In anticipation for today’s long awaited TEDxBreda 2015 event, I woke up with this song by Phil Collins in my head today – In the air tonight. The preparations that went into this event took months of time and dozens of people. But today is up to the speakers to let the true value of the event shine through. So here’s my impression of the event, as perceived by a member of the team and a fan of TEDx.
UPDATE 21:33 And this concludes this year´s edition of TEDxBreda. We hope you had an inspired time following our live stream and updates and until next time, be inspired!
UPDATE 21:07 Alexandra Smith talks to us about the beauty of imperfection. Let’s go beyond appearances in telling our personal stories. Our imperfections make us beautiful and we should embrace them. We spend our lives trying to complete our stories. Alexandra decided to transform her failures into stories of success.
UPDATE 20:47 Esther van der Ham wrote a children’s book for the Syrian children who are suffering in the refugee camps. With her creativity, she brought hope to a very gloomy world. In an effort to help the situation of children in Syria, Esther used her creative nature to make a difference. Because children all over the world have their right to a childhood without fear.
UPDATE 20:38 Surf’s up! Ron Geertse is stocked about wind-surfing and he shares his passion about this great sport. Surfing makes people feel energized and free but it is also a passion that needs commitment, respect for the water and stepping out of your comfort zone. If you want to be more relaxed and confident in your life, there’s an option that´s clear as water: go surfing!
UPDATE 20:26 Bram Stadhouders was tired of playing the music of other people. He had a realization that music was part of him and moreso, it resonates through him on a personal level. So he gave his inner sound some volume in the form of improvisation. The world of improvisation is a safe space where we can experiment as there is no judgement, there is no good or bad. All that exists at that moment is the creative flow of energy.
UPDATE 20:24 We´re back and ready for with part 4 of TEDxBreda.
UPDATE 19:15 Dance is not just leaning back and watching, dance is art – the art of co-creation. De Stilte communicates through the movements of the human body. Take, for example, children – they respond to dance in a very intuitive way. The Stilte told a story of individual perspective through a performance of dance without music followed by the addition of sound. We we´re shown a new way of “feeling” dance as an individual experience, unique and sensible.
UPDATE 18:55 Frederique van den Boomen, winner of the TEDxBreda Awards and music composer, thrives to change the economical difficulties that retail faces with the power of live music.
UPDATE 18:25 Hans Moerenhout is a sustainable grower with a magic wheelbarrow and a great story. The story of the seed. We are overtaken by the world we live in. But we should try to be more like the seed that searches for its own soil to grow in. From the land to our inner selves, we crave a true connection with nature. He sees an organic connection between humans and herbs, as we must start locally and plant for a sustainable environment.
UPDATE 18:25 Raimke Groothuizen is a collector of clumsy and awkward moments. She has an interesting way to cope with it all: she views her life as a retro video game, with obstacles and challenges to make life more fun and interesting. She thought us to not be afraid to embrace our awkwardness and learn from our mistakes. Being positive, animating your life and learning from your mistakes are the elements of confidence and success.
UPDATE 18:24 We´re back and ready for with part 3 of TEDxBreda.
UPDATE 17:25 Simone Awhina took us beyond the realm of sound and clutter into a moment of relaxation and inner peace. With the help of the soothing sound of the gong and the Tibetan singing bowl, plus not to mention her beautiful voice, Simone used the power of vibrations to mesmerize us.
UPDATE 16:57 Ron van den Ouweland talks about how 3D printing can use plastic as the means of creating multidimensional stories and memories. Memories that literally come to life. His presentation takes the rigid aspect of technology and gives it a human touch. The roll of plastic that the 3D machines use is more than what it seems. 3D printing can put a story on the table, can induce motivation and discipline and can even change the state of mind.
UPDATE 17:05 At one point in his life, Kevin Weijers decided to quit e-mail. By deconstructing complexity and simplifying ideas using common sense, he managed to reshape his mindset and start his experiments. He managed to drastically improve his productivity by challenging assumptions. His goal is to give 50 presentations in 15 weeks until the 3rd of December. Today will be his 34th presentation. But he won’t stop here. His next challenge: around the world in 80 experiments.
More on aroundtheworldin80experiments.com
UPDATE 16:28 This medical mystery-man boosted their immute system to 100%. His view on our physical and mental limitations comes from the way we are made to believe that we cannot achieve ultimate health. According to Wim, the information needed to tap into our immune and endocrine systems is out there. We have the tools to change our mindsets and they lay within.
UPDATE 16:18 Jerre Maas challenges us to let go of the chains that restrain our mind and share our ideas, make them reality.
UPDATE 16:15 We´re back and ready for with part 2 of TEDxBreda.
UPDATE 15:30 We´re taking a quick break while we enjoy the catering. On the hallways people are chatting away they´re impressions over the talks delivered so far. It´s a vibrant atmoshpere. During the break I got to talk to a representative of the Usher syndrome condition on the hallway and the difficulties that one faces.
UPDATE 15:05 Machteld Cossee on living with Usher syndrome (incurable conditions at the time) and the battle we all fight on the inside. Her story is a motivation, a story about acceptance and resolution.
UPDATE 14:44 Marc Woods starts his presentation on being a Mindhacker and how we perceive reality. He surely has some serious Jedi Mind Tricks up his sleeve. He plays with out imagination and inspires us to live with imagination by our side.
UPDATE 14:28 Volkan Tasdan immediately light up the room with Bob Marley’s One Love. The public is singing along. Education is an equivalent of future and his take on the teaching of our future generations is honest, intuitive and loving. Imagine the world where the songs of Bob Marley become part of our curriculum!
UPDATE 14:14 Manuela Kalsky begins her talk on In search for a new We. Her talk on how we perceive ourselves resonates with me as an expat. Her project W’J breaks the barriers of cultural differences and embraces diversity.
UPDATE 14:05 And WE BEGIN! Enjoy the program everyone! Our magical host Marc Woods is delivery the key-note: sharing ideas, time travel and reaching the world!
UPDATE: 13:52 Our guests are filling up their seats in the hall. On the hallways, people are networking, sharing ideas and expectations over the event. There’s a yum fresh bread scent in the air – it must be our sponsor Culinice Catering’s delicious treats for our guests and our teams .
UPDATE 13:34 The calm before the storm. At the communications desk my colleagues are prepping the stream and checking the situation on our social media channels. The speakers are here and they’re ready for the spotlight.
UPDATE 12:30 The soundcheck was done and we’re checking the last details for our livestreaming, direct from the www.tedxbreda.nl website. The murmur of people is soothing but all of the sudden – I hear the sound of a gong! But more on that later…
UPDATE 11:45 Jonathan de Rijk from the Event and Resources teams is breefing us on the responsibilities and planning. The hall is filled with technology; wires, cables, connectors, monitors, bright lights, phones, notebooks, screens everywhere. We need the tech to make this event possible. The goodiebags are filled with little runes from our sponsors and waiting for their receivers, our guests.
UPDATE 11:30 The volunteers are on deck at the Mezz hall in Breda. The teams are busy with setting everything in place. The technical crew are everywhere, marching through with equipment that looks pulled out of sci-fi movies. Everyone has a glance of clarity and anticipation: this must be done.