Ideas worth spreading. That’s what makes a TED talk, a TED talk.
TED conferences are known worldwide as converging points for brilliant ideas that are presented in a memorable, entertaining format.
What many people might not know is that TEDx events do the same thing, but on a smaller scale. And if you haven’t already heard the buzz, a TEDx event is coming to Chilliwack this month.
Lead organizer Raymond Cauchi, who also organized the Christmas Parade in December, has been inspired by video TED talks for years.
“Since I can’t afford to go to one,” he said of the large scale multi-day conferences that cost upwards of $2,000 to attend, “I thought, why don’t I build one?”
So he acquired the TEDx licence and set up a community meeting in Chilliwack last April to gather those who were interested in taking part. That meeting brought him together with fellow event administrators Rachel Doucette, a community developer, and Mike DellaFortuna, a local realtor.
DellaFortuna summarized the motivation that’s likely behind the participation of all partnering sponsors and event volunteers. “It sounded like something that would impact the community in a very positive way,” he said.
A TEDx event is defined by speakers from a specific geographical area, but it will also follow a specific theme. For Chilliwack, the theme for the first local event is ‘Stories that empower us.’
The 22 selected speakers were chosen from the group of nominees to present a diversity of topic, cultural representation, and age.
They’ll share empowering stories based on their personal experiences with subjects like addiction, fitness, bereavement, or comedy, or their areas of expertise which include meditation, economics, tourism, and technology. Some are well-practiced public speakers, others are newcomers.
“You never know how these speeches are going to go,” DellaFortuna said. “But if you walk in with an open mind, you’re good.”
Cauchi considered a plethora of local venue suggestions for the event, but it was the enthusiasm of Chilliwack Museum director Matthew Francis that helped him come to the decision.
“[The museum is] non-partisan, it’s not connected to any specific group. The only thing this venue is connected to is Chilliwack itself. It’s perfect,” Cauchi explained.
It’s not a big space, but it will fit 100 attendees, which is the audience limitation as outlined in the TEDx event licence. Other rules require that the event can be one-day only, all sponsors must be local, and no money can be generated through the event.
The intimate TEDx setting is far from the flashy auditorium of a TED conference, but it’s exactly what an event like this calls for to have a genuine impact.
“We want to make sure that the hundred people in the room have a positive experience that connects with them emotionally, so that [afterwards] they can go forth and do something with it,” DellaFortuna explained.
Those interested in attending the event are required to fill out a brief application, and Cauchi is mid-way through the audience selection process.
“These people are hardcore. They’re passionate, invested, and they want to make Chilliwack a better place,” he said. “I’m certain that if we stick these people in one place for a day, something crazy good will happen.”
What that might be, that’s still unknown.
The action-oriented nature of the event is fostered by “break-out sessions” that will allow audience members to engage with each of the speakers, as well as the follow-up TED community events that the administrative team say will happen throughout the year.
“Change happens on small scale, over time. You have to start somewhere,” DellaFortuna said. This event is intended as a jump-off point for positive change in our community, and the team is hopeful that it will take place annually.
“The room is going to be bursting with energy,” said Doucette. “And it’s definitely going to stir up conversation.”
TEDx Chilliwack is a full-day event taking place on Saturday, Feb. 27.
Visit tedxchilliwack.com to learn more about the event, read through the speaker topic teasers, or apply to be an audience member. The speeches will be filmed and available online after the event.