Today marks the one-year anniversary of TEDx, the program that supports independent TED-style events in local communities around the world. On all continents, in cities, villages and the occasional shanty town, people are organising events around the TED concept of ”ideas worth spreading”. They copy the format of TED, and then carefully choose the ideas they feel are important for their community.
And while the popularity of the TEDx program is undoubtedly fuelled by the digital distribution of world-class talks on TED.com, there is something more primal at play here. When you think about it, the spirit of TED is akin to a contemporary version of an time-worn scenario: eager listeners gathering around a campfire, hearing new stories and new ideas, their minds forever changed in the process.
And as TED.com reports, the numbers are truly impressive!
- Total number of TEDx events to date: 500
- Total languages at TEDx events: 35 +
- Total number of countries TEDx events are held in: 70 +
- Estimated number of people who have attended a TEDx event to date: 50,000 +
- Estimated number of people projected to attend a TEDx event through end of 2010: 100,000
See the list of upcoming TEDx events around the globe to get an idea.
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