Theme: Ideas of our changing world

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

Colombo
Colombo, 00030
Sri Lanka

Thiyagi Piyadasa

Research Assistant for Gender violence (ICES) Having majored in International Relations (BA) at the University of Colombo, Thiagi’s focus and interest lies primarily in human rights specifically women and youth, gender, conflict, development and politics. She is currently reading for a LLB at the Open University, Sri Lanka. She is also part of ‘The Young Researchers’ Collective (the YRC)’ which is essentially a collective of young people working to bridge the gap between activism, advocacy and research.

Balachandran Gnanasekaraiyar

IT Professional and Lecturer “Just call me Bala” is what he usually says the first time you meet him, and for a man who has travelled a lot, he would always say, “Sri Lanka can be a paradise on earth, but most of us don’t realize that.” Bala is currently serving as a Lecturer at the School of Computing, of Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology (APIIT), Sri Lanka. He has completed a research MSc degree in Computer Science from University of Moratuwa, and has earned his BIT Honors degree from Charles Sturt University, Australia. Apart from degrees, he has obtained the professional qualifications of CCNA (Cisco Certified Networking Associate), CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) and SCJP (Sun Certified Java Programmer).

Fadhil Bakeer Markar

National Coordinator IYV+10 Fadhil has proven to us time and time again that his voice was here to be heard having participated in conferences such as the GYLC, Presidential Classroom and the Model United Nations. He is a graduate from the prestigious London School of Economics & Political Sciences [LSE] having completed both his bachelors in International Relations and masters in Social Policy and Development. His drive for harmony between cultures resonated from his work in the Inter-Faith Society at Asian International and also held the position of President of the LSESU International Society, one of the largest cultural societies at LSE. He was an active volunteer from his school days where he has spent most of his weekends volunteering at the Cancer Hospice and teaching at a Sunday School. Post Tsunami, He was the Chairman of the ‘Sri Lanka in Crisis’ Peace Initiative’s [youth movement] Tsunami Relief Committee. Currently he is a National United Nations Volunteer based in Colombo, carrying out duties as the National Coordinator for the International Year of Volunteers +10 [IYV+10].

Rommel Arumugum

Rommel Arumugam is currently one of the Art directors at Grant McCann Erikson working on designs for companies such as Etisalat and Neutrogena. Rommel has always shown immense talent from his doodles on his tablet to the drawings on his sketch pad. His legacy started when he became the first person in Sri Lanka to create a Manga comic named Wings over the Bridge - back in 2007. His work has continuously grown all the more ambitious as time went on. Further like every great individual his talents don't lie just in designing but also in the stream of music. He has been a major part of bands such as Spitty Angel Fire and String theory where he even wrote the songs, played guitar as well as be lead vocalist.

Vositha Wijenayake

Vositha Wijenayake works as the Executive Coordinator for Sri Lankan Youth Climate Action Network (SLYCAN) a youth lead, volunteer organisation which is working on combating climate change. She is also a legal researcher and a lecturer in French and law. Having taught in university of Kelaniya and Jayawardenepura in Sri Lanka she is currently focusing on human rights and climate justice as her research projects. Her first steps into the “climate world” was initiated by the presentation made to the International Law Students Association annual conference in 2009 where she spoke of “Convention on Biodiversity and the Exploitation of Third World Resources” which lead her to step into the South Asian youth movement on climate activism. She was a participant representing Sri Lanka at the first South Asian Youth Summit on Climate Change (SAYSoCC) held in Nepal in 2009 and has played a key role in sustaining the development of the South Asian regional collaboration in the year to come as a core team member of the South Asian Youth Climate Movement. She has also participated on the First Nigerian tweet forum on climate change as a presenter.

Andi Schubert

Andi Schubert is a researcher and activist. He the co-founder and coordinator of the Young Researchers’ Collective, a group of young people working to address the disconnect between research, advocacy and activism. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Kelaniya. While in University he co-founded a movement called the Kadu Panthi movement to support students who wanted to learn English and then went on to teach English as a visiting lecturer while still a student. His areas of work and academic interest are identity, youth and memories and experiences of war.