The inaugural TEDxAlQuoz event, taking place on October 23, will examine our collective future under scrutiny, identifying ways in which we can contribute to social change at local, regional and global levels.

Organized under the theme of Humanity and Interdependence, the event is officially licensed by the US nonprofit media organization TED and will take place at the Warehouse Four in the Al Quoz district between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

The event will feature up to 10 lectures from speakers living in the United Arab Emirates, as well as performances by local and international artists, including Emirati singer Arqam.

“The main idea of ​​the event is closely linked to the theme,” explains Rihane Hassaine, organizer and curator of the event. The National.

Interdependence is the basis of all communities, she says. “And yet, we are not so interconnected anymore, especially not in big cities. “

The conferences held will highlight topics ranging from environmental risks to economic growth and life-changing technologies, all of which highlight how “interdependence is humanity’s greatest asset and greatest risk”.

“TEDxAlQuoz aims to re-explore the meaning of interdependence within society and to encourage reflection on how we can all nurture the spirit that has entrenched our modern societies,” says Hassaine, who has previously hosted TEDx events in Zurich and Geneva.

Produced with the support of the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, the event will be hosted by former Australian Paralympian and disabled activist Jessica Smith, whose varied background “gives her the opportunity to connect the different topics that will be presented during the event”. .

“That’s one of the reasons we chose her – to tie the discussions to her story and personal experiences to some extent. He’s a very inspiring character, ”says Hassaine.

Speakers attending the event include Amanda Rushforth, an advocate for sustainable fashion and marine conservation; Saliha Afridi, clinical psychologist and founder of The LightHouse Arabia; Dareen Barbar, an amputee athlete and Guinness World Record holder for the longest wall seat; Waleed Shah, award-winning photographer and author of Rock your ugly; survival skills instructor Arnaud Laviolette; filmmaker and activist Lara Lee; memory trainer Josh McCartney; and Allaoua Gaham, martial arts expert and yoga teacher.

Discussions will last 15 minutes each and will be available online on official TEDx platforms at a later date.

“We wanted to keep our independence in terms of the program because if you have a sponsor who influences the program, the videos will not be broadcast on official TEDx platforms and your license will be revoked,” explains Hassaine.

In the end, the event appears to have worked in TED’s favor, as Hassaine says the media organization reached out after reviewing the program and offered him a “massive discount” for the ticket to the world conference in December.

The opportunity, she says, means she will have the opportunity to attend workshops on how to run larger TEDx events, hopefully paving the way for future iterations of TedxAlQuoz.

A former environmental lawyer, Hassaine says she knows firsthand how difficult it is to create change and hopes TEDxAlQuoz will inspire visitors to work for a more collaborative future.

“The thing we were told over and over as environmental law students was ‘if you want change, you have to raise awareness.’ I didn’t understand it until I started working in the field. You can see it even now with social movements like Black Lives Matter and for Palestine. Awareness can create a social movement that can make a big difference in today’s world.

Tickets for the event will be online soon. More information is available on the official website TedxAlQuoz website.

Update: October 3, 2021, 5:10 a.m.