KAHULUI, Maui, Hawaii – On Sunday January 22nd, some of Hawaii’s—and the world’s—most innovative and inspiring minds will gather for the inaugural TEDxMaui event. From 9 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the Maui Arts & Cultural Center’s Castle Theater, this independently organized event, licensed by TED, will feature a variety of speakers and entertainers from Hawaii and beyond, encapsulating the event’s theme “The Courage to Dream.” TEDxMaui is intended to educate, inspire and connect great minds by honoring innovators who have passion, curiosity, creativity and adaptability to change the world with revolutionary ideas.
TED, which stands for technology, entertainment and design, is a national nonprofit organization devoted to “Ideas Worth Spreading.” TED holds an annual conference in Long Beach, California that has featured speakers such as Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Sir Richard Branson, Steve Jobs, Philippe Starck, Hillary Clinton, Eve Ensler and former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Presentations from the TED conference are made available for free at TED.com. TED talks have been viewed by millions of people worldwide.
In the spirit of TED, TEDxMaui is a locally produced TED-like event. Presentations from TEDxMaui will be uploaded onto the TEDxMaui website and YouTube. A few presentations may be selected to appear on the TED.com website. “I would love to see presentations from Maui appear on TED.com. It would allow us to share our unique wisdom with the world,” states Co-Producer Katie McMillan.
“I have always been inspired by all the creative minds I have come across on Maui and I want the world to know that Maui is much more than just a place to relax on the beach. My goal with TEDxMaui is to inspire the creation of a local brain trust and celebrate great ideas so that our local economy and community can thrive,” states McMillan.
McMillan attended the TEDWomen Conference in Washington DC in December 2010 after receiving enormous support from Maui residents who helped fund her experience. “While I was there, listening to a talk by Elizabeth Kapu’uwailani Lindsey, the first female fellow and first Polynesian explorer at the National Geographic Society, I knew that Maui would benefit from this experience.”
TEDxMaui will feature diverse and engaging presentations on topics such as environmental sustainability, technology, agriculture, social change, science and art. The program will also feature a variety of musical and artistic performances. A partial line up of presenters will be unveiled on October 3rd.
Tickets to TEDxMaui go on sale to the general public on Monday October 3rd. They will be available through the Maui Arts & Cultural Center’s box office and website www.mauiarts.org. Tuition for the daylong event is $99. Student and elder (over 65) tickets will be $75. An ID will be required for verification. In order to create an intimate setting for more interaction, conversations and connections, TEDxMaui will be limited to 600 participants and 100 spaces reserved for students and elders. Tickets will be available on a first come, first serve basis.
The TEDxMaui team consists of Co-Producer Sara Tekula of Noni Films, Program Director Karen Bouris of The Merwin Conservancy, and Peter Liu of Kaiscapes Social Media Consulting.
In addition, Paul Sutherland, President of FIM Group (located in Kahului) and Producer of TEDxTraverseCity, offered his support and experienced staff to the TEDxMaui team. The Utopia Foundation, of which Sutherland is Chairman, provided initial funding to support the event, allowing the team to secure the Maui Arts & Cultural Center as its venue.
Speaker nominations and applications are being accepted through the end of October. Both the application and nomination form are available at www.tedxmaui.com. . TEDxMaui encourages students, local business owners, entrepreneurs, and any and all open-minded individuals seeking education and inspiration to attend.
Tickets are available for purchase at the MACC’s Box Office or 808-242-SHOW (7469)
or online at http://www.mauiarts.org/events/tedxmaui/.
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About TEDx, x = 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.)