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).

Northwestern University in Qatar
Education City, Qatar
Al Rayyan, Ar Rayyān, 34102
Qatar

Lujain Al Mansoori

Entrepreneur

Lujain Al Mansoori, born April 13th, 2002, in Qatar, began her academic journey at Qatar Academy Doha. After distinguishing herself as the Valedictorian at QF’s ABP, she secured a coveted spot in CMU-Q’s Information Systems Major. Now in her third year, Lujain consistently garners multiple awards, including multiple Dean's List awards for her outstanding GPA. In June 2023, she made her entrance into the entrepreneurial sphere by participating in a business pitch hackathon organized by QDB. Today, Lujain is at the helm of an innovative startup as a Co-Founder; focused on enhancing food security by 3D printing sustainable, edible vegetables. Her talk will explain what led Al Mansoori to begin her co-founding experience in an award-winning startup, amid scarce female representation, explaining how she found the courage to forge her own path. The core message, "You are not your challenges; you are how you respond to them," aims to resonate deeply with aspiring women entrepreneurs.

Nafisa Sagdullaeva

Student

Nafisa Sagdullayeva is a sophomore at Georgetown University in Qatar . She has a profound passion for environmental issues and a keen interest in the role of international relations and politics in shaping our planet's future. Nafisa actively advocates for sustainable and responsible global policies, firmly believing that education is a catalyst for empowering women. Outside of the classroom, Nafisa is also the MUN student organizer, playing an integral role in hosting MUN conferences at her university. Nafisa is well-positioned to make a lasting impact on the upcoming TEDxWomen Conference 2023 where she will share her experiences to talk about the power of education to empower women and elevate their status in society. She states that this will be a continuation of her first TEDxYouth on discussing the possibility of “What if we were not limited by social norms?”.

Talyta Franca

Women's Rights Activist + Student

Talyta França is an activist for women’s rights in Brazil. As a President of the Girl Up club, she advocated for girls' equity in a campaign called Livres Para Menstruar (Free to Menstruate), against period poverty. Talyta led the creation and approval of laws in over 6 states and 10 cities claiming free distribution of pads, the reduction of the product tax, and awareness campaigns in schools. She also led political conferences and congress audiences. The success of the campaign took Talyta to more than 13 interviews in the main media outlets in Brazil, a speech for the Disney Brazil conference, participation in the Hershey's campaign as well as to the Girl Hero Awards worldwide competition, from the UN Foundation, in which she was the first Brazilian awarded.

Zain Fanik

Student

Zain Fanik is from Jordan and Palestine. She is a junior in Georgetown University Qatar, majoring in Culture and Politics and concentrating on cultural anthropology. The talk for this event would be about representing women and their work through women-centered tours. Representation is important. Learning about significant female figures, how they shaped history, and their accomplishments can strengthen one's self-esteem as it gives them confidence in their own abilities and shows them how other powerful women have impacted society and achieved great things. Women-centered tours must be enacted in order to tell the stories of women, share their experiences, and teach others about the important work they accomplished to benefit our world.