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).

Grand Hotel Millennium Sofia
89 B, Vitosha Blvd
Sofia, Sofia-Grad, 1463
Bulgaria

Boyana Zareva

Violinist, composer

She loves dancing with words, drawing pictures with her songs and telling stories. Her artistic career started with the Youth Chamber Orchestra at the early age of 14. Her passion lead her through musical experiences like rock bands, albums, theatrical performances, festivals, touring the world, writing music for movies and documentaries, solo violin performance for a role-playing video game, opening shows as a warm-up artist, writing musical fairy tales for children, and countless appearances on stage. Somewhere there, among the classic pop, rock, jazz and electronic music, Bo started writing her own original music. In the year of the world lockdown she made a series of online concerts for parents and children. A partnership with Green Peace lead her to the project Solar Swing – the first totally sun-powered concert in Bulgaria. In June 2022 she was part of Andrea Bocelli’s tour in Scotland. Boyana Zareva is an Ambassador for WWF Bulgaria.

Deyan Duhalov

Herpetologist

The turtle whisperer Over 10,000 pictures of turtles, all different. They are in Deyan Duhalov’s portfolio. And before you decide he's a photographer addicted to reptiles, let us disclose his true profession. Deyan is a herpetologist - a zoologist who studies amphibians and reptiles, their role in global ecology. These animals are particularly sensitive to changes in the environment. Observing and exploring what they do provides information and warnings of upcoming changes in nature. Deyan Duhalov spends several months a year in “field work”. He goes outside the city, without a permanent connection to the Internet, away from computers, cars, noise. Close to nature - to observe it and to propose solutions on preserving it. He is far from thinking that we humans can completely stop using the resources that nature offers us. But he believes that we can do it wisely and with the future in mind. "Let's not lose the connection with Earth - let's use it, but let’s do it gently," he says.

Francois-Alexandre Bertrand

Shallow Waters Explorer

There is a reason they call him FAB, from fabulous. He has been Executive Director of the Women’s Forum for Economy and Society, and then - the mind and heart of a novel trimaran called Platypus, which both cruises the sea and then lowers its passengers below the water. He founded the Blue Odyssey Initiative, a program to combine the strength of science and technology for the study of shallow waters. His willingness to impact the world turned the first Platypus prototype into an exploration boat. In June 2022 the Blue Odyssey Initiative had its maiden voyage from Monaco to Marseille, including 60 km under water, to study Posidonia oceanica and the impact of human activity. FAB points out that such innovations will help people both enjoy, and explore shallow waters – as no one yet dedicates a lot of attention to these sea areas. Fantastic discoveries and all the experience from the trip make Francois-Alexandre believe that everything is linked together – people, fish, earth and water.

Khalid Ibrahim Emara

Ambassador of Egypt

He comes from an ancient land and he has travelled the world learning from the wisdom of each country and growing with each position. He was part of the Egyptian negotiating team concluding the Association Agreement between Egypt and the EU, Minister Plenipotentiary at the Permanent Mission of Egypt to the UN and the WTO, Chief Negotiator for Egypt at the WTO in Geneva, National Coordinator for Egypt Presidency of the African Union. His first ambassadorial position was in Tehran. He was officially welcomed as the Egypt Ambassador to Sofia in December 2019.Khalid Emara graduated with honours from the University of Vienna, specialised in Paris and Amsterdam, was a Harvard University Fellow and an alumnus of the Georgetown Leadership Seminar. He has lectured in Harvard at the Kennedy School of Government, in Boston University, MIT, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, the University of Florence, Bocconi University in Milan, University of Rome, and Brookings Institute in Washington D.C.

Maria Zhekova

Chef, TV anchor

“Food is nature.” This is the philosophy of Maria Zhekovа and she embodies it in her everyday life. Maria initially pursued a career in photography while having strong passion for culinary and Bulgarian traditions. As a teenager she experienced difficulties with weight issues and was inspired to change her diet. Her learn-about-food journey led her to win Master Chef in 2021 at the age of 28. And her love for nature prompted her move to a small village in the Rhodope Mountains, where she is now building a special place for art, healthy food and crafts. She named the house “Silivryak” which means an evergreen perennial plant. Maria believes we can all be conservationists for the sake of helping nature restore itself. She is ready to share how we can achieve this - by eating in a sustainable way, respecting the gifts of nature and looking after all living beings on our Mother Earth.

Roberto Santorelli

President Confindustria

His education at Guido Carli University of Rome and his master’s thesis were about high-tech business growth strategies. His professional qualifications developed further through the Elite program training at the London Stock Exchange, in the University of Michigan and through numerous online courses in prestige US-based business universities. In 2009 his winding life-path brought him to Plovdiv, Bulgaria where his family business is about growing fruit – predominantly cherries and plums - and processing the produce for export to 35 countries. Today he is the President of Confindustria Bulgaria, member of the General Council of Confindustria East Europe in Rome, and a member of the Management Board of the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria. Roberto Santorelli’s professional goal is to share his knowledge, skills and values with his Bulgarian team members, so that he may contribute to better social and economic development.

Tony McMurray

CIMA Fellow

He was a national Long Jump champion and has run the marathons of London, Paris, and New York. He served as a volunteer living on a kibbutz and driving a car at the 2012 London Olympics. He kayaked the River Thames, biked the length of the British Isles and was leaving Mount Everest Base Camp when Nepal was hit by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake. Tony McMurray’s life is as challenging and fulfilling as a mountaineering adventure. He is a Fellow of CIMA, the world’s largest professional body of management accountants, has been an ambassador for the UK Alzheimer’s Society, and a supporter of women in business through mentorship programs. Tony has been wearing both an “executive hat” and his “fundraiser hat”, continuously challenging his courage and perseverance, and inspiring others to follow. His current challenge is to climb the 56 Bulgarian peaks above 2,500m as he raises funds and awareness in support of the “For our Children Foundation”.