Community rallies around upcoming TEDxEducationCity initiative

Numerous entities, from local universities, like Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, to the HBKU Student Center, have expressed their support for the TEDxEducationCity conference to be held on January 18th 2014 at the HBKU Student Center Ballroom from 3-6 pm.

“TEDx is about ideas worth spreading and we at the HBKU Student Center could not agree more on the importance of that message. At the core of what we do is the empowerment of our students to take what they learn in and out of the classroom and then apply it practically to the real world. TEDx thus demonstrates what education is capable of through stories from the inspiring speakers, while also stressing the importance of sharing that knowledge with others”, said Campus Life Officer Mohammed Fakhro.

TEDxEducationCity is one of many other events also supported by the HBKU Student Center, like Leadershape and Cultivate, which aim to harness students’ potentials. It has also played a key role in fostering dialogue on campus, initiating other smaller projects like Campus Conversations and Tea Time that bring students together from across Education City.

The upcoming conference will be the second edition of TEDxEducationCity, initially held in 2012. An entirely student-run initiative, TEDxEducationCity is led by Northwestern University in Qatar journalism student Jaimee Haddad and her co-curator Ahmed Raza Hashmi, an information systems student at CMU-Q, along with a team of students from the six universities in Education City and Qatar University.

This unique collaboration has also drawn support from universities all around Education City. "Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar is proud to play an integral role in TEDxEC. Many of our students, alumni and faculty have been involved in TEDx programs globally, and the spirit of TEDx to stimulate a dialogue about ideas worth spreading embodies Carnegie Mellon's mission to inspire innovations that change the world,” said Murry Evans, Executive Director of Marketing and Public Relations at CMU-Q.

The conference will feature 6 speakers, from a screenwriter, to a computer scientist, to a spoken-word poet, all of whom will bring their own unique perspective to this year’s theme of ‘Branch Out.’

“Our theme is about foundations and the versatility of each foundation. When we think about our theme, we think about a tree,” said the TEDxEducationCity team. “The roots and tree trunk represent the foundations and strength in the same way, much like your university degree or “core basis” of your knowledge. However, the trunk also develops in different branches. These branches are your projects, interests, and explorations.”

Student involvement aside, community support for the event has been vital in all stages of the event’s planning. "We're very fortunate to have such encouraging sponsors. Between productions, food services, and the Student Centre venue, our sponsors have worked alongside us to make it all happen. We wouldn't be able to pull off this event without their help and support. We have a community-driven focus and the community that supports us plays a fundamental role in that goal,” Haddad said.

With over 500 attendees at TEDxEducationCity 2012, this year’s conference promises to be equally thought provoking, and to provide a platform for the community to engage, educate, and entertain itself.

- ILQ News -

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