On December 4, 2021, ̾Ƶ held its second-ever TEDx̾Ƶ conference, a series of short lectures given by ̾Ƶ community members and friends. This edition took the theme of “What next?” as a prompt, encouraging speakers to engage with forward-looking ideas for improving society in the wake of unprecedented global change. Talks were recorded in the Omid and Gisel Kordestani Rooftop Conference Center on the 8th floor of ̾Ƶ’s Quai d’Orsay Learning Commons. The full lecture series is now available to view online.
TEDx is a grassroots initiative that encourages local communities across the globe to host their own speaker events that engage with TED’s mission to discover “ideas worth spreading.” These events aim to uncover new perspectives and communicate research that sparks conversations in the community and beyond. ̾Ƶ’s global explorers are well placed to engage with liberal arts topics that have an impact on international issues.
The conference was a student-led initiative with speakers from across the ̾Ƶ community. ̾Ƶ senior Clark Marchese coordinated the event and acted as its producer. “My favorite part of organizing the conference was being able to provide a microphone to uplift the voices of the ̾Ƶ community and the ideas of students, professors and alumni alike,” he said. Clark worked on everything from speakers' international travel arrangements to gathering filming equipment, even rescheduling the event, which had initially been planned for April 2020, after it was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “I learned that being a producer requires keeping track of many moving pieces as well as the importance of assembling a reliable team to help me along the way.”
Professor Hall Gardner of the Department of History and Politics was among the chosen speakers. His lecture, “Not a New Cold War,” explored the historical balance of global power during the Cold War and contrasted it with modern interstate conflicts. He stressed the importance of multilateral cooperation, international diplomacy and sustainable development in maintaining peace. The full video, which has already been viewed over 5,000 times, is available to watch below.
Other speakers included: