TEDxVancouver 2009: “Forever Young”

Remember what it was like to be a kid? Wide-eyed and fascinated by the world around you, never afraid to dream big, and always eager to learn? TedxVancouver unleashed a youthful, contagious energy; one that breeds creativity, and fosters the exploration and synthesis of new ideas.

Our city is internationally recognized for its contributions to sustainable development, medical research and interactive entertainment. These three diverse example frames of reference provided the backdrop for some extraordinary new perspectives that helped us celebrate what it truly means to be Forever Young.

Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada

Neill Blomkamp

Neill Blomkamp is a South African-born, Vancouver, BC-based director of feature-length and short films and advertisements. Blomkamp employs a documentary-style, hand-held, cinéma vérité technique, blending naturalistic and photo-realistic computer-generated effects. He is best known as the director of District 9.

Kevin Carroll

Kevin Carroll is the founder of Kevin Carroll Katalyst/LLC and the author of three highly successful books published by ESPN, Disney Press and McGraw-Hill. As an author, speaker and agent for social change (a.k.a. the Katalyst), it is Kevin’s “job” to inspire businesses, organizations and individuals – from CEOs and employees of Fortune 500 companies to schoolchildren – to embrace their spirit of play and creativity to maximize their human potential and sustain more meaningful business and personal growth.

Cheryl Cran

Cheryl Cran is a self confessed positive control freak, “bold” leadership expert, Gen X/Baby Boomer “cusper,” Gen Y mother, and is an internationally renowned professional keynote speaker. Her latest book, The Control Freak Revolution examines the positive and negative aspects of controlling tendencies and illustrates how to use positive control to achieve positive results.

Guy Dauncey

Guy Dauncey is a speaker, author and futurist who works to develop a positive vision of a sustainable future, and to translate that vision into action. He is President of the BC Sustainable Energy Association, and author or co-author of nine books, including Cancer: 101 Solutions to a Preventable Epidemic, and the just-released The Climate Challenge: 101 Solutions to Global Warming. His website is www.earthfuture.com.

Alden E. Habacon

Alden E. Habacon is a diversity specialist and public intellectual in the area of interculturalism in Canada, and diversity in media and public institutions. He is the Manager of Diversity Initiatives for CBC Television and a sought-after national and international speaker and consultant on the topic of “Multiculturalism 2.0.” He is also the founder of Schema Magazine (www.SchemaMag.ca), an online magazine about the 1.5- and second generation Canadian experience of being “more than ethnic.”

Henry LaBonta

As Director of Art for EA Games, Academy Award nominee Henry LaBounta oversees the visual look of EA’s games. Working with selected teams to set the look and style of the games he partners with the designers, art directors, technicians and producers from visual development through production. LaBounta came to EA via PDI/DreamWorks, where he supervised visual effects for the Steven Spielberg film “Minority Report”. Prior to joining DreamWorks he worked at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) on many feature films including: “Twister”, “Casper” and “Star Trek VII Generations.” In 1996, LaBounta was nominated for an Academy Award for designing the look and techniques for the tornadoes and related effects on “Twister.”

Terry McBride

Terry McBride is the CEO and one of three founders of the Nettwerk Music Group, which includes Nettwerk Productions (Canada’s largest independent record label), Nettwerk Management (artist and producer management), Nettwerk One (publishing), and Artwerks (graphic and fashion design). In the past few years McBride has spoken at dozens of international conferences about advances in digital technology, intellectual property rights and the future of music distribution. As a testament to his progressive thinking within the music industry, in 2008 McBride was commissioned to co-author a paper for the British University of Westminster’s “Musictank” entitled “Meet the Millennials”. McBride also serves on Midem’s Visionary Chair Committee.

Dr. Patrick Moore

Dr. Patrick Moore has been a leader in the international environmental field for more than 35 years. He is a co-founder of Greenpeace and served for nine years as President of Greenpeace Canada and seven years as a Director of Greenpeace International. As the leader of many campaigns, Dr. Moore was a driving force shaping policy and direction while Greenpeace became the world’s largest environmental activist organization. In 2000, Dr. Moore published Green Spirit – Trees are the Answer, a photo-book that provides a new insight into how forests work and how they can play a powerful role in solving many of our current environmental problems. Dr. Moore currently serves as Chair and Chief Scientist of Greenspirit Strategies Ltd., a consultancy focusing on environmental policy and communications in forestry, agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture, mining, biodiversity, chemicals, energy and climate change.

Bryan Slusarchuk

A visionary investment and financial thought-leader, Bryan is passionate about working with innovative new environmental start-ups and looking at the most effective and progressive ways to introduce new green ideas in the Venture Capital space. Bryan talks about Planet Earth: The New Hedge Fund for Green Investors.

Marc Stoiber

Marc is an entrepreneur with a wealth of experience building brands. He has nearly two decades of global experience in every sector from packaged goods and beverage alcohol to pharma, financial services and tech. His strategic and leadership skills have helped two ad agencies rise from obscurity to market prominence. His creative craft, meanwhile, has been recognized by virtually every international industry award for advertising and design. Today, Marc leads Change – a company he launched in 2005 to brand innovative green products and services. Change is focused on helping corporations understand the green brand landscape, find a direction for their green brands, and communicate green brand benefits to consumers. He is a prolific public speaker on the subject, and his articles are seen in Sustainable Life Media.

Cris Derksen

Cris Derksen is a half-cree classically trained Canadian cellist whose captivating melodies and steadfast baselines have captured the attention of local and international audiences. Using a loop station and effect pedals, she is able to create an inspiring multi-dimensional auditory experience. She has worked with a wide variety of artists such as Inuit throat singer Tanya Tagaq, Kinnie Starr, Kokoro Dance, Karen Jaimeson Dance and Hip Hop Star Kanye West. She has performed in Norway, Spain, the Czech Republic, Brazil and Cuba as well as all over North America, and has just been announced as one of APTN’s (Aboriginal People’s Television Network) 2009 Rising Stars.

Shamik

Shamik hears music in his head and uses beatboxing to bring it to life. His crushing basslines, crisp rhythms, and a’cappella DJ sets have captivated audiences in 13 countries and every major Canadian city from coast to coast. Festival highlights include Rothbury (USA), Shambhala, Vancouver Island Musicfest (Canada), Sunburn (India), Colours of Ostrava (Czech Republic), and Dubplate (Philippines). As Shamik continues to spread the artform of his vocal percussion, he looks forward to recording more music, touring, and working with artists along the way.