World-leading innovative minds head to Abu Dhabi for the first TEDxWWF in the region
World-leading innovative minds head to Abu Dhabi for the first TEDxWWF in the region
United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, 09 April 2013: Abu Dhabi will play host to the world-renowned TEDxWWF conference under the theme ‘One Planet Living’ in May 2013. Based on the international TED conferences devoted to “ideas worth spreading”, TEDxWWF is a non-profit event which allows for the exchange of innovative and sustainable ideas to the global community.
Coming to the United Arab Emirates for the first time, TEDxWWF is the third in a series of international events organised by WWF, with its first event in Geneva in 2011 and its second event in Singapore in 2012.
To-date, Emirates Wildlife Society in association with WWF (EWS-WWF), who is organising the event, has confirmed six speakers covering a range of topics from; innovation, renewable energy through to sustainability and art. The stellar line-up includes Andy Ridley, the CEO and co-founder of one of the world’s largest grassroots movements: Earth Hour, and Andreas Keller, the brainchild behind one of the most novel developments in using renewable sources in slums to provide a solution to energy poverty.
Ida Tillisch, Acting Director General of EWS-WWF, said: “TEDxWWF is an important event which brings together local and global experts from a range of disciplines and fields, who are committed to promoting sustainable living as a way of life.
“We believe this platform will enable the selected inspirational speakers to share insightful, relevant ideas and encourage other individuals to support or even seek more sustainable solutions in their daily lives. ”
Additional speakers at the event include; Ginger Dosier Krieg, the inventor of the bio-brick revolutionizing the building materials industry; Lucy Orta, a contemporary visual artist who tackles ecological and social issues through art; Majid Al-Qassimi, a UAE National veterinarian who is a vocal environmentalist; and Sara El Sayed, a certified Biomimicry professional and outdoor environmental educator.
Ms Tillisch added: “We encourage anyone with an interest in finding solutions to the sustainability issues our planet is facing to apply to attend, or gather a group of friends to watch the speakers in the comfort of their home. All talks will be screened live via the internet on the day.”
TEDxWWF will take place at the Sofitel, Abu Dhabi on Tuesday May 21, 2013. A limited number of tickets are available to the public and interested parties need to fill out an online application following which a registration form will be issued: www.tedxwwf.com
To live stream TEDxWWF on May 21, log-on to www.tedxwwf.com.
TEDxWWF in Abu Dhabi is organized with the generous support of Etihad, ADMAF and Sofitel
ENDS
Notes to editor
About TED
TED is a global foundation devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out in 1984 as a conference bringing together innovators and leaders from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. Since then, its scope has become ever broader.
With its two annual conferences, video website TED.com, initiatives and community projects, TED is now a platform and a global movement focused on meaningful change through the power of ideas.
TED.com has over 1,400 amazing talks. It has become the gold standard for innovation in digital storytelling.
About TEDxWWF
The first TEDxWWF took place in October 2011 at the Palladium, City of Geneva, while the second took place in June 2012 at the INSEAD Asia Campus in Singapore. These talks are still gathering momentum with more than 50,000 views on www.tedxwwf.com.
About Emirates Wildlife Society in association with WWF (EWS-WWF)
Emirates Wildlife Society is a national (UAE) environmental non-profit organization established under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan: Ruler’s Representative in the western region and Chairman of Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD). EWS works in association with WWF, one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations. EWS-WWF has been active in the UAE since 2001 and has initiated and implemented several conservation and education projects in the region. The mission of EWS-WWF is to work with people and institutions within the UAE and the region, to conserve biodiversity, tackle climate change and reduce the ecological footprint through education, awareness, policy, and science-based conservation initiatives.
For more information about EWS-WWF please visit www.ewswwf.ae
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