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).

Lagoa das Patas
Fajã Grande
Lajes das Flores, Ilha das Flores, Região Autónoma dos Açores, 9960-030
Portugal

Antonio Almeida

Independentist

Azorean. College education in the USA, in sciences (Master´s in Science, Cellular Biology). In the USA worked in a renowned research institution (Cold Spring Harbor). Back in the Azores in 1996, worked in the food industry (COFACO, Melo Abreu, Empresa Conserveira Santa Catarina), in the areas of Quality Control and Production Management. In Empresa Conserveira Santa Catarina, where he was a CEO, was part of the team who started one of the first production, in the Azores, of an added value goumet food product, on the front line of the new philosofy of top positionment of azorean products and services. Has always been an active and concerned citizen, both when a student in the USA and in the Azores, where he has been president of the Azorean Academy of the Arts and where he is, for a long time, a militant in the defense of auto determination of the Azorean people.

Casey Hartnett

Economist

Casey's life passion is to create a better world for the benefit of all.

Cory SantoCristo

Designer

Cory is a first generation Azorean-American living on the Island of Flores. After living his whole life in the United States and spending summers in his ancestral home-land, Cory and his husband decided to fulfill the dream of moving overseas. Cory is a strong believer of not only the unique natural beauty of the Island, but also in the preservation of its cultural identity. Cory strives to preserve and promote it for future generations. Cory has a Bachelors degree in Design and Architecture and a deep love for everything Florentino.

Diego Villasmil

Filmmaker

Diego was born in 1987 in Caracas, Venezuela. Diego's passion for film started at an early age and studied filmmaking at the Barcelona Film School (ECIB 2007-2010). As a producer and audio-visual designer, Diego co-founded Cuer2 films, a passionate film company whose goal is to create the highest standard of film regardless of the challenges. Diego's greatest inspiration is to travel the world with the excuse of telling a story,but the best story out of all.

Donaldo Barros

Artist, FIFA agent

Donaldo Barros is a multifaceted artist and visual communicator. His continued contact with the streets, society and social reality that surround him have informed works that include: "Historias de un Vecino" [Stories of a Neighbor] (2014), "Realidad Social" [Social Reality], "Bailando sobre Caracas" [Dancing over Caracas] (2015), and "Descubriendo" [Discovering] (2016-to date). This process of forming a subjective relationship with space, Donaldo's social commitment and his spontaneous integration with the habitual have led him to develop his own perspective on the behavior of light and to create the unique, characteristic universe reflected in his most abstract projects: "Estudio de la luz y estructuras urbanas" [A Study of Urban Light and Structures] (2015-to date) and "Retos de luz" [Challenges of Light] (2016-to date). Both of these form part of the "Streetnetic" concept he is currently working on with the aim of creating his own movement and style.

Joao Alves

Gardener

Joao Alves is originally from Portugal but has lives in Flores Island, Azores, for over 40 years, and as his career started in the world of construction, Joao then decided his life passion was agriculture and the beautification of landscapes, where he gets most of his inspiration to find happiness in his daily life.

Justin Vero

Entrepeneur

In 2009 Justin felt furthering his doctorate studies was going against what he felt was a call to to East Africa to volunteer in a small medical clinic. During a second trip in 2011 a chance encounter led him to Kibera, Africa's largest slum. There he was greeted by a large group of shoeless children, mostly orphans, learning in a shack precariously near Kibera's largest waste dump and just meters from the hazard of the Uganda Railway. Inspired by the local volunteer teachers' dedication to serving their youth, the children's joy and thirst for learning, it seemed that need and fate linked his own heart of service and love of learning to be applied, now. Global One Foundation was founded in 2012, and has been working to apply holistic thinking to maximize the cultivation of timeless truth, well-being, effectiveness, and beauty.

Shelly St John

International Fundraising Auctioneer

For more than 2 decades Shelly St John owned a marketing and public relations firm. Today she serves as a speaker, trainer and national fundraising auctioneer. In 11 years, she’s conducted more than 600 auctions and raised an estimated $47.5 million dollars for nonprofits, educational institutions and religious organizations. Shelly continues to spread her message of generosity, inclusion and philanthropy across the globe.

Umika Mediratta

Traditional Artist

Born in Raipur, Chhattisgarh and schooled in Mayo College Girls’ School, Ajmer. Umika received her Bachelor of Fine Art (B.F.A) in Painting from Kala Bhavana, Santiniketan, West Bengal, India. Umika extended her studies in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh and Thimphu, Bhutan, while mastering the skill of Buddhist art form of Thangka Painting. Also participated in workshops at Contemporary Art Studio "VAST" in Bhutan. Umika's current focus is on redefining Thangka painting with Contemporary Art to bring traditional art to a modern time setting. Traditional art forms have a lot to offer in terms of history and carry with itself a narration as to what is engaging within the painting. Umika has used motifs that metaphorically describe true essence is achieved with ones connection to nature.