Theme: Living on the Edge

Now more than ever, societies are living on the edge. What lies beyond the edge is both exciting and
daunting. Breakthrough innovation and technology, economic, societal and political new
world structures, opportunity, possibility. If we can avoid the pitfalls, we are on the threshold
of exhilarating change. On November 19 th at TEDxLimassol, together we will embark on
what lies beyond the edge.

LIVING ON THE EDGE meets three of the most essential TEDTalk objectives:

✓ To democratize knowledge and science

✓ To stimulate and arouse audiences around the world

✓ To spark deep discussion and connections

Parklane, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Limassol
Giannou Kranidioti 11, Street 4534
Limassol, Lemesos, 4534
Cyprus

ANGEL DANCE STUDIO

ANGELS DANCE STUDIO by Angela Georgiou was established in 2015 and has grown to be one of the largest dance schools in Cyprus.

CAMERON WILSON

Cameron Wilson (they / them) is a British visual artist with over a decade of experience in the fashion industry. In 2017, seeking inspiration in a new medium, Cameron began experimenting with 3D imagery and created Shudu – the World’s First Digital Supermodel. They have since founded The Diigitals, an all-digital modeling agency that helps brands navigate developing platforms (like the metaverse), create their own virtual characters, and monetize digital fashion assets. As an industry leader, Cameron champions diversity in both the fashion and digital worlds and collaborates with creators from emerging economies and under-represented communities to create inclusive characters. Working with brands such as Balmain, Mercedes, Samsung, Unilever, Meta and Christian Louboutin, The Diigitals has established itself as one of the most innovative agencies in the space.

FREDRIK STRÄNG

Fredrik is a Swedish mountain climber, adventurer and documentary filmmaker. His passion for climbing derives from his fear of heights, confronting his trauma in a functional way. He enjoys his precious time on the planet as an explorer rather than spending a life in survival mode. For Fredrik, climbing is about mindfulness, like opening his eyes for the very first time. He is thankful for the moments when he climbed and woke up. As an explorer Fredrik believes in facing one’s fears and chasing one’s dreams. – he has therefore climbed seven 8000m peaks and 7 Summits in 191 days.

JOKER BRASS BAND

Joker Brass Band was established in 2015 in Cyprus and plays contemporary, original and traditional brass band repertoire in an exciting and emotional style. Joker Brass’ music ranges from the more traditional, to popular classics, jazz, film and broadway musicals.

JOSEPH ROOTMAN

Joseph Rootman is a PhD candidate in the clinical Psychology program at the University of British Columbia. He works under the supervision of Dr. Zach Walsh as part of the Therapeutic, Recreational, and Problematic Substance use lab with a research focus in the therapeutic potential of cannabis and psychedelics such as psilocybin, LSD and Ketamine. Joseph is lead author on two recent publications in Nature: Scientific Reports which highlight the potential therapeutic benefits of psychedelic microdosing on mood, mental health, and cognition.

Lauren Grant

Lauren Grant is a mover and a shaker, who researches and advocates at the intersections of climate-induced displacement, differential vulnerability, violence, conflict and genocide, environmental and social justice, human rights and development. She is the Director of Field Research at Earth Refuge, the planet’s first legal think tank dedicated to climate migrants, and is the founder of the first-of-its-kind International School on Climate Migration. She holds an MSc in Violence, Conflict and Development (SOAS University of London) and an MA in Human Rights (Central European University). Lauren is committed to making the world a safe, just and sustainable place for all.

LAUREN GRANT

Lauren Grant is a mover and a shaker, who researches and advocates at the intersections of climate-induced displacement, differential vulnerability, violence, conflict and genocide, environmental and social justice, human rights and development. She is the Director of Field Research at Earth Refuge, the planet’s first legal think tank dedicated to climate migrants, and is the founder of the first-of-its-kind International School on Climate Migration. She holds an MSc in Violence, Conflict and Development (SOAS University of London) and an MA in Human Rights (Central European University). Lauren is committed to making the world a safe, just and sustainable place for all.

MANDEEP SAGOO

Mandeep Sagoo is Professor of Ophthalmology and Ocular Oncology at UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon with subspecialist interest in adult and pediatric eye tumours at the London Ocular Oncology Service at Moorfields Eye Hospital and the London Retinoblastoma Service at Royal London Hospital. He is the Programme Director for the MSc course in Ophthalmology at UCL/Moorfields. Having graduated from Cambridge University, he undertook his residency in Ophthalmology at Oxford and then Moorfields Eye Hospital. His Fellowship training was in Ocular Oncology, as a Fulbright Scholar, under Dr Jerry Shields and Dr Carol Shields at Wills Eye Hospital and Medical Retina Fellowship at Moorfields. He holds over 20 academic awards and prizes, including the Gedge Prize of Cambridge University, John Glyn Young Fellows Prize of Royal Society of Medicine, PJ Hay Medal of the North of England Ophthalmology Society, the Syme Medal and the King James IV Professorship of Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. He has written 5 book chapters and over 150 academic papers. He is a Member of Macula Society, Council Member of Oxford Ophthalmological Congress and has served as Honorary Secretary of the International Society of Ocular Oncology. He has also had the honour of Visiting Professorship of Ophthalmology at Stanford University, USA. In November 2021, he led the clinical team that fitted a fully digitally engineered 3D printed ocular prosthetic in a patient – a world first.

MARIOS TARAMIDES

Marios Taramides’ love for photography has taken him to over 120 countries. He is certified by the Fédération Internationale de l’art Photographique (FIAP), the AFIAP distinction recognized by UNSECO. His most recent photography project is titled “The Known Unknown”, a photo album of personalities from 35 countries, forerunners in their respective fields, whom he met and photographed each in their own space, with the common denominator being their unique contribution to their societies, but for which they never anticipated any publicity. Marios is a Dentist by profession. After he completed his studies in Dentistry from the Albert-Ludwig University of Freiburg, Germany; he specialized as a Periodontist and Prosthodontist in Sweden for 3 years, and right after he got his master’s degree from Lund University, one of Europe’s historic universities. Prior to returning to Cyprus where he has run his own clinic since 1996, he taught at Loma Linda University in California, USA in the Department of Periodontology. He is a member of the General Dental Council in the United Kingdom, a member of the European Periodontal Society and a Fellow of the British Council of Cosmetic Dentistry. For eight years, he served as the VP of the Sophia Foundation for Children, a charity organisation for the protection of children in Cyprus and Kenya and in his capacity as a dentist, he participated in numerous dental missions. He is fluent in Greek, English and German. He is also a published poet and writer, an art collector, a passionate photographer, and an enthusiastic traveler.

MARTIN THORVALDSSON

Martin Thorvaldsson has enjoyed a successful 25-year career in senior legal positions, at a number of leading global companies. In 2022, he shifted his career to Corporate Social Responsibility. As General Counsel at Exness, Martin was responsible for all legal and compliance matters and contributed to the company’s global expansion plans and record revenues. Martin still holds several board positions within the group and is currently using his previous legal and management experience to build effective CSR activities in 15+ countries. As CSR Director at Exness, Martin is responsible for creating a CSR strategy and culture, one that is connected to the company’s values. When he’s not devising new CSR initiatives and effective ways to do good, Martin likes to travel the world and spend time with his wife and two cats.

NAILA NAZER

At only 16 years old Naila left her family to travel across the globe in pursuit of her passion in entrepreneurship. Creating her own business at 19 years old while also becoming a professional athlete, she combines her love for creating content, travel and adventure.

NAMA DAMA

Nama Dama is a musician/performance artist based in Nicosia, Cyprus. Her work spins around various philosophical concepts, hence, every performance is usually different. Her music is an amalgam of folk and classical music, wrapped around ambient and intense vocals. She released her first EP "Confessions to my Songbird" in 2020 and is currently involved in theatrical and educational work. Her short solo performance "Sapiens" is being presented for the first time at TEDxLimassol.

NATALIE ZANNETTOU

Natalie Zannettou is the founder of Mindfulness for Life. She founded the organization inside her commitment for people, especially kids, to find true freedom. It is her belief that freedom comes from deep self-awareness and understanding of what influences our being-ness, our actions and thus the way we live life. Her initial passions growing up were the arts, the environment, sciences and philosophy, including ontology, existentialism, cosmology, metaphysics and the healing arts. Natalie studied Architecture and Fine Arts at RISD and did her MPhil at Cambridge University in the UK. She also trained and then volunteered as a Seminar Leader with Landmark Worldwide teaching self-awareness, communication and leadership programs and trained in mindfulness, and meditation. She is a mother to a teenager daughter, an Architect and an avid traveler.

NICOLAS KYRIAKIDES

Nicolas is a lawyer, academic and activist. He studied law in Athens, UCL, NYU, and Oxford and was a researcher at Harvard. He lectures at the University of Nicosia and has contributed to a number of high level innovative legal research initiatives and papers, such as the Procedural Law Unit at the University of Nicosia. He is also a founding member of the non-profit organisation Oxygono, the only parliamentary observatory in Cyprus, Nomoplatform, and the largest policymaking conference in Cyprus, the Cyprus Forum. In 2022 he was awarded the European Citizen Prize.

SCARLETT WESTBROOK

Scarlett is a climate justice activist, being a leading organiser of the British school strikes which attracted turnouts of thousands shortly after becoming the youngest person in the world to have an A level in Government and Politics, which she self taught at 13. Her work saw the 2019 protest attracting 450,000 attendees nationally. Since then, she has become the youngest policy-writer globally, having contributed to Bills including the English Climate Emergency Education Act. She is credited with bringing climate education to public attention, being a pioneer in the field. She is an award-winning journalist, organiser and speaker.

TORSTEN BÖKER

Torsten Böker is an astronomer and instrument scientist with the European Space Agency. Most recently, he led the in-orbit commissioning of the James Webb Space Telescope NIRSpec instrument, which he will use to study black holes in the nuclei of galaxies and other mysteries of the universe.

VLADYSLAV VYAZOVSKIY

Vladyslav Vyazovskiy is a professor of sleep physiology. He graduated from Kharkiv National University in 1997, and in 2004 he received his PhD degree at the University of Zurich. Following postdoctoral and lectureship positions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Surrey University, he joined the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics at the University of Oxford in 2013 as a Senior Research Fellow, before becoming Associate Professor of Neuroscience in 2015 and Professor of Sleep Physiology in 2021. Since 2020, he is a Tutorial Fellow in Medicine at Hertford College, and is a member of Sir Jules Thorn Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute (SCNi).