A changing definition of the future

By Maria Gregoriou

TEDx University of Nicosia next Saturday will see a group of inspirational speakers talking about what the future is…

They won’t be looking into their crystal balls and telling us all what lies in the days to come, but giving the inspiration to make the next step towards our goals, aspirations and dreams.

If you have ever been to a TEDx you will know that the theory behind the talks is ideas worth spreading. And these ideas have been spreading for three decades now. It started in California and as of 2013, the ideas have been spreading in Nicosia and Limassol.

If you haven’t heard of TEDx before then just go online to TED.com and watch some past talks from the likes of Bill Gates and Richard Branson.

Last year TEDx University of Nicosia asked us to look deeper but this year speakers like professor Constantinos Phellas and theatre-maker Diomedes Koufteros, philosopher of science at the New College of Humanities Ioannis Votsis, Creative Director of Loop.pH Rachel Wingfield, and photojournalist Robin Hammond will help us look to the future and obtain the means to make it into a place we want to be.

Phellas and Koufteros will share the stage for their talk entitled The Future is.. f*#k the future. While Phellas specialises in medical sociology and Koufteros is an actor, lecturer, theatre-maker and cultural operator, they both have the same ideas about the future – that the present will define the future, and hence requires us to be direct and honest.

Also taking to the stage to finish the sentence The Future is…, Votsis will be offering a philosophical perspective of how to bring forward a desirable future.

Votsis’ talk promises to be one which makes us think outside the box when it comes to the institutions available to us today that may be a stopping point for our futures to evolve in a way that we would like them to.

Wingfield will introduce the work of London based Loop.pH – a Spatial Laboratory, creating visionary experiences and environments – by discussing their approach to design and the living city.

Wingfield gives such talks around the world and will surely give the TEDx University of Nicosia crowd an idea of how creative designers and architects can help to create more sustainable futures.

Hammond has dedicated his career to documenting human rights and development issues around the world. His talk, photojournalism to photo-activism, will surely provide us with images that speak many thousands of words and, in doing so, makes people take action and change the future.

It won’t be all about talking, music will also make an appearance with The Larnaca Municipality Children’s Choir and the Papageorgio String Quartet. And there will also be a delicious all-you-can-eat buffet lunch and hot coffee throughout the day.

TEDx University of Nicosia – The Future is…
Inspirational speeches. November 21. Filoxenia Conference Centre, Nicosia. 8.30am-6.30pm. €35-20. Tel: 99-627340

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