Theme: Light in the darkness

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).

Babylon Hotel
Baghdad
Baghdad, Baghdād, 10013
Iraq

‏Diyar Talal Nadhim

Communications Assistant

Diyar Talal is a young man from Iraq who co-founded the Iraq Travelers Cafe Project with his friend Osama Musa. He is passionate about issues related to global citizenship and is involved in various local and international peace and development activities. Diyar holds a Master's degree in Education and Computer Science. The Iraqi Travelers Cafe was created with the aim of promoting the idea of global citizenship and highlighting the tourist attractions in Iraq to improve the tourism industry in the country.

Dr. Mootaz Salman

Group Leader in Cellular Neuroscience

Dr. Mootaz M. Salman Al-Jubouri is a Group Leader at the Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery at the University of Oxford, where he also serves as a Research Lecturer and Leverhulme Research Fellow in Cellular Neuroscience at the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, which is ranked first in the world by QS world university rankings. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Pharmacy from the University of Mosul, a Master's degree in Pharmacology & Biotechnology from Sheffield Hallam University (ranked first in his cohort), and a PhD in Neuroscience from Sheffield Hallam. He previously held a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children's Hospital, where he collaborated with Biogen® on the development of a drug candidate for Alzheimer's disease. Currently, he focuses on investigating blood-brain barrier function in neurodegenerative diseases.

‏Hawrra Saad

Athletic

Hawrra Saad, born in 2000 an Iraqi from Baquba, she’s a table tennis player on the national team. She was injured in 2005 due to a mortar shell. Hawrra talks about the suffering that people with special needs face in Iraq in various aspects of life and how they overcome these conditions.

‏Jassim Al-Asadi

Environmental activist

Jassim, a native of Thi-Qar in Iraq, is a highly experienced engineer and environmentalist. He is a co-founder of the Center for the Reconstruction of the Iraqi Marshes and Wetlands and the leader of the Department of Economic and Social Studies at the Ministry of Water Resources. Since 2007, he has been invited to speak and give lectures in a variety of international events and seminars in countries such as Switzerland, the UK, Italy, Singapore, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, and many cities and universities in Iraq, all in relation to the Marshes, wetlands, and their animal inhabitants.

‏Khalid Najim

CEO

"Khalid Najim, born in 1986, holds a BSC in the science of physics from the University of Baghdad. worked with many big multinationals in FMCG for a long period while leading teams on different levels, which developed his experience in sales and marketing in Iraq. Experienced in Leading (Business Transformation, Sales Management, Marketing, Trade Marketing, and Business Development), he’s led several business transformations across different companies in Iraq. Khalid had won several awards and certificates including: Ring of Honor award – PepsiCo. Chairman award – PepsiCo. Certificate - Planning and organizing strategic objectives. Meirc (MPC) Training for the food industry (GICO) He worked with many companies: - Director of the commercial factory of Green Iraq Company for the manufacture of Lays chips in Iraq - General Manager of Lays & Unilever brands distribution companies in Iraq between 2019 and 2021 - CEO of (Lays and Pepsi) distribution company in Iraq in 2022

Maysaloon Fakher Hashem

TV Producer & Writer

Maysaloon Fakher is an Iraqi novelist born in Nasiriyah in 1964. She has published three books and is currently a documentary producer at Al-Jazeera Documentary Channel. She is also a regular contributor to various Arabic media outlets such as Al-Quds Al-Arabi. The themes of immigration and escape from one's homeland, despite not having lived it personally, greatly informs her work and adds a sense of darkness and sadness to much of her writing.

Mohanad Saad & Mustafa Mubark

Musician

Mohanad Saad, is a 20 years old student at the Institute of Musical Studies. Mustafa Mubarak is 21 years old. He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts, Department of Music

‏Noor Tami Awad

Carpenter

Noor Tami Awad, born in Baghdad in 1993, is a mother of four children. A few years ago, she started with simple carpentry works using the furniture of her home and relatives. Encouraged by her family and neighbours, she began posting her achievements on social media. Noor is the first Iraqi woman to practise the profession of carpentry and to open a workshop specialising in it. She broke into a field previously dominated by men and became known as an artist who can transform any old furniture into beautiful pieces that enhance a home's decor.

Prof Dhiya Al-Jumeily OBE

Professor of Artificial Intelligence

‏Prof Dhiya Al-Jumeily OBE is a professor of Artificial Intelligence and the president of the eSystems Engineering Society (dese.org.uk). He is also a member of the Liverpool John Moores University Board of Governors. With extensive research interests in AI, Robotics, and Software Engineering, he has published over 350 peer-reviewed scientific publications, 17 books, and 17 book chapters. Dhiya is a chartered IT professional, a fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy, and a senior member of the IEEE. He is the founder of the eSystems Engineering Society (eSES), a non-profit organization serving industry 4.0, and he is working to secure chartered status for eSES. Professor Al-Jumeily has received multiple awards and prizes, including two patents for his inventions. On December 31st, 2020, he was appointed to the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for his "Services to Scientific Research"

Raya Ani

Architect

Named one of the most influential architects in the Middle East, Raya Ani is the founder and design director of the award-winning studio RAW-NYC Architects based in New York City and Dubai. She is a multi-disciplinary architect and urban designer with more than 25 years of international experience, having worked in Baghdad, Boston, Dubai, Germany, and New York City. She is a licensed architect in NYC. As the 2017 President of the American Institute of Architects-Middle East Chapter, she launched AIA Middle East in Iraq to empower Iraqi architects through a global platform Raya Ani was bestowed upon her the title of Fellow American Institute of Architects by New York chapter for her excellence in design and outstanding contributions in the field of architecture Raya was listed by Forbes USA and received the 2021 TAKREEM Award for Environmental Development and Sustainability. She lobbied for Iraq’s participation at Expo 2020, designed and supervised the construction of the Iraq Pavilion

Usama Kareem

Composer

Usama Kareem is a musician and composer who has made significant efforts in poetry. He is a graduate of the Iraqi Institute of Music Studies and the Academy of Fine Arts. He was a member of the Iraqi choir and studied under some of the most prominent Iraqi musicians, including Professor Farouk Hilal, Mohsen Farhan, Abbas Jameel, Ruhi Al-Khamash, and many other prominent artists. Usama has performed in numerous Arab festivals in Damascus and Cairo, and he won first place in classical music. He has composed many artistic songs and participated in works that bring together the nation's children during times of past sectarianism. He worked on a large-scale operetta for the great poet Asaad Al-Ghurairi, which he sang with the Syrian artist Bushra Mahfouz. He also worked on another major operetta about Kirkuk, Iraq. He has composed for many stars in Iraq, including the Lebanese artist Ahmad Al-Sharif, the Iraqi artist Mahmoud Al-Najm and many young artists.

Zahraa Alwandy

Musician

Al-Zahraa Ahmed, also known as Zahraa Alwandy, is a young Iraqi violinist born in 2002. She began playing the violin at an early age when she attended a music and ballet school. With the support and encouragement of her mother, Zahraa persevered despite the challenging circumstances and eventually turned her passion for playing the violin into a profession. She spent several years learning and taking courses to develop her talent, and eventually turned her hobby into a job and profession.