TEDxKL looks to the future

ovER 2,500 people attended tEDxKL 2014, the local leg of tED (technology, entertainment, design) which aims to use ideas to change the lives of people around the world.

this year it carried the theme open Future, and featured talks from comfortable air travel to alternative crops.

Kelvin thoo, a seasoned stock trader posted on his Facebook page, “tEDxKL was awesome. Eighteen speakers to fill our minds and breakfast, lunch, and dinner to fill the stomach. two thumbs up.”

one of the most inspiring talks was deliverd by Ann Khoo who has tourette’s syndrome. she received a standing ovation for her talk, titled Are our Workplaces In Malaysia Fair And Equal For All People?

People who suffer from tourette’s syndrome have to live with multiple physical (motor) tics and at least one vocal tic but Khoo breezed through her talk, proving that any obstacle could be overcome.

“My friends have this game where they try and guess what word or sound I’ll come up with next,” she laughed.

Netizen Mervin Lee commented on tEDxKL’s Facebook page. “Ann Khoo is gutsy, yet real. very real. thanks to her, I know more about tourrette’s syndrome.”

the sixth tEDxKL was held at the Calvary Convention Centre in bukit Jalil.

“the first year we had 50 people at an office in the Gardens. this year we have 2,500. I’m still too tired to be exhilarated,” said tEDxKL curator Daniel Lim.

“tEDxKL is a platform to showcase ideas for those who don’t have a platform to share them.

“It’s a place to unearth and highlight cool stuff,” he said.

the conference brings together people from different backgrounds such as technology, entertainment and design, to talk about the power of an idea.

The Star is an official partner of tEDxKL 2014.