TEDxAbuDhabi presents inaugural event, 14:30 - 21:00 (GMT+ 4), Saturday 26 May 2012, at ADNEC, Conference Room B

22 May 2012 - Abu Dhabi, UAE: Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) is preparing to welcome the first TEDxAbuDhabi event, May 26, 2012. Described as an "intellectual circus", the event will bring people together for presentations focusing on the theme "The Spaces in Between", delivered by a wide variety of innovators and leaders from the UAE and the wider region.

TEDxAbuDhabi is an event styled on the popular TED conferences which bring together the world's most fascinating thinkers, doers and leaders of industry. Topics include anything from science and business to culture and politics, and everything in between. TED alumni include Al Gore, Zaha Hadid, Sheikha Al Mayassa and Julian Assange. TED, which stands for Technology Entertainment Design, has grown into a global phenomenon with conferences, video talks online, the TED prize and independent TEDx events around the world.   

Those interested in attending must book their tickets in advance since there is limited space to the event, held on Saturday, 26 May. Tickets might be purchased at https://www.boxofficeme.com/Online/article/TEDx The AED 350 ticket price will include a full day of talks fuelled by caffeine and delicious bites served in the breaks.

Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer of ADNEC, said: "TED and TEDx events are synonymous with vision and innovation. They bring together people from all walks of life with ideas worth spreading. Abu Dhabi has proven itself to be fertile ground for new ideas and innovation, making it a perfect match for TED. As an event partner, ADNEC is proud to host the first event at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre."

The theme for Abu Dhabi's first TEDx event is "The Spaces in Between".

Carmen Oprea, TEDx Curator said: "Abu Dhabi is a city of landmarks and icons. Inspired by this, TEDxAbuDhabi aims to examine the relationships between them, the ways they came to be, and the people who made them possible. We want to add colour to the things and people you know, and shed light on the stories that tend to go untold."

Innovators scheduled to appear at TEDxAbuDhabi include:

  • Nayla Al Kahja - the UAE's first female film producer/director

  • Ahmad Mohammad Al-Astad - the Director of Economic and Social Studies Department at the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research in Abu Dhabi

  • Tarek S. Niazi - the author of the book 'More Than 60 Minutes: When Earth Stands Still'

  • Mohamad Mourad - Google Gulf's regional manager

  • Gus Halwani - a funky jazz guitarist, neuroscientist and teacher, working on creating a better link between those who develop education policies to those who know how the brain works

  • Shaima Al Sayed - a comedian with the mission to erase stereotypes about Muslims and Arabs

  • Yiannis Lagos - researcher of behavioral characteristics and workforce trends globally

  • Jourdan Younis - works with research and development in clean-tech and sustainability

  • Yalman Khan and Kunal Wadhwani - tackling the issues of world food security, land degradation and overuse of chemicals head on

For further information about the event and the speakers, please visit the TEDxAbuDhabi website, www.tedxabudhabi.ae, or the Facebook page, www.facebook.com/TEDxAD.   

This event is possible due to the generous support of ADCB, Etihad, ADNEC, The Rocco Forte Hotel, Agthia, Ti22 Films and The Jam Jar.

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About ADNEC
Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) is a strategic international venue development and management company. ADNEC's venue portfolio includes one of the most modern exhibition centres in the world - the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, and the UK capital's largest exhibition and conference venue, ExCeL London, and Al Ain Convention Centre in Al Ain. 

For more information, please visit www.adnec.ae

About TED
TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design. It started in 1984 as a conference bringing together people from those three worlds. Since then, its scope has broadened to include science, business, the arts, and the global issues facing our world. The annual conference now brings together the world's most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives -- in 18 minutes. Attendees have called it "the ultimate brain spa" and "a four-day journey into the future." The diverse audience -- CEOs, scientists, creatives, and philanthropists -- is almost as extraordinary as the speakers, who have included Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Nandan Nilekani, Jane Goodall, Vilayanur Ramachan- dran, Sir Richard Branson, Philippe Starck and Bono.

TED was first held in Monterey, California, in 1984. In 2001, Chris Anderson's Sapling Foundation acquired TED from its founder, Richard Saul Wurman. In recent years, TED has expanded to include an international conference, TEDGlobal; media initiatives, including TEDTalks andTED.com; and the TED Prize. For details on all upcoming conferences and events, visit www.TED.com.

About TEDx
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x=independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self- organized.

TEDx Abu Dhabi Media Contacts
Lucinda Yule
+971 50 712 6202
Lucinda@tedxabudhabi.ae

Tunde Gal
+971 55 483 6096
tunde@tedxabudhabi.ae 

Media contacts
Mustafa Al-Sheikhly / Anisa Ghuloom
Four Communications
+ 971 55 985 333 70 / +971 55 985 3374
adnec@fourcommunications.com

© Press Release 2012