Imagination is not what you think. It’s how you think. Cognitive research reveals that images, metaphors and stories are the basis of our mental operating system: the origin of our intuitions and our irrationality. Counterintuitively, more accurate insights do not come from increasing information or reason, but educating our imagination.

Charles Faulkner is an independent researcher on language and its effects on communication, decision-making and change. He has worked in the Silicon Valley, ‘the City’ of London and 3M, HP, IBM, HSBC and Cargill. His decision-making work is featured in books including The New Market Wizards. His popular works include the audio programs: The New Technology of Achievement, Success Mastery, and Creating Irresistible Influence. His original work on metaphoric communication and change is documented in three programs. He has lectured in 15 countries including at the University of Chicago, Columbia College NYC, the Sorbonne, and London School of Economics.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

Watch this talk if you are interested in the well-being of young children. Children spend most of their waking hours in child care every day where they can play outdoors and learn from nature. Interacting with plants and insects outside is found to be fundamental for children’s health and well-being. In her talk, Cosco will explain the importance of being outdoors as it releases the power of experiential learning and etches lifelong memories of nature.

Nilda Cosco, PhD, is Research Associate Professor, College of Design, and Director of Programs at the Natural Learning Initiative, North Carolina State University. With a background on the psychology of the learning processes and the impact of the built environment on behavior, she shares her experience observing children’s adventures in nature and highlights the power of the outdoors to support child development.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

This talk was shown live at TEDxEuropeanSustainabilityAcademy, Crete online event, 17.10.2020
Theme: ‘Making sense of climate change on Crete: Taking Action’
Prof. Phoebe Koundouri talks about the Sustainability Transition in Greece in the context of sustainable recovery post the 2020 covid19 virus pandemic.
Whilst the world is focussed on the pandemic, Prof. Koundouri reminds us to pay attention to the ‘mother of all crisis’, the climate crisis.
She describes the urgent need to decarbonise national energy plans and presents technological pathways to enable decarbonisation.
With the aim of ‘leaving no one behind’, job space green recovery, sustainable and inclusive economies, she emphasizes the need for up-skilling and reskilling the labour force to keep up with the 4th industrial revolution towards sustainability.
Looking specifically at the role of ESG reporting and green finance lead innovation, she explains the importance of the EU taxonomy and the creation of clusters on sustainability transition.
www.aueb.gr/en/faculty_page/koundouri-phoebe
Professor Koundouri holds a PhD and MPhil in Economics and Econometrics from the University of Cambridge (UK). She is Chair of Sustainable Development at the School of Economics, Athens University of Economics (AUEB) and Business

Psychological and verbal abuse are the most common elements of domestic violence, yet they are the least talked about. A survivor of domestic violence, Lizzy Glazer, discusses her experiences. In her TEDx talk, she identifies five common signs of abuse, acknowledges the guilt and shame victims feel, and raises awareness of the invisible scars of psychological and verbal abuse.
Lizzy is a student at Phillips Academy in Andover, MA, USA. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

Dr. Golden shares how men can overcome the pain of emotional abuse.

Timothy J. Golden is Professor of Philosophy, Legal Studies Program Coordinator, and Director of the Donald Blake Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity, and Culture at Walla Walla University. His areas of specialization are 19th and 20th Century European Philosophy, African-American Philosophy/Critical Race Theory, and Philosophy of Religion/Philosophical Theology. He is the author of two books currently under contract and the editor of two other books, also under contract. He teaches courses at WWU in each of his areas of specialization. Dr. Goldens career in academic philosophy is his second career. He has also been a criminal defense lawyer in Philadelphia, Pa. His law degree is from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law, and his Ph.D. in philosophy is from the University of Memphis. He enjoys acting and cooking.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

Narcissists are on the rise, especially in the workforce. While the research is still out on why this is happening; Ann Barnes outlines the different kinds of narcissists, and provides a framework on how to work with them (or not!). Ann began her legal career acting as a lawyer and business advisor for numerous private and publicly held companies. She specialized in corporate securities and intellectual property law within the entertainment and consumer packaged goods industries.

Her parallel passion for health and wellness led her to quit law and found and operate a number of superfood companies. Ann is a well-respected public speaker and health advocate and has written two health based recipe books: “Be a Better Being” and “Eat Super, Be Super”.

Over 6 years ago, Ann’s passion for plant-based wellness and entrepreneurial opportunities resulted in her funding, co-founding and acting as Chairman for the first Canadian licensed Medical Cannabis Company: Peace Naturals Project. A year ago she sold the majority of her interest to the medical cannabis public company.

Her greatest accomplishment is being a Mom to her 2 teens, who keep her on her game at all times. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

Chiaras emotional talk covers the subject of domestic abuse. “I chose this topic because violence against women is still seen as a taboo and more specifically a ‘women’s issue’ when really, it is everyone’s problem. I would like to challenge you to dispel any stereotypes they may have about abuse. If I can help just one person free themselves of an abusive relationship with my words, then that would be one less person living in unjust suffering. In the words of Maya Angelou: ‘Each time a woman stands up for herself, she stands up for all women’.” Chiara Lisowski leaves us without words. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

Messaging around sexual assault prevention is largely aimed at women and cloaked in helpful advice: dont walk alone, dont get drunk, dont put yourself at risk. Essentially, dont get raped.

What if we turn this attention to a different population and say, dont rape? What are we doing wrong as a culture that we continue to produce rapists?

Through poignant storytelling, award-winning author and investigative producer Amy Herdy explores the cycle of sexual abuse and examines the dangers of dismissing our most violent predators as monsters.

For more than twenty years, journalist and author Amy Herdy has specialized in trauma reporting, particularly sexual assault.

Ms. Herdy’s professional engagements include teaching workshops on investigative reporting and trauma journalism for the U.S. State Department in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad, Pakistan. Her awards include an Emmy; Society of Professional Journalists awards; a Radio, Television News Directors Association award; an Associated Press award; two American Society of Newspaper Editors awards and a Military Reporters

John Sumonu is an embodiment of courage. Toyin Oyemade, by using his life experience, points out lessons on how we can find the courage to chase our dreams.

Toyin Oyemade is the creative, passionate, fearless and driven founder of StoryTeller Media. She is a content developer, producer and filmmaker. Her 2nd film “UNBROKEN; The John Sumonu Story”, produced in 2104 was nominated for best documentary at the ‘Abuja International Film Festival’, 2014.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

Nearly everybody can communicate, and most do so through some form of language, and yet the question of where language came from is one of the most difficult questions in science. Psychologist and author, Michael Corballis explores the many theories of languages origins, including his own, and details how language and communication have continued to evolve, from primates use of gestures, to the advent of communicative technologies. Michael Corballis, emeritus professor at the Department of Psychology at The University of Auckland is one of the foremost global experts on the evolution of human language.

The son of a sheep farmer from Marton, Michael’s long and decorated academic career has seen his studies of the brain and what it is to be human earn him New Zealand’s top science prize, The Rutherford Medal.

He has worked with patients who have had two-sides of their brains disconnected to relieve epilepsy which led him to look deeper into studying the two brain hemispheres. His most recent book The Truth About Language explores the idea that language evolved from manual gestures. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx