Innovative Scotland is worthy Tedsummit host
By hosting Tedsummit 2019, the country can once again show its capacity for world changing ideas on the global stage, says Neil Brownlee of Visitscotland
The 18th century was the focal point of the Scottish enlightenment – a period of scientific and creative innovation that helped shape our nation and the world.
Next year Edinburgh, and Scotland, will continue to play host to some of the world’s leading thinkers, as it becomes the first city outside North America to hold the prestigious Tedsummit.
It is an achievement that shouldn’t be underestimated, having been the only European candidate against strong competition from cities in North America, Australia and Asia.
And it was a true collaborative effort, led by the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC), Visitscotland Business Events, Convention Edinburgh, Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Government.
TED should be a familiar name to many, not least through the inspiring and awardwinning TED Talks, whose videos have a strong following online. The non-profit organisation, which began in 1984 as a conference converging technology, entertainment and design, is devoted to identifying, and then spreading, relevant and potentially impactful ideas.
From 21 to 25 July 2019, the EICC will become a hotbed of innovation and transformation, commonplace terms in Scotland. Tedsummit brings together up to 1,300 of the most engaged members of the global TED community for discussions, performances, workshops, outdoor activities and an eclectic programme of mainstage talks. The benefits of hosting this gathering will go beyond tourism, positioning Edinburgh and Scotland on the world stage.
Global curator of TED and coordinator of Tedsummit, Bruno Giussani, knows Edinburgh well, having curated previous Tedglobal events. He was looking for a “very specific type of location”.
For TED it was not sufficient to just have a “beautiful and strong theatre infrastructure”, which the EICC provides. It looked at the “cultural atmosphere” of the place, and how attendees are able to move between venues on foot, “engaging with and immersing themselves in the city”. In announcing Edinburgh as the chosen destination, Mr Giussani said the city “offers this atmosphere in spades”.
Securing Tedsummit for Scotland aligns with a widening understanding that business events are more than just conferences and delegate spend. By hosting such a gathering, we profile Scotland internationally, very similar to the showcase opportunity brought by the recent European Championships in Glasgow.
Business events, meetings and conventions, like Tedsummit, are often seen as a social exercise and part of tourism, rather than a means of advancing areas like innovation, knowledge transfer and economic growth. They can receive relatively little attention when, in fact, they have an important role to play in the economic and social progress of a country.
They are a key component of the “knowledge economy”, acting as a vehicle for business, professional and academic communities
0 Neil Brownlee, left, the EICC’S Marshall Dallas and Marketing Edinburgh’s Amanda Ferguson
to achieve the interactions that lead to new ideas, knowledge transfer, collaboration and information dissemination. This is the primary purpose of these events, and Tedsummit is at the top of that tree. This time it is 1,300 thinkers from all walks of life, but for other events it could be 1,000 scientists at the forefront of their field, addressing and solving a worldwide issue, right here in Scotland.
Business events can also be central to a transformative strategy for governments trying to grow their economies. They are tied inexorably to Scotland’s strengths and credentials in sectors ranging from life sciences and technology to food and drink.
We are a nation of pioneers, home to groundbreaking scientists, philosophers, engineers and architects over the centuries. This is why we launched Legends, Visitscotland’s first social media campaign for the business events market.
It is a world first, highlighting 12 of Scotland’s sectors over a 24-month period and celebrating world-changing ideas that have become legendary throughout the globe. Collaboration between key stakeholders has seen unprecedented sharing of original content, including blogs and video podcasts from leaders in their field throughout Scotland, including our seven cities, our international conference centres, universities and higher education institutes, regional councils, investment agencies and innovation centres.
Few of these are typically related to tourism, but they are central to harnessing the potential of business events for our cities, regions and the country itself. Scotland and TED share similar ideals; the power of ideas to change the world, create social change, spark conversation and drive innovation.
Tedsummit 2019 will bring ideas worth spreading to Scotland, where ideas become legend.