You're reading: TEDxKyiv to present innovative talks on June 15

The 5th annual TEDxKyiv conference will take place on June 15 at Ukrainian House. Usually referred to as the Ukrainian Davos for optimists, this year’s theme is “instinct of the future,” and the aim is to reproduce values and multiply progress, according to the event’s organizers.

The event
will bring together visionaries and creators in entrepreneurship, cultural
activists and scientists to discuss ways of starting new endeavors in society.

TED events have
become well-known for sharing ideas dedicated to three core fields: technology,
entertainment and design. In time many enthusiastic followers have set up independent
local TEDx events.

Roman
Zinchenko, Greencubator startup coordinator, and TEDxKyiv executive officer Olga
Romanyuk are the Kyiv event’s brainchild.

The
conference includes several live discussions that show how people stimulate
changes in society.

About 15
speakers will make presentations at the all-day event, including several
Ukrainian scientists and other people interested in the different technologies
of the future. Among them are: Yuriy Ivaschenko – astrophysicist who set up the first
private observatory in Ukraine; Alyona Plakida – the Minister of Culture of Crimea; Maxim Prasolov – co-author of blockbuster novel Daogopak; Volodymyr Kolinko – cyberneticist,
creator of digital maps and landscape initiatives in Kyiv such as, the Children’s Art Park at Peizazhna Alley; and Oksana Stoyetska – co-founder of Inventor classes,
where children learn robotics engineering.

Speakers
are limited to 18-minute presentations that also will be streamed online (all
TEDx talks will be available on YouTube channel).

All-day entertainment
will be given by the Jazz Koktebel team. Spokeswoman for TEDxKyiv Nadia
Pereviznyk believes that TEDx events are important for communities to reinforce
dialog in Ukrainian society.   

“We hope to
bring together journalists, business school representatives, IT-specialists,
all those people connected with startups as they have that clear idea on how to
make changes,” Pereviznyk said.

“Now we are
about to launch English-language simultaneous translation at all TEDx talks, as
we aim for an English-speaking audience. In general we’re going to have three languages
at least – Ukrainian, since TED guidelines stress that the local language is a
priority, also Russian – because we already have some Russian-speaking guests,
and English,” Pereviznyk adds.

She
stressed the TEDxKyiv staff is working on a volunteer-basis to make the event real.
For speakers it’s cost-free to take part in the conference. On the other hand
organizers have strict demands to the list of participants – they need to enlighten
clear ideas and their presentations must be free from political and religious themes.

“It’s not a
stage for PR – as we want to involve interesting presenters who know what to
share with the audience,” Pereviznyk adds.

Among the
participants of the previous TEDx events were Pavlo Sheremeta, Ivan Malkovych,
Olga Bogomolets and others.

The
conference is on the pricey side, but Pereviznyk explains that all money from
the tickets will be used to cover organizing expenses.

Admission fee: Hr 550

For more
details go to http://tedxkyiv.com/

About TEDx

TEDx was
created in the spirit of TED’s mission, “ideas worth spreading.” The
program is designed to give communities, organizations and individuals the
opportunity to stimulate dialogue through TED-like experiences at the local
level. TEDx events are fully planned and coordinated independently, on a
community-by-community basis.

Kyiv Post intern Olena Goncharova can be
reached at [email protected].