Get Ready for TEDxToronto 2012!

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By Elli Davis, September 8, 2012

TEDxToronto 2012

Autumn is not a particularly popular season. But in my opinion, every season can be lovely if we are surrounded by the right people and if we participate in interesting events. Torontonians luckily have options all the time in the city! One in particular to look forward to is the fourth annual TEDx Toronto. Taking place on October 26th, what will it be about?

Just in case you do not know, TED is a non-profit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading since 1984. Canada’s largest TEDx (the x means an independently organized TED event), "A platform for exceptional ideas, and a catalyst for profound change," is to take place at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts (1 Front St. E). Its main theme this year is Alchemy, in the words of Siri Agrell, TEDx Toronto's leader of Media Relations, "Defined as the process of taking ordinary elements and combining them to make something extraordinary, something of value beyond measure."

Eighteen reputable speakers from various fields will certainly make this experience unforgettable. Some of them have been announced already, while some will be announced in the near future. For now you can be excited about celebrity chef Susur Lee, urbanist Shawn Micallef, and SlutWalk founders Heather Jarvis and Sonya Barnett. Check out the list of announced speakers here.

Ready for the event? I know I am. Fill out a delegate application at the official website, purchase the $100 ticket and become one of the approximately 1,000 lucky audience members. You will not be disappointed. The popularity of the event has been increasing significantly. The conference does not end with the intriguing presentations. Participants are invited to "celebrate the spirit of ideas worth spreading" and share their ideas with speakers and delegates at TEDx Toronto’s Official After Party. The tickets for this party will become available through the event's official webpage in early September. Make sure to buy them in time; they sell out quite fast every year.

If you are out of town on October 26th or cannot skip work under any circumstances, do not worry! A free live stream should be available. Follow the event on Twitter or like it on Facebook to make sure you do not miss any important news. I also suggest you look at some of the videos from the last three years of TEDxToronto to see what it is all about. I particularly suggest last year's opening video, which was very inspirational.

To learn something new and see what the event truly is like, it is a good to see some of the speakers' presentations. I would suggest Don Tapscott's discussion of the future of education at TEDxToronto 2009.