Starting as a four-day conference in California 25 years ago, the non-profit organization TED has grown to support world-changing ideas with multiple initiatives. The annual TED conference invites the world’s leading thinkers and gives them 18 minutes to shed light and inspire others to take part in a great challenge that will leave its mark on the Minds’ Revolution.

TED: Think Global, Act Local

Many people around the world have been so delighted and inspired by the TED goal that they were determined to bring the idea into their own countries, all in order to spread the power of a fruitful dialogue and amplify the impact of the projects of world-changing innovators. With this motivation, hundreds of countries took on the challenge of individually organizing TED events at a national level. TEDxAmsterdam is one of those independently set up events where both international and local speakers meet annually on the 30^th of November to share their passion on stage through their brilliant communication skills. They offer the seeds of creation to the audience who will in turn plant, grow, and nurture them, the final outcome being food for their brains to cook, savour, and digest.

Connecting People

Ideas do not have boundaries, nor does TED. TEDTalks are posted daily for free at TED.com. These talks cover a variety of issues including unique and newer fields such as technology, entertainment, design, business, science, culture, arts and other global issues. Likewise, their live-stream events break down the frontier of space and time, providing us with a magnificent virtual yet live world.

TED2011: Live Stream Event in Amsterdam

TEDxAmsterdam Live took place on the 2nd of March to simulcast the conference that was taking place in California. IDEAS had the pleasure to be invited to taste the flavour of innovative and revolutionary news at the Programme TED2011 “The Rediscovery of Wonder”.

The stage at the Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam was dyed a vivid, bloody red in accordance with the colours of the 3 letters that have illuminated a path of great opportunities for youth to envision a brighter future. The Simulcast of TED Talks together with the local programme especially designed by TEDxAmsterdam were both aflame, and set alight the restless minds of the audience.

Deep Mystery featuring Antonio Damaso, Deb Roy, Maya Beiser, Felisa Wolfe-Simon and Aaron O’Connell.

American microbial geobiologist and biogeochemist, and NASA researcher, Felisa Wolfe-Simon, presented the discovery of a new form of bacteria that uses arsenic as part of its basic biology, something previously thought impossible. This bacterium seems to be capable of substituting a toxic chemical like arsenic for a small percentage of its phosphorus and sustain its growth. Therefore, her discovery presents the scientific world with a new initiative to continue investigating the existence of extra-terrestrial life.

Worlds Imagined featuring Julie Taymor, Morgan Spurlock, Bill Ford, Terrence McArdle & Ben Newhouse and Indra Nooyi.

Famous for the anti-McDonalds documentary “Super Size Me”, acclaimed filmmaker Morgan Spurlock brought to the public a sequence charged with acid humour about how “The Greatest Movie Ever Sold” emerged. It is a provocative movie in which Spurlock dissects our branded life and constant exposure to corporations. To prove his point, he financed the film solely through product placement, marketing and advertising. He had the audience in a general state of laughter.

Terrence McArdle & Ben Newhouse debuted Bubbli at TED2011, a photo application that blur the distinction between the digital and the real.

Knowledge Revolution featuring Bill Gates, David Christian, Amina Az-Zubair, Bruce Aylward and Salman Khan.

Salman Khan explained his project that started as math and science lessons through Youtube videos and ended up as a huge educational site, www.khanacademy.org. It is a complete learning programme for students to strengthen their skills while enjoying what are considered tough and delicate subjects, and for teachers to better monitor and follow their pupils’ process.

TED Prize 2011

TED annually awards exceptional individuals with a wish to change the world to put their projects into action. TED Prize 2011 has gone to JR Inside Out art project, which portrays the life of people in conflict zones and suggests the inconsistence of that reality by caricaturizing it.

TED Prize Winner JR & INSIDE OUT from TED Prize on Vimeo.