The talks and other performances at TEDxAuckland 2013 this year were of a very high standard and a great day was had by 2000+ people at the event plus many more tuned in from around the world for the live stream.
A TEDx event is a bit like the conference equivalent of speed dating. Each speaker has up to 18 minutes to make a connection and the attendees are all connecting too as a community of like minded individuals drawn together by the sharing of great ideas.
Here is a screenshot of the programme and a few selected tweets to give an idea of how each talk went. With over 2000 tweets and many more related online discussion everyone will have had their own unique take on the day .
There were many take aways and many beautiful images. The swimming reindeer from David Trubridge fine zoomed on how a moment in time can change everything.
The first speaker was Jimi Hunt and his big idea of “asking for help” came over loud and clear as he delivered in a very fetching 1 and a half piece suit. I will try to pick 1 tweet for each talk but with 2000+ to choose from curating the stream is a big task.
Intro
Rocking intro by @vaughndavis at #tedxakl #nailedit
— Wendy Thompson (@Wendy_Thompson) August 2, 2013
Jimi
https://twitter.com/ByronMadigan/status/363427328799416321
https://twitter.com/jenflitter/status/363427513982132224
Lillian
#tedxakl @wikinewzealand kinda lost now with all this data vs. values talk :-S
— ClintyMinty (em/they/he) (@clintyminty) August 2, 2013
Richard Nunns
You could hear a pin drop at #TEDxAkl as Dr Richard Nunns demonstrates ultra-harmonics with the Queen of Flutes.
— Alastair Thompson (@althecat) August 2, 2013
Waimihi Hotere
https://twitter.com/NurainJanah/status/363440227789971457
The New Zealand String Quartet
The NZ String Quartet with Richard Nunns #TEDXAkl quite beautiful blend of strings & Maori flute pic.twitter.com/djPEIeeGm7
— Jason Kemp @dialogcrm@mastodon.nz (@dialogCRM) August 2, 2013
King Kapisi & Teremoana Rapley
@kingkapisi at #TEDxAkl a welcome lift to the energy levels 🙂 pic.twitter.com/SgOLABwX2t
— Jason Kemp @dialogcrm@mastodon.nz (@dialogCRM) August 2, 2013
Mark Sagar
Mark Sagar animated faces are insanely good, I can see why he had won Oscars. #tedxakl
— Keeping Up With NZ (@KeepingUpWithNZ) August 2, 2013
And that was the first session. Unfortunately the timetable ran over in the the opening session and that made break times shorter.
Pete Russell
Best talk today for me from David Trubridge on art, design, connection to nature & the brain hemispheres #TEDxAkl pic.twitter.com/pb13EVwuEZ
— Jaimee (@JaimeeSara) August 3, 2013
David Trubridge
@ooooby uses global supply chain knowledge to make local food viable in our modern world #tedxakl
— NZEDGE (@NZEDGE) August 3, 2013
Grace Taylor
Standing ovation for Grace Taylor at #tedxakl. Best session today so far hands down! Go Afakasi!
— Hady Osman (@hadynz) August 3, 2013
Grace Taylor with Marina Alefosio and a 16 yr old called Brian? did one poem each
Truly touched by Grace Taylor. Her words were so close to home. #tedxakl
— TAMA (@t4m4) August 3, 2013
Malcolm Rands
Malcolm Rand from @ecostore is making me feel all teary eyed that the future doesn't have to be all govt spying & corporate greed #tedxakl
— Seeby (@seeby) August 3, 2013
Joseph Michael
Spectacular pacey photos in visual streams Joseph Michael #TEDxAKL lots of oohs & aahs – well earned
— Jason Kemp @dialogcrm@mastodon.nz (@dialogCRM) August 3, 2013
Robert Oliver
Great talk by R Oliver about his passion for Pacific food & new business models based 'on the power of love not the love of power' #TEDxAKL
— Neville 🇺🇦 (@1FightingIrish) August 3, 2013
Len Brown
Crowd not impressed by Len Brown — time for lunch! #TEDxAKL
— Brendon O'Dwyer (@designetica) August 3, 2013
Helen Clark
Seems #TEDxAkl in awe of @HelenClarkUNDP's presence. Very low-key style but critical message: Women can must lead & war is bad.
— Julian A Waters (@communico) August 3, 2013
Richard Faull
#TEDxAKL Richard Faull: 3 years' work, 1 slide – the discovery of the "motorway" for new brain cells in the human brain!
— James Bergin (@jamesbergin) August 3, 2013
Ash Graham ( music)
Where can I get the album Mr Ash!!! I'm loving the music !!! #TEDxAKL
— Sisyl (@sisylS2) August 3, 2013
Brian Sweeney
Repositioning NZ: from "world class" to "world changing", brain drain to network, tall poppies to legends. "EDGE" – Brian Sweeney #TEDxAKL
— Rebecca Dai (@BexDai) August 3, 2013
Sophie Tamati
Downloading Hika lite now and sharing a new language with my Californian lab mates 🙂 #tedxakl
— Dr Michelle Dickinson (@medickinson) August 3, 2013
Welby Ings
https://twitter.com/ElGrace07/status/363523504085274624
Joseph & Maia
Joseph and Maia are on stage. The #music has been a big part of #tedxakl 2013 #brilliant
— TEDxAuckland (@TEDxAuckland) August 3, 2013
Robyn Paterson
Robyn's address comes days after Mugabe stole yet another election. All the 'kia kahas' are well meant but Zim needs world action #TEDxAKL
— Peter Heath (@duenorthpr) August 3, 2013
Dale Williams
https://twitter.com/GE_VodafoneNZ/status/363539038902288385
At any TEDx event there will be speakers or other performances that don’t quite connect with you but they can also have the opposite effect on others. When choosing speakers we want great rather than good which does mean the audience will have a strong reaction either way.
With 17 speakers the hope is that you get surprised by a few speakers you didn’t expect to like. Having multiple disciplines on the same stage makes for a more interesting set.
This year had more of a cultural flavour than say science but there were 2 brilliant talks on artificial intelligence and the Brain so watch out for Mark Sagar and Richard Faull.
I personally liked most of the talks and I have seen literally hundreds of these since the main TED site went live in 2007 but in my view this was the best TEDx I have been to.
If I was to pick 3 talks that really got me thinking they would be David Trubridge, Robert Oliver and Dale Williams who all showed genuine originality.
Ultimately while the event can be enjoyed on many levels, the real test is what are we doing differently or new today linked to an insight or idea that was shared?
That is my 1 tweet per speaker version and I’ve left out more than 2000 tweets but what did you think?
