The theme for this year’s TEDx event, held on April 7, was Bookmarks. It was meant to invoke personal stories about significant events, milestones or obstacles in people’s lives.

TED or Technology, Entertainment, Design has existed since 1984. It is a nonpartisan nonprofit devoted to, “ideas worth spreading,” usually in the form of short, powerful talks about a wide range of topics, from science to business to global issues, in more than 110 languages. Every year since 2015, NYU Abu Dhabi has hosted its own TEDx event to broadcast such ideas from within the community: from students, faculty and staff.

The organizing team began working on the event back in Sept. 2017. They have chosen a theme, selected 11 speakers from an applicant pool of 115 people, worked extensively with them and finally put together the whole event.

“It felt like a train wreck at first since there was a lot to do ... but it was exciting to be a part of something that it is very significant in the society here,” said Mahmoud AlQadi, Class of 2020 and Logistics Director of the event.

“The best part [about organizing a TEDx event] is really getting speakers to reflect on their own experiences and being somewhat part of them discovering their own stories,” shared Ghita Benhayoune, Class of 2020, and member of the Speaker Training team.

The event had eleven speakers from seven different countries, whose talks addressed topics ranging from cognition, stuttering and inequality, to issues of identity, handling failure and using humour as a coping mechanism.

While the ideas were universal and globally relevant, the talks were also deeply personal.

“During my speech I found my voice, my passion for expressing the struggle of being a biracial individual. This opportunity has added another dimension to my personality, being confident to address my deepest insecurities,” reflected Waseem Gulam, Class of 2020 and one of the TEDx NYUAD speakers.

Members of the NYUAD community were invited to watch the talks in the Blue Hall in the Arts Centre, and could also access the event through a live stream at the West Forum and on Facebook. As in any good TEDx event, people left feeling more enriched, enlightened and reflective than they entered. They were moved and deeply inspired by the ideas of their NYUAD contemporaries.

“I was particularly touched by how personal the stories were. It takes a lot of courage and vulnerability to share any story that is as treasured or impactful as the ones the presented. I think in different ways each of us can learn a little from what was said on stage,” said Miren Aguirre Salazar, Class of 2019.