TEDxChange: Africa is Strong

Tough economic times have led many people to focus on the needs close to home. There’s one program, however, that's encouraging everyone to consider that we are all connected in a global community. TEDxChange was started in 2010. There are now over 193 TEDxChange events around the world. TEDxChange is a strategic partnership between the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the TEDx program, which brings the large-scale TED platform of “Ideas worth spreading” to local communities, encouraging them to share their big ideas at the local level. The momentum behind TED and TEDx programs has snowballed in the last few years in exciting ways.

This second ever TEDxChange event occurred on April 5, 2012 live from Berlin. It intended to “take a step back and look at the big picture.” Asking, “Why should we, as a society, continue to invest in global health and development? How can we work across borders and political boundaries to make positive change? And what returns can we expect on our investments?” Speakers including Melinda Gates and Baaba Maal led inspiring talks to a global audience. Local TEDxChange events combined these talks with local speakers in their communities.

We feel like our community here at Firelight has a few locations because we feel pretty grounded in our grantee-focused work in Africa and in our California office in Santa Cruz. So when TEDxSantaCruz asked Firelight Director Peter Laugharn to participate in TEDxChangeSantaCruz last Sunday we were excited to engage with with our community about some exciting ideas in global development.

What was Peter’s big idea?  Africa is strong.

Take a look at his TEDxSantaCruzChange talk and let us know your big ideas too!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5S2kVfAuTk