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 video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

AlRasheed Hotel
Green zone
Baghdad, Baghdād
Iraq

Abdul salam Taha

Researcher and writer in the archaeological field

Researcher and writer in the field of archeology, Abdulsalam Sobhi Taha, is an architect who is completing his studies in ancient Iraqi architecture. He has many books like “Looting and Destruction of the Iraqi Archeological Sites”, with a series of articles on the memory of Iraq on the black market. He published the diary of Iraqi Archaeologist Dr. Bahnam Abu Al-Suf, and has a book under the title “Tal al-Tawbah” (Prophet of Islam, between religious and historical texts and archaeological discoveries) that will be published this year. He launched the Urim initiative to support the archaeological site of the ancient city of Ur, which is now on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites.

Ahmed Gilgamesh

Musician

Since childhood, his love for music has emerged then he taught himself everything from scratch. In 2013, he established his first musical project that he named “Gilgamesh” to remind everyone of the Iraqi old-standing origins of music. Gilgamesh says that laser harp was like a dream for him, so he decided to merge the Sumerian harp with the laser harp, to come out with a new Iraqi unique masterpiece.

Ahmed Hasan

Doctorate in Astrophysics

Cultural and scientific connections are made in order to exchange information and transfer knowledge from one country to another. This is what Dr. Ahmed Hassan, a holder of a doctorate degree in Astrophysics from the University of Bonn in Germany, adopted. He graduated from the Physics Department in Mustansiriyah University and obtained a Master's degree from University of Baghdad. Then, he started to make his way to success by establishing the first laboratory for Astrophysics in the Arab world, which was supervised by the German Professor Kurb and him. He has published many scientific researches and articles in several magazines and has also participated in many conferences on national and international levels. In addition, he was awarded the Science Shield by Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Iraq in 2014. Dr. Ahmed Hassan has made the first scientific cultural connections between University of Bonn and the Iraqi universities.

Ali Abdulhussein

PhD in medical technology

Dr. Ali Abdulhussein, the holder of PhD in medical technology, and one of the founders of a research unit, working as its current manager and supervisor of its laboratories at College of Medical Technology in the Middle Technical University. In addition to 74 prizes he has gotten on both national and international levels, he received several golden awards from European Union and other countries. He is the first Iraqi to win the golden award of WIPO. Dr. Ali Abdulhussein has four written books and 68 published research. In addition, he is the theorist of the Intelligent Transformation of the ELISA Techniques Theory.

Farida Mohammed

Singer

Her name comes up whenever the Iraqi maqam is mentioned, Mrs. Farida Mohammed Ali who was born in the city of Karbalaa in 1963. Her talent was discovered since childhood through participation in school and public teams led by Mr. Farooq Hilal in the 70s and 80s. later, she joined the big singer Ilham almadfaee’s band. As she was one of the most promising talents, the great musician Muneer Basheer asked her to join him, and asked Hussain Alaadamy to train her and teach her some of the Iraqi maqam. She has specialized in singing Iraqi maqam in a wonderful way, especially the maqam of Aldasht. Mrs Farida, during her study of many types maqams, has learned 40, and therefore the artist Hussein Adhami said, “I was not a teacher but a guide to her talent”. Farida was in the lead among her peers in singing the Iraqi maqam and was the first female singer to earn an academic degree in music.

Ibtihal Mohammed

teacher

Ibtihal, the holder of a bachelor's degree in Physical Education, is a young Iraqi woman from Mosul who fled her home towards Kirkuk when ISIS controlled the city. On her way to Kirkuk, she had a bombing accident during which she lost her eye and right leg. She also lost her father in a traffic accident. However, she built up her strength and managed to take the Master’s degree to serve people with disabilities in Kirkuk. In addition to her job, Ibtihal is now working in an international organization to help persons with disabilities.

Live Band

Live Band

Music is the language of the world no matter how much its patterns are different. Live Band is a band of 4 friends, Aws Emad who plays guitar, Mustafa Dhafer and Raeid Mahmoud on the bass guitar and oud, and Mustafa Abdulqader on drums. Despite different academic backgrounds and professional careers, the love of music has brought them together in one place. The band’s name came from live western instruments they use and the music they play with an Iraqi touch. With their passion, the four friends try to convey to their fans the different musical colors they produce by mixing western instruments with an Iraqi traditional color. Their musical mixture creates a masterpiece that everyone enjoys listening to.

Mahmoud Mohsen

Computer Engineer

“You can't get blood out of stones,'' a proverb which was believed by a lot of people. But our speaker Mr. Mahmoud has another opinion. Mr. Mahmoud Mohsen Yaseen graduated from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering. He was appointed as a teacher of computer and then a teacher of mathematics and physics at a school in Al-Khalis district of Diyala province where he has worked for more than 10 years. Mr. Mahmoud suffers from hearing loss but is considered as one of the best teachers in his district for using modern and short teaching methods. The stuttering in speech was another obstacle in his way, but it did not prevent him from delivering information and scientific material to students in the easiest and fastest way, which helped his students to graduate with high grades.

Mawj Aldarraji

Architect

Mawj Aldarraji is an Architect with a hobby like no other, which is mountain climbing. She is pioneering this sport in the Middle East, as she is the first Iraqi female mountaineer and one of the youngest Arab females to engage in this sport. Mawj holds a decent record of summits and adventures while carrying the love and dedication towards her country alongside. Mawj goal is to be the first Iraqi mountaineer to climb the world’s highest seven summits and raise the Iraqi flag on top. One of the summits is the mighty Everest, which is, according to her timeline, set to be climbed in the coming year. By achieving this, she will be the youngest Arab female and the first Iraqi to reach the Summit Mountain Everest. Mawj is also an activist in the humanitarian field and is planning to start a worldwide fundraising campaign with each summit she climbs, and all the fund benefits would be dedicated to the displaced people in Iraq.

Mina Al-khuzai

Doctor

Education is the cornerstone of society. Urging children to learn and instilling love of education will boost up and develop their aspirations and ambitions and help them go further in their life. Our ambitious speaker, Mina Alkhuzai has tried to eliminate illiteracy of 8 million uneducated children, so she built a boarding school in Najaf in 2015 for orphans, poor and homeless children. The school opened its doors in 2018 and received around 164 children.

Mohammed Minhaj

Activist

A simple initiative that was able to eliminate many problems in society like poverty and class-based classification along with instilling the spirit of cooperation among society members. Our speaker, Mohammed Minhaj is the founder of “Free in Baghdad initiative”, which is a socio-cultural project that aims to end or reduce sufferings of many of the sick and the poor, narrow the social gap on class level, and gather people in the same place. Mohammed Minhaj was able to activate the people’s role towards the society as good citizens and cultivate a spirit of cooperation among people.

Mohammed Yousif

Engineer computer science

Muhammed Yousif, holder of a master’s degree in computer science, has designed together with his hard-working crow members high-tech electronic glasses that enable the blind to detect high road obstacles that normal blind stick cannot detect. It also enables the person to walk freely without any accompaniment.

Nawar Al-Saadi

PhD in International Economics

Our speaker, Dr. Nawar Al-Saadi, a holder of a PhD in International Economics from the University of Bucharest. Now, he is a professor and director of scientific research center at Cihan University-Duhok. In addition, he is an economist at the Middle East Institute for Political and Economic Studies in Bucharest. He has over 15 years of extensive experience in international economic development especially in the field of management, marketing and international relations. He has worked with many institutions and in different countries and published many scientific research papers in international scientific journals and his last book was "Globalization of the Free Economy" which was published in U.S.A and some European countries.

Tap Dancing

TARKIB

Hella Mewis & Ameen Mokdad (TARKIB) Hella Mewis is a German freelance Art Manager, who has been living and working in Baghdad since 2013. Ameen Mokdad is an Iraqi freelance Composer and Musician from Mosul. Both are active members of TARKIB Baghdad Contemporary Arts Institute. The developed together the program of ART THERAPY LAB open for all ages, bodies and souls. ART THERAPY LAB is a workshop-series to explore ways of human development using art practices. Each workshop-session ends up with a public audience-participation presentation. Band members: Ameen Mokdad Umniyah Abdulnaser khalid Layla Mohammed Ridha Hella Mewis Noora Yaqoob Yousuf Abd AL-Rahman Ahmad Hussein Mohammed Zaid Hussien Mohammed Mohamed Ahmed Kadhem Khalid Abdulnasser Khalid Mrtza Jabbar Yasser ALnaqqash Mrtza wrong Murtadha jabbar Kadhum