Theme: By the sea and beyond

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, TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection. 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.

The theme or tagline of our event is “By the sea and beyond” which represent the speakers and their power in each field as creators, innovators and change makers. Leaders in society but also those who are in the shadows still take some of the most important decisions, deal with difficulties and show the right way to others. Leaders who do not accept barriers think beyond the horizon.

Dramatic Theatre Stoyan Bachvarov
1 "Nezavisimost" square
Varna, Varna, 9000
Bulgaria

Alexander Krastev

Editor

Everything begins with Andersen's books - first with Maraia's illustrations, then with Lyuben Zidarov's. Book after book Alexander Krastev walks the path from an avid little reader to the creator of the biggest online book and read media in Bulgaria "I Read". More than 12 years after the site was created and a decade later in the field of communication, Alexander was already able to find the business model thanks to which "I read" and the accompanying agency become not just a hobby but a favorite occupation of the team.

Borislav Ekzarhov

Pastry Chef

One of the most renowned members of the confectioner’s guild. Part of his impressive portfolio is galactic ice cream with liquid nitrogen and futuristic cake with 3D visualisations. These were all part of his partnership with one of the most popular pastry shops in Bulgaria. Part of European association of culinary specialists, the only official consult for decision making in the European Commission and European Parliament.He was a quality advisor for famous restaurants, food and hotel chains, as well as designer of the desserts for the top three airlines. He is also the co- founder of the Pastry Academy

Daniel Montiglio

Social entrepreneur

Daniel Montiglio is a Chilean citizen; his studies are in the field of public management and political sciences back in Santiago de Chile. But at some point, his life had a twist, and he decides to cross the ocean and move to Bulgaria following his heart. He has been living in Varna for the last 14 years, and he will share with us his experiences and adventures in Bulgaria. His passion is the social entrepreneurship, and his goal is to help other foreigners to integrate into the Bulgarian society.

Dimitrina Dokimova

Teacher

Dimitrina Dokimova is a Geography and Economics teacher. She’s actively working in forming the digital and entrepreneurial abilities of her students. She has started and is managing the entrepreneurship club in the Math’s High School. She’s taken part in many qualification courses – in the UK in Intel Teach program for project-based learning, evaluation and work with platforms for educational practices exchang. In 2016 she is the facilitator of the program “Technological specialists” there. Her interests lie in the modern tendencies in education in Bulgaria. She’s currently working for new innovative pedagogic practices, in the Innovative School project for her school, for improving of students’ emotional and social intelligence, for introducing Cloud technologies in education, and using the “mixed learning” methods. She’s the bearer of the “Best young teacher” award of Varna Municipality.

Konstantin Gerganov

Doctor

Dr Gerganov is orthopedic traumatologist with more than 20 years of practice and a Master in Health Management. He is a colonel of army reserve and long-standing vice-director of Military Hospital in Varna. He is currently working in his field in the Orthopedic and Traumatology Clinic there. He’s taken part in several military missions of Bulgarian army parties abroad: in 2004 – KFOR Kosovo, in 2005 – EUFOR Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina, in 2007 and 2009 – ISAF Afghanistan as a commander of surgical teams (and traumatologist) in a Spanish military hospital at “Arena” base in Herat. He is an author and co-author in many scientific publications and conferences. Besides medicine, he is also a 3rd dan in Kyokushinkai karate and a member of the Administrative board of the Bulgarian Kyokushin association.

Lyudmil Stanev

Doctor, Writer

Dr. Lyudmil Stanev is a Bulgarian writer and medical doctor in education. Familiar with favorite books: "There is no such book," "Unpleasant Tartar," "Unfearable," "Little Night Tale", "Less", "My Friends", "There is no such book and other stories," "Sharp. With more than 500 text editorials, screenwriter and screenwriter of How To Get The Americans, Marmalade and TV Series Street, Thoughtful Thoughts, Third Floor Clinic, Little Night Story. Member of the Board of Directors and editorial board of Paga Magazine. For 13 years he has been constantly authoring for literature in Varna Radio - "Morska Gara", which has an Eighth Muse award for the best radio broadcasting for literature. Ludmil Stanev is the owner of "Chudomir", "Hristo G. Danov" and others.

Marin Zhelezov

Doctor

Marin Zhelezov is a neuroscientist, currently researching how the immune system affects brain development, thereby potentially shaping our personality before we are born. He seeks to understand both the psychological and biological roots of human prosocial behavior.

Martina Vachkova

Actress

Martina Vachkova is the favourite actress of many from the TV series. Her acting career started when she was just 9-year-old. She’s taken part in more than ten films, some of which are of great significance to Bulgarian film industry. Theatrical stage is just the place for her and she played many popular characters in plays varying from Shakespeare to Carlo Goldoni. Martina has graduated from the Institute of Theatrical and Film Arts “Krastyо Sarafov” and has worked with the best Bulgarian producers in film, theatre and television industry. In 1991 one of the most popular TV productions in Bulgaria started and she played almost all of the distinctive female characters. Today, “Women, with Marta Vachkova” is, for five seasons, one of the most successful TV productions for women and also one of the most watched on Bulgarian National Television channel. In it, she engages in the position of Bulgarian women, discusses current problems, and narrates the most interesting human stories.

Mihail Zaimov

Diver, photographer

Mihail Zaimov is part of the dying breed of the polymath with numerous hobbies. He is known for his underwater photography exhibitions as well as being an eager advocate and protector of the wildlife diversity in the Black Sea. He is also a journalist and host of BNT’s TV show for culture – Kultura.BG. He is the author of “World of Tranquility” and writer in many periodicals.

Radoslava Nenova

Ultramarathon

Radoslava Nenova is in love with the mountains, winter and ultramarathons. She has 25 medals from Bulgaria and worldwide. She graduated Art College with a degree in “Audio-visual Arts”. Later, she used her skills in producing the film about the Bulgarian mountaineer Boyan Petrov. She’s lucky enough to be able to manage her work hours according to her need for sports and travel. She is more of an adventurer, rather than just an idler. Radoslava travelled around many wild places around the world and had great number of hardships. Her greatest talent is the ability to stay calm when in a stressful situation.

Simon Anholt

Policy advisor

Simon Anholt is co-founder (with Madeline Hung) of the Good Country, a new country whose national interest is the international interest. Its citizens come from almost every country on earth. Anholt also publishes the Good Country Index, a survey that ranks countries on their contribution to humanity and the planet, and in 2016 launched the Global Vote, which enables anybody in the world to vote in the elections of other countries: so far, more than a half a million people from 130 countries have participated in the Global Vote on the elections and referendums of eighteen different nations. Simon Anholt is the author of five books about countries, cultures and globalisation. He is the founder and Editor Emeritus of a leading academic journal focused on public diplomacy and perceptions of places, and publishes a major global study measuring the international standing of fifty countries and fifty cities.

Stratimir Georgiev

Adventurer

Stratimir Georgiev is one of the most popular adventurers in Bulgarian social media. He was born in Varna, but grew up in Canada, where he had a career in finance and banking until he decided office life is not for him. Now he chooses life full of adrenaline with adventures ranging from the undersea to the edges of skyscrapers in Dubai and Peruvian rock formations. Taking risks is inseparable part of his way of living, as well as the methods of reducing and overcoming them. He will tell us more about this in his talk.