Founder of TEDxAmsterdam and former TED-speaker Jim Stolze gave the audience some personal background on why he signed up for the TEDxAmsterdam license in 2009. The answer was to be found in the newspaper:
Reading the newspaper can sometimes feel like a journey through the desert. A desert that is filled with economic stress, undeniable pollution and people who seem somehow desensitized. (…) Watching TED-talks online on TED.com and attending TEDx-conferences can take you to the oasis for a moment. An oasis of people who care, radical ideas, creating future that might just happen.
Since he signed up for the license Stolze found the support of close to 100 volunteers who help him to “expand the oasis”. Organizing TEDx is moving from “ideas worth spreading” into “ideas worth doing” and after thanking the TEDxAmsterdam Teams he introduced three ideas that were spread via TED.com but were executed on a local level.
1. TEDxYouthday
In 1959 the general assembly of the United Nations adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. Since then November 20th has been called Universal Children’s Day. In 2009 a group of TEDx-organizers was inspired by this and came up with the idea to host TEDx events worldwide that would go under the title TEDxYouth. Stolze showed a video that was created by kids in 41 cities to emphasize the fact that “we’re in this together”.
2. TEDxChange
After an introduction by Melinda French Gates about the TEDxChange event on September 20th in New York it was time for Jim Stolze to welcome one of the speakers from TEDxChangeAmsterdam on stage. It was South African social entrepreneur Marlon Parker who shared a passionate story.
3. TEDxAmsterdam Challenges
At the end of his speech Stolze announced a new chapter in the TEDxAmsterdam Story. “We’ve challenged you –the TEDx community- to share with us your ideas; the projects that you care so much. This afternoon you all voted and chose one project that will win the TEDxAmsterdam Award. After my talk we will start the TEDxAmsterdam Auction to raise money for the winner of the TEDxAmsterdam Award.”
The last words of Jim Stolze still vibrated througout the Stadsschouwburg: “TED is an excuse for smart people to share ideas and make stuff happen. We are now in the chance to push back the desert, to expand the oasis and to DO something together”.
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