MALCOLM RADKE
Opinions Writer

On the afternoon of Nov. 13, I had the opportunity to volunteer at TEDx Saskatoon. TEDx is a global conference series that aims to share “ideas worth spreading” on an increasingly wide range of topics within the research and practice of science, culture and entertainment. It is fitting that the event was held at the University of Saskatchewan, “Where great minds meet.”

Partnered with one other volunteer, I was in charge of keeping the social media accounts updated throughout the day. While we originally thought that this might be one of the easier jobs, my partner and I worked harder than at any other job either of us have ever held.

To me, TEDx is so much more than simply listening to prominent public figures; it is about bringing together a community of forward-thinking, collaborative minds to discuss how we can better ourselves as a whole.

At the root of all TEDx events is a universal, contagious theme: good ideas. TEDx provides a platform for individuals to communicate these revolutionary yet simple ideas, and perhaps more importantly, to receive the message in the right mindset.

A quick Twitter search of #tedxsaskatoon will familiarize one with how extremely enjoyable the event was for all involved. What works for TEDx is that shared sense of inspiration that everyone in attendance can feel. The event is geared toward collaboration and progressive thinking without any barriers.

The post-event reception provided many examples of this. In particular I remember Gregg Cochlan, the last speaker of the day, talking to a young child about his speech and ideas. She chatted back with him about her own ideas. That scene, in my mind, is worth all the money in the world.

Better yet, Cochlan’s actions were the norm; at any point throughout the day, the majority of the speakers could be found chatting with attendees and were always very approachable. If a stranger had walked in to the post-event reception, he or she would have had a hard time distinguishing attendees, volunteers and speakers apart from each other.

Each person’s presence was an indication that they were both open-minded and optimistic about the future of science, technology and culture — key ingredients to collaborative success.

The concept behind TEDx is something that needs expanding upon. TEDx seeks to gather the most motivated, creative and progressive minds — from fields ranging from cognitive psychology to politics to visual art — and let them empower each other. The result is an overwhelmingly strong sense of community as well as a feel-good sense of the limitlessness of human potential. If we are to succeed as a collective, it is this mind set — that we are part of a greater whole — that will need to be instilled in every member of our society.

To single out any one presentation as “best” would be unfair and would miss the point of TEDx; every presentation was simply phenomenal and timeless. It wasn’t at all uncommon for attendees to tear up or get goosebumps — such was the power of the messages shared. The environment, too, was ideal, and it is no wonder why everyone in attendance left feeling so full of new found hope. The variety and balance of speakers was perfect, as was the balance between universally applicable and regionally-specific themes. On the one hand, listeners could take away a feeling of new found passion and commitment to the global community, while on the other, they could learn about the province of Saskatchewan and its infinite potential.

To my delight, the organizing committee has said that there will indeed be more TEDx Saskatoon events in the future — perhaps even on an annual basis. Now that the organizing team has proven it’s remarkable ability at hosting TEDx, I would not be surprised to see attendance numbers reach hundreds, even thousands, at future events. I know I will be the first to sign up.