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).

Feriye Palace
Yıldız Mh., Çırağan Cd. No:40, 34347 Beşiktaş/İstanbul
Istanbul, İstanbul, 34000
Turkey

Ata Pank

Ata Pank, the founder of Lumikron Technology Inc. , was born in 1967 in Vakfıkebir, Trabzon. After graduating from Vakfıkebir High School in 1984, Pank completed his undergraduate studies in Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering at Istanbul Technical University in 1988. Subsequently, he obtained a degree in Electrical-Electronics Engineering from Boğaziçi University in 1994. Pank began his career as a technical manager at Escort Computer from 1992 to 1995, followed by a tenure as general manager at Empa Electronics (HK) Limited from 1995 to 2001. From 2002 to 2023, he served as the general manager at Pacific Technology Development Ltd. Additionally, from 2006 to 2011, he held the position of VP-Sales & Marketing at Akkord Ltd. Since 2016, Ata Pank has been working as the General Manager at Lumikron Technology Inc. His diverse interests include Far Eastern culture, startups, international trade, OEM/ODM production, and supply chain management.

Ayşenur Sena Tarakçı

Ayşenur Sena Tarakçı, one of the beloved figures on social media, draws attention with her cheerful style while sharing unknown facts about albinism. Born on January 24, 1996, in Istanbul to a family from Rize, the 26-year-old Tarakçı had a colorful childhood. She discovered her interest in art at an early age due to her constant passion for drawing charcoal sketches. While honing this talent, she became curious about various art forms such as theater and tango in later years. Tarakçı graduated from Istanbul Kültür University's advertising department. Although she initially started her education in law school, she soon diverted her path due to her growing interest in advertising. After graduating with her expertise and knowledge in advertising, she began her career in Digital Business Development at a major company. Ayşenur Sena Tarakçı's life is filled with colorful experiences and successes in various fields. Aimed at raising awareness about albinism through the content she shares on social media, Tarakçı inspires her followers by sharing her own experiences and colorful memories. Tarakçı's life intertwined with art is evident in a wide range of activities, from charcoal drawings to underwater diving. Having achieved success in artistic disciplines like theater and tango, Tarakçı leads a vibrant life filled with colors. Despite her young age, Ayşenur Sena Tarakçı reaches millions of people through her colorful content shared on social media, offering them hope with her experiences, energy, and positive outlook. Demonstrating how a pigmentless individual can shine in a colorful world, Tarakçı not only draws attention to albinism but also stands out with her successes in various fields.

Deniz Acar

Deniz Acar, born on January 9, 1976, is a Turkish wheelchair basketball player. Despite being born with a physical disability, Deniz has achieved remarkable success in the sport. He has won European Cup championships with his club and represented Turkey at various international competitions, including the Paralympic Games. Deniz's leadership and determination have made him a respected figure both on and off the court, inspiring others to pursue their dreams regardless of obstacles.

Filiz Saraç

Lawyer Filiz Saraç was born in 1968 in Trabzon. She graduated from Marmara University Faculty of Law in 1988 and pursued her master's degree in Public Law. Saraç, who has been practicing as a freelance lawyer uninterruptedly for 32 years, completed her MBA business preparatory education in England. She was elected to the Board of Directors of the Istanbul Bar Association in 1996. Filiz Saraç, who chaired the team that prepared the Istanbul Bar Association 125th Anniversary Documentary, served as the vice president of the Istanbul Bar Association from 2004 to 2006. As the first female president of the Istanbul Bar Association, who taught at Yeditepe University for 6 years, she has been serving as a delegate to the Turkish Bars Association and as a member of the TBB Education Advisory Board since 2006. She served as a member of the internship training center executive board from 2010 to 2012. Saraç, who served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Turkish Bars Association from 2017 to 2021 through the pre-selection of Istanbul Bar Association delegates, intervened on behalf of the TBB in the cases of lawyer Müzeyyen Boylu, who was murdered by her husband, and lawyer Ersin Arslan, who was martyred while on duty. Having written numerous articles and books, Saraç graduated from the Department of Emergency and Disaster Management as her second university. She has participated in many panels and conferences on women's rights issues. On March 8, 2020, she was awarded by the Turkish Women's Union, founded in 1924 with 80 branches, for her contributions to the supremacy of law and awareness of seeking justice in society.

Funda Lena

KREKSA's founder, Funda Lena, graduated with honors from the Economics Department of Boğaziçi University in 2004, receiving the Alper Orhon Econometrics Award. In 2007, she completed her master's degree at the same institution with the highest distinction and was awarded the Murat Sertel Economics Prize. She then pursued a professional career in the music industry for 5 years. In 2012, she began her doctoral studies in Arts and Culture Management at Istanbul Bilgi University and successfully completed her Ph.D. with distinction in May 2017. Since 2012, Lena has taken on roles such as project management, coordination, consultancy, and report writing in various projects funded by institutions such as the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, UNESCO Turkey National Commission, British Council, and Istanbul Development Agency. From 2013 to 2017, she worked as a specialist researcher and coordinator at the Istanbul Bilgi University Center for Cultural Policies and Management Research. She is a founding member of the Turkey Cultural Diversity Coalition (KEGeP), a member of the International Federation of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity, and served as the coordinator of the organization for 3 years. She also works as a part-time lecturer in the Department of Arts and Culture Management at Istanbul Bilgi University. In 2020, she established Kültür AĞI, a communication and collaboration platform for artists and cultural professionals. In the same year, she produced and hosted the Culture Sector program on Açık Radyo, where she extensively discussed the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the cultural sector with industry professionals. Funda Lena continues to write books, articles, and reports on cultural policies and cultural economics.

Judith Malika Liberman

Judith Malika Liberman was born in Paris, France, in 1978. Her parents moved from the city to a rural area in the 1970s following the back-to-the-land movement. The family established a weaver commune. Liberman grew up in the commune, which was frequently visited by jugglers and storytellers who provided entertainment in rural areas. That era saw the revival of the storytelling tradition in France and Liberman's mother co-founded a storytelling society. In the commune, songs were sung and tales were told during evening gatherings by the fireplace. Liberman learned storytelling at the age of 14. Liberman received a master's degree in linguistics at Sorbonne University in Paris. She studied acting at Pomona College in Claremont, California, United States, and took lessons in storytelling at the Conservatoire de Paris. Liberman had plans to settle in the United States before she was appointed cultural attaché of France to Turkey in Ankara. She stayed in Turkey after completing her one-year duty. She taught academic writing at Middle East Technical University in Ankara for seven years, followed by English at Koç University in Istanbul. A certified yoga teacher, she implements parts of her interest in storytelling in her practice. She had close connections to the Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum in Ankara. She worked with folklorists from Ankara's Gazi University and took part in various projects, conferences and festivals. She also trained storytellers in helping heal pediatric patients by using the oral narrative. Liberman has given performances and seminars of fairy tale narration in many countries, including Turkey. Living in Turkey since 2004, she reintroduced the tradition of fairy tale narration in that country by teaching Anatolian fairy tales. Since 2014, she has presented a weekly radio program titled Masal Bu Ya ("This is the Tale") aired on NTV Radio. She gives night performances of storytelling with a different themes in the "Nazım Hikmet Cultural Center" in Şişli, Istanbul every month. She can narrate in a near-perfect Turkish accent. In March 2018, she presented Turkish traditional humorous fairy tales introducing Nasreddin Hodja at the Toronto International Storytelling Festival in Canada. Liberman authored her first book, Masal Terapisi ("Storytelling Therapy"), in 2015. Two more books of hers, Masallarla Yola Çık ("The Journey Starts with a Tale") and Önce Hayal ("Imagination First"), followed in 2017 and 2019 respectively. She was also a consultor for the 2015 Turkish film Bir Varmış Bir Yokmuş ("Once Upon A Time").

Masis Aram Gözbek

Masis Aram Gözbek born in 1987, Istanbul. His band won the first prize in 2004 at the 'Battle of the Bands' competition by Radio Boğaziçi. His arrangement was awarded the third prize at KASDAV music competition among high schools in 2005. Between 2005 and 2007 he sang with the Turkish National Radio Youth Choir. In 2007, he took over as the conductor of BUMC Jazz Choir. His composition 'Dante’s Last Day' was performed at the 3rd Young Composers Festival. He composed and arranged several choral pieces, among which 'Alive' was awarded the 'World Championship' in the World Choir Championships in Graz, Austria and 'Alive II' earned a gold medal in the 7th World Choir Games in Cincinnati, USA. He won 'The Most Successful Young Person' award at the 19th TOYP Turkey, the 'Young Conductor Special Award' in the 35th International May Choir Competition Varna, YTU 'Rectorate Award' and 'The Music Entrepreneur of the Year' by METU. He is regularly being invited as a jury member or guest conductor to prestigious festivals like European Music Festival for Young People Neerpelt (BE), International May Choir Competition Varna (BG), European Festival of Youth Choirs Basel (CH), World Choir Festival (HK). He was one of the 12 finalists in the 2019 World Choral Conducting Competition, Hong Kong. He was also one of the candidates of 2021 Fosco Corti International Competition for Choral Conductors in Italy. He initiated the Voice of Cultures Project and pioneered the establishment of choirs that will sing in 7 different languages in 7 different cities of Turkey. He launched the KOROHANE (Choir-House) platform in order to bring together everyone from all over Turkey who are devoted to choral music, and to share experiences with individuals and institutions who want to form a choir. He won the European Video Award 2021 with MAGMA & Boğaziçi Jazz Choir Family and 2022 Atatürk Youth Award with Boğaziçi Youth Choir. In 2022, he was invited as the conductor of the Chamber Choir of Europe to assist Sir Karl Jenkins during his concert and rehearsals with the Haydn Orchestra of Bolzano and Trento in Merano, Italy. In July, he was invited as the masterclass leader to the Choral Conducting Masterclass in Corfu (Greece), organized by Ionian University and the University of Macedonia. Recently, he was one of the jury members at the competition for the Anthem of the 100th Anniversary of Turkish Republic. He is the founder and the artistic director of Boğaziçi Jazz Choir, Boğaziçi Youth Choir and MAGMA Choirs. He has been a trustee of Yücel Cultural Foundation since 2018. Besides, he is leading workshops and seminars about choral music and regularly working with choirs as a guest conductor both in different cities of Turkey and abroad.

Özgün Güngör

Liv Hospital General Manager Özgün Güngör is a General Surgery specialist. He completed his education at Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine and began his professional career at Haydarpasa Numune Training and Research Hospital. He then continued his career at American Hospital Istanbul and Memorial Healthcare Group. Currently, he serves as the General Manager of Liv Hospital. His areas of expertise include fistula, choledochal cyst, and acid reflux, among others.