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Conference features local speakers

The annual TEDx conference is held Saturday at Quails’ Gate Winery
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Mayor Colin Basran at a previous TEDx conference. This year’s conference is held Saturday at Quails’ Gate Winery. - Credit: Photo Contributed

Speakers from the Okanagan will be sharing their perspectives at this year’s TEDx conference.

Now in its fifth year in Kelowna, the conference features both locals and national speakers who will share their stories of how they made a positive change through creative ways of thinking.

“It’s a group of people coming together voluntarily to help promote change in the world,” said TEDx Kelowna volunteer Allyssa Grant.

The independently organized TED event originally started with a small group of volunteers and grew from there. The event will be held at Quails’ Gate Winery, Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m.

One of the presentations includes Canadian Olympic athletes Chloe, Maxime and Justine Dufour-Lapointe who are sharing their views on how they work cohesively as a group to achieve change, said Grant.

Fire chief Darby Allan is another noteworthy speaker who led the evacuation of the Fort McMurray wildfire last year.

The event also has Central Okanagan local and founder of Club Penguin Lane Merrifield who will be sharing his passion for creativity and innovation.

A presentation will also be made by Women’s Shelter executive director Karen Mason and UBCO director in the school of heath and exercise sciences Dr. Paul van Donkelaar who will explain the findings of their research between traumatic brain injury and intimate partner violence.

This year’s event focuses on the theme of today and understanding what we do today has an effect tomorrow.

“We’re trying to provoke change in the most positive sense. We’re looking for those change makers and forward thinking individuals looking to create change in the world,” said Grant.

All the videos created will also be shared internationally through TED.

Each year the community submits nominations and TEDx volunteers select the best-suited candidates which align with TED’s technology, education and design focus.

Each year, they receive around 50 nominations, said Grant.

Tickets are $99 for the full day of speakers and can be purchased from eventbrite.ca.

@carliberry_
carli.berry@kelownacapnews.com

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