Sparks, idea ignition and burning passion are at the heart of TEDxAmsterdam, and as part of our series introducing you to the people behind the scenes, we thought that there was no better place to start than with TEDxAmsterdam founder, Jim Stolze. Here, we find out what makes him – and this year’s event – tick.
So how will this year’s event be different to last year?
Just like last year, it will be an event in the TEDx-format. That means we’re going to bring together a diverse and sometimes unexpected line-up of speakers, musicans and video content from different disciplines. I can’t give away too much right now but we’re confident that people will be impressed. Currently, we’re combing the country – and the world – to find people eager to share their ‘idea worth spreading’ in 18 minutes in front of a global audience. There’s no shortage of takers, and actually, I think our hardest task will be to keep the event to its alotted time frame!
Photograph by Ivo van der Bent
There seems to be a focus on kids this year? Tell us about that decision.
We live in a world for grown ups right now. Yet, we can’t really say that we’re proud of the state that the world is in, can we? So, we should be wise and listen to what the future generation has to say. We’re even creating a special TEDKids conference in Amsterdam’s NEMO museum for the purpose of giving kids a platform to speak. It will be held on November 20th, ten days before the ‘grown ups’ edition. I’m really looking forward to that. Although on the one hand our main event theme is Science & Fiction, you could say that the ‘hidden’ theme of TED has always been ‘the future we create.’ Well, we know that kids are the future – our future – so we wanted to give them the opportunity to share what’s going on in their minds. When you think about it, we don’t often give children that chance. I’ve already contacted TEDx-organizers in Tokyo and the USA to see whether we can give the stage to kids from three different time zones on the very same day.
What’s the mission of the event this year?
The new theme is Science & Fiction. These two subjects are typically TED and are perfect for a city like Amsterdam. We have such a rich history in both – for example artists who continue to inspire us to this day. ‘Out of the box’ thinkers, people who have been able to visualize the impossible and thus shape the future. Some of our scientists, on the other hand, have been responsible for some incredible breakthroughs and stepping stones which will lead the way to a bright future I’m sure. So while science and fiction may seem to be light years apart from each other, or the stuff of movies, in reality these disciplines are increasingly working together. In fact, you could say that the civilization of the future needs equal parts dynamic vision and tested know-how. On November 30th we’ll show you the beautiful results which that combination can make possible.
What’s the direction?
The exciting part of working on TEDxAmsterdam for me is the dynamic group of young, talented creatives and techies who are on the team. We’ve got a whole new experience team. We wanted to give some new people a chance, and we also wanted to evolve the event and deliver an experience that will surprise and delight the audience. I can’t wait to see what that melting pot will bring. For example, last year, two people from our group wanted to make the most beautiful conference guide ever. Well, that project has since become a published book with an ISBN-number, which was also nominated for an European Design Award. How cool is that? This year, the new team is working on an iPad version. So…in terms of direction? No one knows, but we all know we’re heading the right way, and we’re loving the process of getting there.
How can people get tickets for this gig?
Last year, we made the difficult decision to introduce TEDxAmsterdam as an ‘invite only’ event. Until recently in Holland, it was normal for conferences to accept delegates on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. We believe that TEDxAmsterdam is so much more than just a conference. We actually wanted the ideas presented on stage to become reality as much as possible, so we had to look at creating the right environment for that to happen. When selecting our audience, we’re looking at a specific kind of diversity – people from different sectors – who, when pooled together, represent the right synergy and potential for ideas to really germinate. We’re also looking for real innovators; people with a track record of taking bold ideas to fruition. But what I do want to make clear to everybody is that we are most definitely not an elitist event – we do want to make TEDxAmsterdam accessible to as many people as possible. So we’re not only creating novel ways for people to get a ticket (as we did last year), but we’re also increasing the number of simulcast locations so all those people who are unable to be part of the Stadsschouwberg audience can still be part of the magic.
Why do you think TEDxAmsterdam and the other TED events are so successful?
TED is an amazing brand which has been around since 1984. Nowadays, thousands of people around the globe are inspired by TED – daily. I think that the reason for this success is that TED is about the most important thing in the world: ideas. If you really think about this – deeply – you’ll realise that it only takes an idea and an intention for reality to be created. Our world started with an idea, our buildings, our institutions – even our brands – they all began life as an idea. TEDxAmsterdam appeals to our sense of optimism and our ability to co-create in that process. That potential is available to us all – whether we know it yet or not. We want to encourage that unfolding in people. I once heard someone say during a TED conference: ‘When I look at the data and the statistics on global problems, I’m pessimistic. But when I look at the people that are working on the solutions for these very problems, I’m optimistic.’
If we can give Holland a spark of that hope and an incredible amount of inspiration, then it’s mission accomplished.
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