TEDx Yerevan, held on Saturday, September 25, 2010, was born of a desire of doing something good and sustainable for my son. I started translating TED talks for my son, so he could read the subtitles of TED talks in Armenian. Then I started to tell about TED and TED talks translations to friends and colleagues. Then I saw a TED speaker on TED website who was Armenian. This was Alexis Ohanyan. I translated his talk as well and then figured out that he is coming to Armenia through KIVA Program. I wrote to KIVA and asked them to tell Alexis that there is a person in Armenia who wants to meet with him. By that time I have already applied for TEDx License for a small event. After a while I got a letter from Alexis in which he was saying that would be happy to meet with me. Then we met in Armenia and I told him that I have translated his talk and I also applied for TEDx license for a small event. He said that he’ll be happy to help with TEDx and also mentioned that we should try to get a license for bigger event. He also recommended talking to Civilitas Foundation in Armenia, which could help us to organize a great event. We talked to Civilitas Foundation and got their support and encouragement for our initiation. Civilitas Foundation became our main supporter and partner.
Beyond Borders was chosen as the theme. The choice of such a theme was natural. Yerevan, one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited settlements, has been a place on the global map despite continually changing borders. In the globalized 21st century, where nations and states are searching for new ways to define themselves – beyond borders – Yerevan remains the capital of a state whose people have lived beyond all borders for millennia.
We had a committee of volunteer organizers. Local TED translators, Civilitas Foundation staff and local sponsors got together to help us with TEDxYerevan event. It took us almost seven months to organize TEDxYerevan event including fundraising, selecting of speakers and venue, designing stage, promoting event, inviting attendees and other required activities.

During the Conference 17 speakers, including Serj Tankian via videotape, addressed a 200 person, full-house, invited audience.The speakers included Alexis Ohanian from the US, who contributed actively to securing the TEDx Yerevan event license, had participated in a TED conference in 2009, where he presented "the positive impact of social media on solving various issues". His Yerevan talk was entitled “You’ve lost control (and that’s OK!). Alexis, who co-founded Reddit.com with a roommate and watched it become one of the World Wide Web's most striking examples of democracy in action, also founded Breadpig, Inc., an "uncorporation" that's responsible for bringing geeky things into the world like.

Anna Yeghoyan from Gyumri, Armenia, called her talk, “YOUth Can Make a Difference.” She is a co-founder of the Gyumri-based non-governmental organization "Youth Initiative Center", and works on women’s development projects at Armenian Caritas.

Hagop Emrazian flew in from Kuwait to talk about “Promoting Learning Within 10 Minutes.” A firm believer in introducing unconventional learning solutions to enhance people's performance in a multicultural environment, he addressed the importance of self awareness, assertiveness and personal branding.

Hans Gutbrod who lives in Georgia and is the Regional Director of the Caucasus Research Resource Centers (CRRC), used the data from multiple research projects, over many years, to speak about the perception of happiness in the South Caucasus countries.

Hrair Hawk Khatcherian, a photographer, a globetrotter and a pilgrim, explained how he came to travel to 44 countries in the last 13 years, photographing everything from Armenian churches and monuments, to landscapes and portraits, to still lifes and nudes. His talk was entitled, “Cancer and the Miracle of Life.”

Rev. Fr. Ktrij (Armen) Devejian, who moved to Armenia from the US nine years ago, entitled his talk, “What Are You Worth?” A licensed architect, he served in the administrations of California Governors George Deukmejian and Pete Wilson. He currently is the Foreign Communications Director for the Catholicosate of All Armenians and the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin as well as the pontifical representative for India.

Meroujan Minassian, an architect and co-founder of the “Ket Architect” firm based in Yerevan, presented a multi-dimensional approach to visualizing history.

Michael Aram, an internationally recognized designer who has lived and worked in India since 1989, spoke about the function of the outsider’s perspective in validating local art and craftsmanship.

Nvard Manasian, an educator, intermingled her personal educational challenges with her conviction that one must “Question YourSELF if You Want to Have One.”

Paula Devejian, born in Fresno, California, has lived in Armenia since 2001. She currently serves the Armenian Church as the Director of Internet Development at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. Her talk, “Perfect Design,”
Pegor Papazian, Chief Executive Officer of the National Competitiveness Foundation of Armenia, spoke about theories of development and ways to catalyze development.

Raffi Kassarjian, Chief Executive Officer of iCON Communications in Yerevan, was born in Beirut, Lebanon, and lived for over 30 years in the US until he moved to Armenia in 2008. His talk, “Electronic Brain Fill,” had to do with finding ways to reverse brain drain.

Rich Goldman, vice president of Corporate Marketing and Strategic Alliances for Synopsys and CEO of Synopsys Armenia, said his company, and others like it, should be engaged in G to G interactions, more than B to B.

Siemon Scamell-Katz, an international shopper strategy consultant from the UK, shared insights into shoppers, how they navigate and make purchase decisions, how persuasion works and the broader implications on persuading people to think differently.

Sona Hovhannisyan, a professional pianist turned manager, acknowledged that “All I Know About Management is Music.”

Timothy D. Straight, born in the US, has spent most of his life outside that country, including in Norway for nearly two decades and in Armenia since 2000. After serving in Bosnia as leader of the Norwegian Peoples Aid office during the war, he came to Armenia and headed the Norwegian Refugee Council. He serves as the Norwegian Honorary Consul to Armenia as well as Finnish Honorary Consul. His talk, entitled “Where is Eurasia” looked at Europe as geography, mentality and culture.

Vardan Hovhannisyan, an award-winning documentary filmmaker from Armenia, presented the key to happiness, through his recent film, Donkeymentary, about a village in Kenya, where the only merit of wealth, luck and happiness are donkeys.

In addition to these live guests, Serj Tankian, singer, poet, songwriter, activist, and composer, presented a talk by video, appropriately entitled “Holographic Performance” and advocating the use of technology to transform concerts into economically and environmentally more efficient presentations that continue to tie performer and audience together.

The day-long TEDx Yerevan event was made possible by support from a handful of sponsors: The Ani Plaza Hotel, which served as the event venue, the software and services firm Agrian, DEEM Communications, Autograph-Net Printing, Tufenkian Artisan Carpets, the popular Oregano Restaurant, as well as two young vintners, owners of 365 Wines and Brest Winery.

Kristine Sargsyan, the TED licensee, who initiated the event, expressed special thanks to sponsors, organizers and volunteer translators who were ready to support this first-of-its kind endeavor, sight unseen.

TEDxYerevan talk videos are already available at www.TEDxYerervan.com

Yerevan
Armenia

Michael Aram

Michael Aram, an internationally recognized designer has lived and worked in India since 1989. Michael Aram trained as a painter, sculptor and art historian, and has neatly applied his diverse background to the decorative arts. His work is also a celebration of craft and age-old hand working traditions. It is the enduring fusion of these ideals of originality and craftsmanship that has become the hallmark of this artist. He spoke about the function of the outsider's perspective in validating local art and craftsmanship.

Devejian Ktrij

Rev.Fr. Ktrij (Armen) Devejian, who moved to Armenia from the US nine years ago, entitled his talk, "What Are You Worth?" A licensed architect, he served in the administrations of California Governors George Deukmejian and Pete Wilson. He currently is the Foreign Communications Director for the Catholicosate of All Armenians and the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin as well as the pontifical representative for India.

Devejian Paula

Paula Devejian, born in Fresno, California, has lived in Armenia since 2001. She currently serves the Armenian Church as the Director of Internet Development at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. Her talk, "Design Perfection", involved her favorite pastime: baking.

Emrazian Hagop

Hagop Emrazian, is the Head of Learning & Development at Agility Logistics, responsible for the training function in the Middle East & Africa regions. He flew in from Kuwait to talk about "Promoting Learning within 10 Minutes". A firm believer in introducing unconventional learning solutions to enhance people's performance in a multicultural environment, he addresses the importance of self awareness, assertiveness and personal branding.

Goldman Rich

Rich Goldman, vice president of Corporate Marketing and Strategic Alliances for Synopsys and CEO of Synopsys Armenia. It was recognized as the best company in the country by The National Assembly of The Republic of Armenia in 2005.,He said his company, and others like it, should be engaged in Geek to Geek interactions, more than Business to Business.

Gutbrod Hans

Hans Gutbrod, lives in Georgia and is the Regional Director of the Caucasus Research Resource Centers (CRRC), which has conducted multiple research projects, over many years, with a specific emphasis on gathering quality data on social, political, and economic developments across the Caucasus. He used the data from multiple research projects, over many years, to speak about perception of happiness in the South Caucasus countries.

Hovhannisyan Sona

Sona Hovhannisyan, a professional pianist turned manager, she said that her life's most impactful and life-changing leadership experience was with AIESEC, the world’s largest student-run organization. She is currently at an entrepreneurial stage setting up her own company as well as working at a large food-production company as a Learning and Development Manager.

Hovhannisyan Vardan

Vardan Hovhannisyan, established the Bars Media Documentary Film Studio in 1993, one of the first independent film companies in Armenia. In 2007 his “A story of people in war and peace” won the Best New Documentary Filmmaker prize at the Tribeca Film Festival. Being an award winning documentary filmmaker from Armenia, presented the key to happiness, through his recent film, Donkeymentary, about a village in Kenya, where the only merit of wealth, luck and happiness are donkeys.

Kassarjian Raffi

Raffi Kassarjian, Chief Executive Officer of iCON Communications in Yerevan, was born in Beirut, Lebanon, and lived for over 30 years in the US until he moved to Armenia in 2008. He had over 16 years experience in the technology industry. His talk, "Electronic Brain Fill", had to do with finding ways to reverse brain drain.

Khatcherian Hrair Hawk

Hrair Hawk Khatcherian, a photographer, a globetrotter and a pilgrim, explained how he came to travel 44 countries in the last 17 years, photographing everything from Armenian churches and monuments, to landscapes and portraits, to still lifes and nudes. His talk was entitled, "Cancer and the Miracle of Life".

Manasian Nvard

Nvard Manasian, an educator, has worked for both governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations in the field of education. As her career has evolved, she has come to believe that whatever we consider to be "sound" education is geared towards perfecting knowledge of the past. She prefers to focus on making sense of new knowledge and transform the self. She intermingled her personal educational challenges with her conviction that one must "Question YourSELF if You Want to Have One".

Minassian Meroujan

Meroujan Minassian, an architect and the co-founder of the “Ket Architect” firm based in Yerevan.His projects span a wide range of construction types and design styles, for houses, banks, hotels, schools, community centers, churches, as well as interior designs for homes, offices and educational institutions. Meroujan Minassian has participated in international architectural competitions. He presented a multi-dimensional approach to visualizing history.

Ohanian Alexis

Alexis Ohanian, from the US, who contributed actively to securing the TEDx Yerevan event license, had participated in TED conference in 2009, where he presented "the positive impact of social media on solving various issues". His Yerevan talk was entitled, "You've Lost Control (and That's OK!)". Alexis, who co-founded Reddit.com with a roommate and watched it to become one of the World Wide Web's most striking examples of democracy in action, also founded Breadpig, Inc., an "uncorporation" that's responsible for bringing geeky things into the world.

Papazian Pegor

Pegor Papazian, Chief Executive Officer of the National Competitiveness Foundation of Armenia. Previously, Pegor was head of project development at the United States Agency for International Development. Prior to his position with USAID, he was Vice President of Strategy and Product Development at Prosum Inc., which was ranked among the United States' top 200 fastest growing private companies by Inc500. He spoke about theories of development and ways to catalyze development.

Scamell-Katz Siemon

Siemon Scamell-Katz, the international shopper strategy consultant from UK, has spent 17 years researching shoppers in their natural habitats throughout the world. His presentation is about insights into shoppers, how they navigate and make purchase decisions, how persuasion works and and thus how persuasion works and the broader implications on persuading people to think differently.

D. Straight Timothy

Timothy D. Straight, born in the US, has spent most of his life outside that country, in Norway for nearly two decades and in Armenia since 2000. After serving in Bosnia as leader of the Norwegian Peoples Aid office during the war, he came to Armenia and headed the Norwegian Refugee Council. He has served as the Norwegian Honorary Consul as well as the Finnish Honorary Consul. His talk, entitled "Where is Eurasia" looked at Europe as geography, mentality and culture.

Serj Tankian, US

A singer, poet, songwriter, activist, and composer; Serj Tankian has always created music as an outlet to express his thoughts and feelings with a level of passion and consciousness that few in today’s world of music can rival. An Armenian immigrant born in Lebanon and re-rooted in Los Angeles, Tankian was introduced to the melding of cultures, ideas and ideals from a very young age. The principles learned from this integration and adaptation have led to his understanding of the oneness of all things and have since maneuvered and transfigured into the music that he lives to create. With a mission of spreading diversity and understanding through music, poetry and activism, Serj Tankian will continue to surprise and enlighten those who listen to his music and hear his words.