TEDxReykjavík Salon: Beyond Food
We held our very first TEDxReykjavíkSalon!
The event, called “Beyond Food” took place in Listastofan, on January 26th, and tackled the topics of food ethics. Food is and has always been deeply related to identity. From how a society’s culture is embedded in food traditions and how a religious practice involves dietary rules, to individual choices in the light of the vegan revolution, one thing is sure: food plays a key role in how humans manifest their belief or lack of it in a certain idea.
TEDxReykjavík invited attendees to look at where we stand today both locally and globally as a human society.
We embarked on a 3 hour journey beyond food. Two of our speakers took motherhood as a point of reference. Vigdís Andersen challenged us emotionally to identify ourselves with a baby cow who had to be taken away from their mother in order for her milk to feed us, humans. Taking a different approach, Benjamín Sigurgeirsson from University of Iceland showed how, by raising animals for food, we have disregarded the bond between mother and her offspring. Not only does such a process cause immense suffering, but moreover the bonding constitutes a substantial evolutionary advantage for a species, according to Benjamín. Last but not least, we were reminded by Sigursteinn Másson from IFAW Iceland why whales are essential to our ecosystem, and how pointless their hunt has become. The event also featured 2 breathtaking paintings by the icelandic painter, Halla Gunnarsdóttir, through which she raises awareness about climate change, by visually challenging borders between humans and animals.
All in all, we addressed animal rights and the controversy around veganism, from a theoretical point of view, as well as a more practical one (what we can actually do, on our level, to change things). The event featured two sessions, each of them including talks, a moderated panel, and an open Q&A session engaging the public.
We made sure no one would be adventuring beyond food on an empty stomach. During the wonderful break separating the two session, guests have enjoyed delicious vegan food and drinks kindly provided by our sponsors, Kaffi Vinyl and Yoga food.
This event was a great success — animated discussions, thrilling speakers and a general cozy atmosphere. We are very proud of this thriving first TEDxReykjavíkSalon, and are looking forward to many more!
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