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TED ripples
Ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into water, a simple action can have far-reaching effects. "Ripple" is the theme of TEDxSenadoSquare, the first locally organized TED event which was completed in March 2019. Its organizer Venus Loi and her team hoped to express unique views about our society through this platform.
TED is an internationally famous event brand that focuses on technology, entertainment and design. It is a nonprofit organization devoted to spreading ideas, usually in a form of short, powerful talks (18 minutes or less). Different from other TED talks, self-organized local talks are labeled TEDx, where "x" means an independently organized TED event. Therefore, the topics of TEDxSenadoSquare were all related to Macao. It is a unique platform for local citizens to understand some issues around us but have been ignored by us.
"I got this idea when I came back from the UK," Venus said. She is the organizer of TEDxSenadoSquare, who is 25 years old. When she was studying at Durham University, she was a curator and journalist in TEDx. "This was the first time to conduct TEDx in Macao, we don't ask for a huge impact but I'd like to have some change." The theme "Ripple" of TEDxSenadosquare was voted by Venus and her team indicating a hope that through this activity would bring a little influence to the audience in their life, work, study, and even life decisions - or to reflect and disapprove themselves. "I hope a 'ripple' could be gradually spread and become a 'wave' to affect everyone but not only a certain group of people." The theme is also related to our city because Macao is a coastal city, she added.
The meaning of "x" in TEDx means localization, but we can see some of the speakers were Hong Kong citizens. "Although they do not live in Macao, what they are working for is related to Macao." For example, one of the speakers Viena Mak works at Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society but the sea area they are studying is connected to Macao. Pasu NG works in the Chinese University of Hong Kong as a manager of a dissecting laboratory. Kiang Wu Hospital regularly asks him to provide some lecture training. In fact, all speakers have close ties with Macao. "To organize an event, inviting the guests is not a difficult problem. More importantly, we want the audience to get some inspiration, or reflect some ideas from the speakers." She added that this is the reason people organize and attend TEDx. Discussing and listening to it are not aimed at achieving results, but stimulating diversity. It allows us to be exposed to and understand those ideas that are deviant to normal social values.
Nine speakers shared their unique views on that day. They are Lin Hsiangchun, her talk guided the audience through communities and nature from the perspective of children, the path which "takes us home"; Anna Choi, as an advocate on technology adoption, hoped to inspire more people with a diverse background to join the tech industry; Chun Man Kwong, he reflected on our life through the perspective of philosophy; Tamara Solski is an architect with a passion for public spaces, who spoke on the possibilities of a future brought together by utilizing the layers of the city in a creative and sustainable way; Burnie, a local electronic musician, shared his experience of creating music and DJ live show; Antonio is a photographer, who strolled along the streets and alleys of Macao capturing its unique beauty; Cheang Chi Meng had been teaching in public schools for 23 years and at the same time being an outdoor education instructor, he used a different teaching method which motivates students to "bend" and slow down, to see the needs of the others through love and care, and to serve the community with a humble heart.
Venus also hoped that there will be similar activities in Macao in the future. Although there were some problems in this event, such as printing booklets were not as good enough, subtitles were not displayed in time, etc., she believed that they could do it better next time.
During the interview, every time she said that the conference could be gathered together, she showed a smile full of expectation. "I really enjoyed being a member of the TEDx family, the most memorable thing is that if you really want to do it, nothing is impossible! We can draw a picture as I imagine; we can build a community as we hope. People should not only complain about the current situation. Although there are countless difficulties when we organized the TEDx, an excellent team has made me become stronger."