TEDx Talks and the Power of Connection
A few weeks ago I was fortunate enough to attend TEDxToronto at Koerner Hall in downtown Toronto. I’d been looking forward to the event as much for the opportunity to see Koerner hall as for the TEDx talks I was about to see.
Since opening in September 2009, the Hall has been celebrated as “a triumph of architecture and engineering” and lauded for “the seamless integration of superb acoustics, warmth of atmosphere, and beauty.” What better venue to experience the spoken word of a full day of informative and inspiring TEDx talks.
Our morning began with coffee and a round of networking on the three levels of glass walled lobbies that look out over Philosopher’s Walk at the University of Toronto. Everyone in the hall was enthusiastic and eager to meet new people. I got to speak with some fascinating people and traded business cards and contact info with a number of interesting people who I’d love to work with at some time in the future.
As the doors opened we filed into a concert hall that can only be described as spectacular. Large yet intimate, wood undulating across the ceiling like flowing garments caught in a gentle breeze, every seat offering a perfect view of the stage, the room was truly amazing.
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The line-up of the TEDx talks for the day covered a wide array of topics. The first speaker was Ti-Anna Wang speaking about her father’s incarceration in China for his political activism. Her story was a compelling one and her speech set the tone for what was to follow.
Each and every speaker at those TEDx talks had a story to tell that we could all identify with and learn something from. The speeches ranged from compelling stories of individuals who have overcome daunting odds to a simple speech about the joys of preserving food.
Throughout all the speeches the bottom line was the connectedness between speaker and audience. We recognized a little bit of ourselves in the words they spoke, and the stories they told and the lives they lived. And, that’s what makes TEDx talks so successful. Each and every speaker, in some small way, represents us. We might not see ourselves in the same way another audience member sees themselves, or at the same part of a speech as another audience member but we all sense and feel the speaker’s humanity.
And, that’s what makes TEDx talks such a joy and an honour to attend. I’m already looking forward to next year’s TEDx talks.
Cheers, Patrick