- Theme of the Event: "Igniting Creativity".

- Marketing campaigns prior to the event, among many of them: Huge TEDxTaiz Billboard at Cairo Castle in Taiz - Yemen. https://www.flickr.com/photos/111576553@N05/14363265603/

- Event Preparations: As this was the first TEDx event in Taiz - Yemen, the event preparation was fully inspired from the preparation of TED Global (Vancouver) & TEDActive (Whistler) in March 2014, where there was a chance for TEDxTaiz organizer to see a live example of:

- how the stage was set (therefore we had special lights & stage design with screens inspired from TED),
- how the audience was seated in a leveled format (therefore we built a stairs format in the hall for audience),
- how the program had variety of shows besides the speaker's well preparation to give the great talks (therefore speakers curation was the essential part our team worked on with them by training them & ensuring that their message they wanted to deliver was simple, different, & interesting for the audience, & related to the event theme: igniting creativity),
- how you can we put a context for the audience to let them interact during the breaks of the sessions (therefore we had an arts exhibition for several talents, cultural live performances, speakers exhibition where each speaker had a stand and stood next to his/her stand to answer audience's questions & take pictures with them, we tried to promote our speakers as stars).

Many of the people who attended sent feedback that the event has exceeded the expectations, the hall design & atmosphere from lights and stage design was first to be seen in Taiz, the diversity of speakers from age and background and topics, the entertaining musical and live shows, & the special videos made for the event.

AlSaeed Hotel Taiz - MGallery
Taiz
Yemen

Eqbal Dauqan

Dr. Eqbal Mohammed Dauqan is recognized as one of the best five scientists in the chemistry sciences in the Developing World 2014 and holds PhD in the Biochemistry at the National University of Malaysia (UKM) in 2012 – Malaysia. Her thesis which was ranked with high distinction, was covering the effect of different concentrations of vegetable oils on blood lipid profile and antioxidant enzymes in normal and stress rate, and therefore was granted by the National University of Malaysia an opportunity to take the Post-doctoral (one-year) concentrating in food science from the Department of Chemical Sciences and food Technology at the National University of Malaysia. Dr Eqbal currently occupies the Head of the Medical Laboratory Sciences Department at the Al-Saeed University, Taiz - Yemen. She is also the President of the Women's Association for Science and Technology, Taiz Branch. Dr Eqbal is a member of the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World - Italy and a number of other international organizations. Her main research interest is the biochemistry and nutritional science. She has published more than 25 papers in scientific journals as well as the participation of more than 20 international conferences in different countries and in 2013, in addition to publishing a book about the fruits mentioned in the Quran and its benefits on health

Mohammed Al-Shameri

Mohammed Ali Al-Shameri is a pharmacist, working as a personal assistant for the general manager of Public Health Affairs - Al-Hodiedah office as well as a supervisor of several pharmaceutical companies in Al-Hodidah City. He decided to continue his higher education and is currently pursuing a master degree in Health Care Management. Al-Shameri is also a civil activist including being active member in many civil forums and organizations such as "Al-Mona Forum for Art and Culture", "Knowledge Elites Initiative", "Youth Treasure Initiative", "Smile Makers Team" and a founding member of -under progress -Free Democratic Council. In addition, he is a well-known poet with remarkable literary works. Nowadays, he is working on publishing a collection of poems entitled "Steps’ Memory

Ola Al-Agbari

Ola Al-Agbari was born and grew up in Haifan village, in Taiz. She then moved to the city to continue her studies, currently majoring in Law in her Second Year, Law faculty at Taiz University. She has been chosen as one of the leading women in Yemen by the Democratic Institute. She participated in many programs including training sessions in the Law Field and political empowerment. Ola is passionate about voluntary work and the community activities and has founded a youth, independent and voluntary initiative named "Together Towards Better Universities” as a thought to be the first step in the development process improving the education in her university. Ola believes that a change and development will not take a place in Yemen unless we have an educational rising in addition to society change which starts from an individual level first.

Ayoub Al-Hamadi

Ayoub K. Al-Hamadi was born in Taiz and had his primary education to high school in Sanaa until he got the chance to be one of the sponsored to continue his studies in Germany in 1989. Starting by majoring in Electrical Engineering as Bachelor’s degree, he then continued his Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering & Information Technology in 1997 and his PhD. in Technical Computer Science at the Otto-von-Guericke-University of Magdeburg, Germany in 2001. Dr Ayoub started his career path as a researcher until he became Junior-Research-Group-Leader at the Institute for Electronics, Signal Processing and Communications at the Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg since 2003. He then continued for 8 years his career in research in different fields of information technology and Human-Computer- Interaction. In 2008, he became a Professor of Neuro-Information Technology at the Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg. In May 2010 Prof. Al-Hamadi received the Habilitation (second, third, and forth doctorate) in the area Artificial Intelligence and the Venia Legendi in the scientific field of "Pattern Recognition and Image Processing" from Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Germany. Currently Dr Ayoub is in his fifth doctorate in natural sciences. Prof. Dr Al-Hamadi is an author of more than 250 articles in peer-reviewed international journals, conferences and books

Mona Al-Areeqi

Mona Abdulwahed Al-Areeqi has an honor’s Bachelor’s degree in English literature, from Faculty of Arts – Taiz University, 2009. She is a poet and a writer and has composed her dramatic narration "Me to You" in 2008, considered to be the first of its kind in Yemen. Mona wrote two English books which are used in the Taiz university teaching materials. For two consecutive years, Mona got the first place position in the cultural competition between the sections of the Faculty of Arts – Taiz University. After graduation, she worked as an academic teacher at Faculty of Arts, English Department for two years. Her passion for the humanitarian assistance inspired her to join humanitarian international NGOs where she out-stood in the management of emergency projects, skills-building of the team members, social relations with targeted communities and other field’s studies for new projects development

Amr Al-Hakimi

Amr Yasin Al-Hakimi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Sana'a University and works at the Social Welfare Fund. Amr is an activist in Civil Society Organizations since 10 years ago specifically in the area of developing civilizations and cultural building. He is a member of several community organizations, like the initiative of Thought and Life Makers Foundation – Yemen. He is also a trainer and lecturer in Management Science and Issues of Thought and Renaissance. Since his early age, Amr’s is passionate about thinking of how to build communities, establishing renaissance, making civilizations, and focusing on the change and the thought that builds societies. He aspires to create many organizations that reflect this thought of civilization and offers a new management models with ethic values. Amr also aims to connect the thought of renaissance in simpler and more practical ways reaching to as many segments of people. By that, Amr’s ultimate ambition is to see the renaissance of Yemen industry contemporary civilization.

Amat Al Alim Alsoswa

Amat Al Alim Alsoswa was born and raised in Taiz and finished her high school there. She started her career early when she was 10 years old as Radio Broadcaster culminating with the position of Deputy Director of Programs at Sana’a TV. Alsoswa has founded the Women National Committee and contributed in founding the United Yemeni Women after unification. She holds a B.A. in Mass Communications from Cairo University and an M.A. in International Communications from the American University in Washington. Alsoswa was appointed as the by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan as Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator of the United Nations Development Program and Director of its Regional Bureau for Arab States, where she served from 2006-2012. In this post, Alsoswa led UNDP’s 18 program offices in the Arab region in their efforts to develop national capacities for poverty reduction, democratic governance, sustainable development, crisis prevention and recovery, and women’s empowerment. In her Professional career she was appointed to many high ranked positions, such as the first Yemeni Minister of Human Rights, Secretary of Minister of Information, in addition to the Yemen Ambassador in Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden, and was a member in the Yemeni National Dialogue Conference. She received many national and international awards from the USA and France. Alsoswa is presently the Executive Manager of the Executive Bureau.

Modad Al-Shaibani

Modad Al-Shaibani, born and raised in Yemen he received his Bachelor’s degree from Hadthramout University in Chemical Engineering. He participated in the first scientific conference in Hadramout and won the third place with his project (biodiesel from algae) to benefit the environment. Progressing in his career path, Modad is currently working at the Yemeni Company for Industry and Commerce in the field of research and development and since he joined, he has presented an innovative idea for recycling cream and extracting the oils to be used in other productions. He focuses mainly in his research on alternative energy to preserve the environment.

Adawa Al-Mohammadi

Adawa Al-Mohammadi is a Psychiatrist born and raised in Taiz, and obtained a Bachelor of Medicine and General Surgery from University of Taiz in 2011. Since her graduation, she has worked in the field of psychiatry. She was recently involved in the preparation and setting-up the First Epilepsy Congress in Taiz. Adawa has taught at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Taiz, between 2012 and 2013. She currently resides in Sanaa, where she is doing a Board in Psychiatry. On top of her career, Adawa is an active member of a number of professional and cultural societies, such as the Yemeni Epilepsy Society and Al-Raseef Foundation. Besides her professional passion for psychiatry, Adawa has a wide range of personal interests: reading, traveling and photography

Shaker Lashuel

Dr. Shaker A. Al-Ashwal was born in Taiz. His early education took place in Moath, Alsudeeq, and Alfarooq schools respectively. At the age of 16, he traveled to the U.S. to finish his high school and college studies. Dr. Shaker graduated with a bachelor degree in Geology, a Master in Secondary Science Education and a Doctorate in Educational Technology. He began his career at Queen's College as an adjunct instructor and as a research assistant at the American Museum of Natural History. Dr. Shaker shifted to education where he worked for the New York City public school system. As an educator, Dr. Shaker held different teaching and administrative positions in the schools before becoming a district administrator supporting schools’ leaders and teachers. He is now in Saudi Arabia working as the Manager of Educational and Scientific Support at AlMuallem Center for Knowledge and Education. In addition to his academic and professional career, Dr. Alashwal was one of the first Yemeni webmasters who created and added original content on the web to represent Yemen (yemennet.com) in the mid-nineties. As a social activist for change, he has spent the last 25 years working to raise awareness among the Yemeni-American community through writing and civic engagement. He has written tens of articles on education, social issues and community empowerment. He was also a cofounder of several organizations established to promote education and uplift the Yemeni American community including the American Association of Yemeni Scientists and Professionals. Today, he continues to serve his communities as an advocate for a better education for our kids

Maha AlFurais

Maha A. AlFurais, a mother of five children and was born in Taiz, passionate about charitable voluntary activities directly related to the society. Maha is one of the housewives who has proven her importance role in the society by taking responsibilities through continuous contribution on her project that she founded “Your hand with my hand”, a project aimed for building and renovating houses for poor and needy families especially those families headed by women. Maha wants to put a clear imprint for the women who did not have the opportunity to study their university degrees, and illustrate the extent of their abilities to leave a mark milestone in their communities. Her motto in life: (Nothing is Impossible)

Mohammed Qaid

With 14 years of diverse experience in quality, HR and social development, Mohammed Qaid is now working for Optimize Consulting Services as an Institutional Capacity Development Advisor. Equipped with recognized certifications from the UK in quality management and social responsibility, along with the academic background in development and business administration, Mohammed is inspired to drive a sustainable positive impact on individuals and organizations alike and to maximize their contribution to the well-being of society. He is also known for his active support to education and to initiatives aiming at the empowerment and civic engagement of youth; the change agents in the society. Mohammed’s frequent travels, internal and external, opened his eyes to the unique characteristics of the country and energized his pursuit for a better life the Yemeni people deserve to live.

Ahmed AlMulaiki

Ahmed Mohsen AlMulaiki, a father of four sons, was born in AlOudayn at Ibb city. He works in one of the private universities as a service employee in Taiz and has managed through his work and his individual efforts to reach to a particular chemical combination used in the field of his work. AlMulaiki has participated in the Second Yemeni Exhibition of Inventions held in Sanaa, 2013. He has hope in registering his invented combination as a patent, and create a manufacturing plant for the product he developed to confirm that (will & persistence) is the most prominent title of his life path.

Mervat AlHumaidh

Mervat AlHumaidh was born in Sana'a, and completed her undergraduate studies where she received a diploma in dental technician. During a short period of time, she was able to start her own project in the field of fashion design, and she is keen to cooperate with micro projects run by orphans and widows in an aim to help them get decent lives. Mervat currently is a member in many Civil Society Organizations including the Yemeni Organization for Business Development and in the advisory committee of the Yemeni Business Club. She has participated in many festivals and charity events, and has many community activities concerned with the development of creative thinking among girls from an early age

Mohammed Al-Duais

Dr. Mohammed A. M. Al-Duais was born in Baddan, Ibb, and he did all his school education in his village, he obtained his BSc. In Applied Biology from Jordan University of Science and Technology in 1996. He got his MSc. In Biology from Al al-Bayt University, Jordan in 2003; and he got his Ph.D. in biology from Freidreic Schiler University; Germany in 2009. He works at Ibb university in Yemen as assistant professor of phytochemistry since 2009. Dr. Al-Duais is currently holding the Executive director of the Foundation of Endangered Wildlife (Formerly, Foundation for the Protection of the Arabian Leopard in Yemen). Dr. Al-Duais was a Fulbright Post-doctoral researcher in the phytochemistry laboratory, University of Rhode Island; USA for one year 2011/2012, in which he works to standardized natural products from the Yemeni ethnobotany, he was also postdoctoral researcher in the institute of Ecology, Freidreic Schiler University; Germany, for the summer 2013; in which he continued developing himself in another line of research; plant ecology. Dr. Al-Duais attended more than 30 international conference and workshop during his study and career; he was honoured in some of them, he obtained the shield of the fifth session of the international conference Geotunis 2010. During his work with the foundation for endangered wildlife he play a role in the recruitment, the expansion of the foundation activity and building the credential of FEW at the national and international level, at the same time he also managed different conservation projects and field teams in different places in Yemen, the most current and big two projects are in the south west highlands (Ibb-Taiz area). Some of his activities as academic, researcher in Yemen ethnobotany and the conservation of nature end with several publications, in high rank journals and book chapters. Dr Al-Duais is affiliated with many organisation including; the Critical Environmental Partnership Found, USA, Birdlife International, UK, the State Alumni; USA, the Fulbright organization ;USA, the Foundation of Endangered Wildlife; Yemen, Friends of Socotra, the International Carotenoid Society; USA , the German Academic Exchange Service; Germany and the Royal Society for Conservation of Nature; Jordan.

Ali AlMarrany

TEDxTaiz Host: After Ali AlMarrany’s last talk at TEDxSanaa 2012, his talk reached to the sixth place among more than thirty-five thousand talks in TEDx conferences around the world. This influence goes back to his inspiring story, in addition to AlMarrany’s experience in media and theater performance which lasted for more than 8 years starting as an editor journalist at Almadina newspaper down to his work as a producer and presenter for a number of radio programs in MBC Group as well as the preparation and presentation of television programs within AlMajd network satellite