12 Reasons Why You Need to Come to TEDxAlmendraMedieval
We are just one month away from the second TEDxAlmendraMedieval and it’s time to recapitulate and state some of the reasons why you shouldn’t miss this year’s edition.
A TEDx event is a TED event organized independently and under official license from TED. Its mission is the spreading of ideas. Someone has a fantastic idea, gives a TEDx talk, the talk spreads across the internet, (in some cases) it gets translated into hundreds of different languages, and the idea gets to places you can’t even imagine. This is the greatness of TED and TEDx, and of the internet. The 2016 edition is almost here and I’d like to tell you some reasons not to miss this chance to come out to Vitoria for the weekend of April 16 to enjoy this experience.
1. Theme: Shake it! Mix it!
It’s obvious that ideas move other ideas. We were at a TEDx event, TEDxMadrid to be precise, and we had an epiphany. This is something that doesn’t happen every day, but in our case it happened just like this. Together with a fellow organizer, we looked at each other and knew we got our theme. The world is not black and white anymore. It has thousands of grey nuances. It even has colors. We live in a world of mixture, of hybridation, of miscegenation. When someone wants to conduct research, they need a multidisciplinary team. Everything is interconnected. This is what we are exploring on April 16. These intersections that invite us to grow and in which innovation sparks.
2. Ideas Worth Spreading
The most important theme of any TEDx event is that it is about ideas worth spreading. Ideas from Vitoria-Gasteiz that are worth exporting, ideas from outside that are worth importing — ideas about the internet and its future, about branding, nanotechnology, bullying, hybrid business, the value of sports, personal improvement, social activism, digital transformation, sustainability, travel and how it changes us, forensic archaeology… the list goes on.
3. The Speakers
An Iranian-Canadian blogger persecuted because of his ideas; Assistant Director of El Mundo for the Digital Area of the newspaper; an international expert in Branding; Tecnalia’s Nanotechnology Cluster Leader; a cook who competes as an Ironman; an Olympic gold medalist in rhythmic gymnastics; an architect specializing in sustainability; a geologist who’s a successful businessman; a forensic archaeologist who led the search for and excavation of Miguel de Cervantes’ remains; the president of the Spanish Association against Bullying; a journalist and TV presenter; and a social worker will make up this edition’s collection of speakers. A very mixed cast ready to give a voice to their ideas that are worth spreading.
4. Auzodance & Koldo Mitxelena Dantza Taldea
Goian is a socio-educational project seeking to stimulate coexistence from a foundation of respect, communication and the cooperation of different people, groups, and entities that share Vitoria-Gasteiz’s Old Quarter. To promote the Day Against Male Violence, which was November 25th, they collaborated with Hala Bedi, the contemporary dance group Koldo Mitxelena and Gasteiz’s Feminist Platform. They delivered this performance that we absolutely loved.
5. Mota, Anitua & More
We’ve all known José Mota for many years. Mago More is one of his collaborators on his actual TV show, and a consultant at some of the biggest companies in Spain. If we add Doctor Eduardo Anitua into the mix, we never know what might happen. Expect laughs.
6. Unconference and Workshops
Having time for networking is a very important part of any TEDx event. We have increased the break times to facilitate this. We have prepared some workshops, such as the one on Creativity, given by the British designer Ned Hoste, another about personal development, and the ArtCorner, a sort of exchange of cultural objects. There’s a space open for proposals from the community. Do you want to share some of your knowledge? Can you sing? Do you prefer exchanging clothes? What are your ideas?
7. The Spirit
If you have already been to a TEDx event, you know what I’m talking about… If you haven’t, it’s difficult to explain, but I’m going to try. It’s like a twinning among all attendees. It’s not mystical or religious, nothing like that. You become especially open to new ideas, to meeting interesting people. If I had to choose a song to represent the spirit, it would be this one:
8. The Venue
New Congress Palace Europa is spectacular after its renovations.
Enough said.
9. The Community
The TEDx community in Vitoria-Gasteiz is composed of those who are organizing the TEDxAlmendraMedieval, volunteer team included, all those who have collaborated with us by giving us money or in-kind services to make the event possible, and, of course, the audience… WE ALL take part in this community, from Vitorians to the people traveling from Atlanta (USA), Munich, Jaén, Gijón or Tarragona to enjoy the talks and the global experience. WE are ALL a community. And you don’t want to miss us, do you?
10. The Organizing Team
Behind a TEDx event there is a lot of work and a lot of energy; tons of preparation hours. The organizing team volunteers altruistically, we must not forget. None of us are getting paid for our efforts and our sole reward is the event itself.
11. The City
Vitoria-Gasteiz is a gem. Don’t listen to anyone who says it’s a cold city. Ok, in winter it might be a little cold, but not more so than Burgos, Valladolid, Madrid or Toronto!
We have a beautiful medieval old quarter, a cathedral that has inspired some internationally acclaimed authors, a nineteenth-century expansion, a green belt around the city to get lost in… not to mention the food. Another incentive for coming to Vitoria that weekend.
12. The TEDx experience
A TEDx event is not a usual talks event. It’s an experience. Everything has been created so as to provoke a reaction in the attendees. We all want to improve our surroundings a little bit and if we achieve this, it will all be worth it.
So, if you don’t have your tickets yet, I really don’t know what you are waiting for! It’s going to be a unique experience, unforgettable and you will regret missing it!
