Hickory – A group of local volunteers are planning the ninth year of TEDxHickory, a full-day event to be held November 21, 2020 at the The Belk Centrum at Lenoir-Rhyne University. The independently organized event — TEDxHickory — is licensed by TED and will feature a combination of live speakers and TED Talk videos that is sure to elevate the thinking and broaden the perspective of all who participate.

TEDxHickory is looking for speakers to present at this coming year’s event, under the theme “Collide.” If you have an “idea worth spreading” please read on and consider applying to speak at TEDxHickory on November 21, 2020.

Unstoppable force; immovable object. A lot of things, perhaps all things, move, in a small world. Collision is inevitable. Past and present. East and West. Dark and Light. Progress and tradition. Supply and demand. One idea and another. One interest, ambition, desire, and another. And an endless array of things not on the same continuum but merely coexisting in limited space.

Things come together. Sometimes peacefully. Sometimes aggressively. Often creating change that reshapes the world, eroding how things were, pushing up new structures, twisting what was into what is, or blending, as if by magic, several into one.

What collisions have you witnessed? Survived? Been part of? How have they changed you or the world around you? What collisions do you see happening today? And what results do you expect to come of them? What collisions do you see on the horizon? Can they be avoided? Should they? How will things change if they come to be?

TEDxHickory invites you to examine any variations of the concept of “Collide” that seem relevant, interesting, and important to you for its 9th annual event coming in November 2020. Applications for speakers are being accepted now at TEDxHickory.com

Anyone interested in speaking will be asked to provide talks that fall under the “Collide” theme – however broad or specific. Per the rules of TEDx, presenters are allowed to speak for no more than 18 minutes each. From now through August 31, those interested can apply online by visiting TEDx Hickory.com. Presentations will be chosen based on how well they fit the vision of TEDx and the variety of the presentations for the day.

About TEDx, 

independently organized event – 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 (Subject to certain rules and regulations). Follow TEDx Hickory on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TEDxHickory/

About TED-

TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California 30 years ago, TED has grown to support its mission with multiple initiatives. The two annual TED Conferences invite the world’s leading thinkers and doers to speak. These talks are then made available at TED.com. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Nandan Nilekani, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Sal Khan and Daniel Kahneman.

The annual TED Conference takes place each spring in Vancouver, British Columbia, along with the TEDActive and TEDFest events. TED’s media initiatives include TED.com, where new TED Talks are posted daily; the educational initiative TED-Ed; TEDx, which supports individuals or groups in hosting local, self- organized TED-style events around the world, and the TED Fellows program, helping world-changing innovators from around the globe to amplify the impact of their projects and activities.