TEDxAberdeen is calling for speakers to participate in its upcoming event focused on ‘Identity’, scheduled for 16 November 2024 at the Music Hall in Aberdeen.
The organisers are searching for individuals from across the North-East of Scotland to share inspirational ideas on this broad and thought-provoking topic.
Moray Barber, TEDxAberdeen Licensee, emphasised the wide range of angles that the ‘Identity’ theme offers, including its impact on communities, online identity challenges, and the influence of social media on personal authenticity.
She said: “As a long-standing fan of TED and TEDx talks, I am fascinated by how speakers take a broad theme, find a unique angle or fresh perspective and craft a compelling talk.
“It doesn’t matter if you haven’t spoken publicly before, as each speaker will receive support from our team of experienced coaches and mentors – it is a unique and fulfilling experience.
“Being a TEDx speaker has had a profound impact on many of our previous speakers, teaching them things about themselves and opening up new opportunities.”
The event aims to explore fresh perspectives and compelling ideas related to identity in various contexts.
The organisers are encouraging applications from diverse voices within the community, regardless of previous public speaking experience.
Del Redvers, a TEDxAberdeen 2022 cohort member, said: “I got so much from the experience like learning the secrets of storytelling and meeting the most brilliant people.
“But also surprising things such as being contacted by people in other countries who saw my talk and wanted to share their ideas or invite me to their events.”
Selected speakers will receive support from experienced coaches and mentors to develop their talks.
Past participants have reported significant personal growth and new opportunities arising from their TEDx speaking experience.
Derrick Thomson, TEDxAberdeen Curator, will lead the selection process to choose 10 speakers for the event.
He said: “I’m looking forward to reviewing the amazingly eclectic mix of ideas which will inspire our audience, challenge their current way of thinking or perhaps be one the TED community has never heard before.”
“Once we have our ideas, that’s when the hard work begins – our speakers will embark on an intensive training programme to develop and deliver their TEDx worthy talks. It’s tough but worth it.”
Previous TEDxAberdeen events have garnered substantial interest, with recordings of past talks reaching over 202,000 online views globally.
Katie Forbs, a fellow 2022 cohort member said: “I applied thinking I was just going to deliver a talk, but I gained so much more.
“The experience pushed me out of my comfort zone and revealed to me that I was capable of more than I imagined.
“With a wonderful team supporting me, I replaced self-doubt with self-belief.”
The organisers are optimistic about receiving a high number of applications, based on the response to their past two events.
Interested individuals can submit their applications through the TEDxAberdeen website or social media channels. The deadline for applications is 11 pm on 30 June 2024.
This event marks the return of TEDxAberdeen, following successful previous iterations that have inspired and challenged audiences with innovative ideas from local speakers
