Hosting TEDxMuscatWomen
Abeer Al Mukhaini
In my opinion, there has never been a better time than now, nor a better platform than TEDxMuscatWomen, when it comes to highlighting the capabilities and power of women in inspiring and motivating a feminine world.
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks videos and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx (x = independently organised) and receive general guidance from the central TED Conference.
So what inspired me to host TEDxMuscatWomen?
Women's Empowerment has been always my drive and the primary initiative I have carried throughout my career path. Bringing a global interactive platform that would encourage Omani women to prosper internationally is a dream that I always hoped to bring to reality. I wanted to make sure that I provided the right space for Omani women to be heard internationally with their authentic personality. Be local, think global.
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The preparation for TEDxMuscatWomen began in October 2016 when we realised we had missed a deadline. According to TED’s rules, groups needed to register either 24 hours prior the main TEDwomen in the US or 24 hours after the main event. However, we managed to implement the project and create the event to the required TED standards anyway.
This experience proved that when women unite, they can do wonders; we received tremendous support from businesswomen to make this event a success. TEDxMuscatWomen gave us the chance to showcase the different talents of the speakers and change-makers we have in Oman, and it is the perfect platform to inspire, motivate, and spread ideas and hope.
The theme of TEDxMuscatWomen is decided by the main TEDWomen board held in the US. The theme changes every year and the talks should be synchronised to match the theme. In 2017 our theme was “bridges”, and our event spoke to the ways in which we build bridges, traverse them, and sometimes even burn them, for better or for worse. It demonstrated situations where women unknowingly take the role of bridges and become the channel of communication, and where she wears different hats to build different links in order to connect and bring about positive change.
In 2018, “showing Up” was our theme, focussing on how women around the world are taking matters into their own hands, showing up for each other and themselves to shape the future we all want to see.
Research in the topic of women and girls may once have been considered a radical notion – even a waste of resources – but in most places around the world today, women and girls are increasingly recognized as a critical link to greater prosperity, political stability, better health and public policy. In the West, of course, generations of educated, empowered women are moving into leadership across all sectors and the impact is measurable.
This is an important moment in the evolution of the story of how women and girls in new (and sometimes old) ways are the architects of change across sectors and countries.
TEDxMuscatWomen focuses on the ideas and innovations championed by women and girls. Speakers fill the stage with ideas that are reshaping our future, and matter deeply to all of us.
TEDWomen isn’t championing a cause; it’s surfacing and sharing some of the most important existing ideas of our time. Our focus is on women as change agents, innovators, and idea champions, and people are constantly both inspired and surprised by the program. We are exploring fascinating territory!
Having TEDx to spread the message worldwide, rather than just in the US, creates a new awareness of the roles women and girls are playing in bringing new ideas and innovations to their communities and countries. These forums are also ways to discuss the challenges that remain for women to achieve their fullest potential. For example, there’s been a flood of data in recent years showing how investment in women and girls in developing nations leads to economic growth, public health improvement, political stability... Why is that? How does it work? What ideas are these women championing? These are profound questions that matter to all of us.
Last but not least, I credit TEDxMuscatWomen’s success in the face of numerous obstacles to the hard working team, starting from host to partner and ending up with the volunteers that managed to organise and execute the event perfectly. What do we have planned for future? More TEDxMuscatWomen talks for years to come! We have so many inspiring speakers to invite and highlight in the most interactive platform worldwide. So far, we have hosted two sessions, with more than 40 volunteers and an audience of 2000+ in total.
Our website www.tedxmuscat.com
I welcome you to visit the event pictures and the videos:
Videos: TEDxMuscat Videos
Photos : TEDxMuscat Album 2017 , 2018
Instagaram | Twitter | FACEBOOK | : @tedxmuscat