramallah and with a larger network in various countries and cities, we are discovering on a daily basis, the great adversities and obstacles that Palestinians face here on the ground. Because of these challenges, more than anywhere in the world, we as a team are learning of amazing initiatives and meeting remarkable people working to improve the lives of many around them within and outside Palestine,” added Jaber.
TEDxRamallah showcases inspiring stories of Palestine and aims to educate by providing a platform for people to share their ideas in any field, whether science, education, literature, technology, art or design to contribute to the positive perception of Palestine. It is with that ambition that the TEDxRamallah team is working beyond the scope of the event to share these stories through Palestine Stories, www.palestinestories.com.
Importantly, in keeping with TEDx event guidelines, TEDxRamallah will follow bias-free programming of speakers, away from any commercial, religious or political agendas, within the capacity of what is possible in the context of Palestine. Attendees and those who will watch the live streaming of the event around the world can expect to be inspired, provoked and emotionally stirred by an eclectic range of topics and stories, many of them beyond the reach of the larger audience.
TEDxRamallah has already fostered a phenomenal sense of goodwill and dynamic energy, with overwhelming interest received in the inspirational stories of Palestine, even before the event takes place. The depth of commitment, involvement and determination from people all around the world sets TEDxRamallah apart in its ambition to contribute to a more accurate reflection of Palestine.
While TEDxRamallah is not the first TEDx event to take place in the Arab world, it is the first to put emphasis on Arabic content through Arabic blogs, and at the event, with simultaneous translation into both languages.
A 1,000-person strong audience is expected to attend TEDxRamallah in Bethlehem, while Beirut and Amman will accommodate a total of 400 people. An additional 20 simulcast events are scheduled around the world, from as far as Shanghai, Montreal and Olomouc and as near as Cairo. Ivy league university MIT in Boston, Mass. has also committed to holding a simulcast event through its resident group, Palestine@MIT.
“TEDxRamallah goes beyond the event itself in order to fulfill the promise of what TED and TEDx stand for – believing passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately the world,” said Jaber.
TEDxRamallah takes place on 16th April 2011 in the Convention Palace in Bethlehem, at the Sunflower Theatre in Beirut, Lebanon and at a location to be announced in Amman, Jordan. Registration to attend TEDxRamallah is open and can be completed at: www.tedxramallah.com.
About TEDx, x = independently organized event
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized. (Subject to certain rules and regulations.)
About TED
TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California 25 years ago, TED has grown to support those world-changing ideas with multiple initiatives. The annual TED Conference invites the world’s leading thinkers and doers to speak for 18 minutes. Their talks are then made available, free, at TED.com. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Al Gore, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Nandan Nilekani, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Isabel Allende and UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The annual TED Conference takes place in Long Beach, California, with simulcast in Palm Springs; TEDGlobal is held each year in Oxford, UK. TED’s media initiatives include TED.com, where new TEDTalks are posted daily, and the Open Translation Project, which provides subtitles and interactive transcripts as well as the ability for any TEDTalk to be translated by volunteers worldwide. TED has established the annual TED Prize, where exceptional individuals with a wish to change the world are given the opportunity to put their wishes into action; TEDx, which offers individuals or groups a way to organize local, independent TED-like events around the world; and the TEDFellows program, helping world-changing innovators from around the globe to become part of the TED community and, with its help, amplify the impact of their remarkable projects and activities.
Follow TED on Twitter at twitter.com/TEDTalks, or on Facebook at facebook.com/TED.
TED2011, “The Rediscovery of Wonder,” will be held February 28-March 4, 2011, in Long Beach, California, with the TEDActive simulcast in Palm Springs, California.
For more information please contact:
Zahra Bissat
TEDxRamallah
Tel: +961 3 707 250
Email: [email protected]
Mutaz Al Badri
Mojo PR
Tel: +971 50 570 6785
Email: [email protected]
