Theme: Unmuted

What does it mean to be (un)muted? This year’s event is centered on this theme, challenging us to tackle taboos by unmuting ourselves and bringing to light ideas that are too often hidden from the spotlight. With this open theme, we allow our speakers to explore being unmuted from multiple angles, perspectives, and life experiences. You will hear a breadth of exciting ideas spanning across fields from Leiden University students, scholars, and professionals on the cutting edge. We aim to open a safe space for our speakers to share ideas that ought to be unmuted in the public sphere. Our ambition is to highlight a variety of topics and issues and to foster conversations that turn whispers into progress.

PLNT Leiden - Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Langegracht 70
Leiden, Zuid-Holland, 2312 NV
Netherlands

Alexandra Kolb

Student at Leiden Universiy College

The Blessings and Curses of ADHD - Alexandra currently studies Liberal Arts and Sciences. Alexandra’s Talk focuses on the experience of growing up with neurodivergence, especially ADHD. Having dealt with ADHD for the past 19 years, Alexandra strives to shed light on the glories and the curses of ADHD in the hope that people gain greater empathy for those facing the disorder.

Efe Afonoghara

Student at Leiden University

Unmuting Ancestral Wisdom - Efe currently studies International Relations and Organizations. Efe’s topic centers on the value of traditional knowledge forms when addressing societal, environmental, economic, and political issues. Rather than pursue complex expensive high tech solutions to development issues, Efe calls for low-tech solutions, grounded in ancestral wisdom. The idea for his Talk stems from his current endeavors to address the issue of the housing shortage in West Africa.

Femke Bakker

Professor

The Power of Self-gentleness - Femke works as an assistant professor in Political Psychology at Leiden University. She also works as an inspirational speaker, meditation & self-empowerment teacher. Femke is also known for her work as a professional actor and scriptwriter for Dutch television and theatre during the 1990s and early 2000s. In her Talk, Femke explains what self-gentleness is, and why it is such a powerful tool to bring out the best in yourself and in others.

Iago Jover Mariño

Student at Leiden University

Technology and Educational Innovation - Iago currently studies International Relations and Organisations. His Talk focuses on the ways in which classrooms must be modernised in order to adapt to modern times. Through a multidisciplinary and inclusive approach, the implementation of “Creative Technology” is analysed as the solution our educational systems need.

Jiye Seong-Yu

Activist

Data and Storytelling: Bringing Marginalized Voices Forward - Jiye Seong-Yu is one of the co-founder of Asian Voices Europe, a young nonprofit working on facilitating dialogue on anti-Asian racism in Europe, and the first Asian organization consulted by the European Commission for its anti-racism action plans. During the day, she works as the RightsCon Communications & Engagement Lead at Access Now, a global nonprofit working on human rights in the digital age. Basing her Talk off her experiences, Jiye explores the use of subjective stories and objective data in creating balanced dialogues and space for marginalized voices.

Margje de Koning

Artistic Director

Movies That Unmute - Margje is the artistic director of the renowned film festival Movies that Matter. Holding several decades of experience working in radio, television, and film, she is a firm believer in the power of film for social change. Drawing on her experience, Margje’s Talk will explore how films can be leveraged to catalyze change? In doing so, she intends to focus on societal and environmental issues.

Milda Gadliauskaitė

Student at Leiden University

Regretting Motherhood - Milda currently studies International Relations and Organisations. In her Talk, Milda unmutes the topic of regretting motherhood. She expands on the negative implications of connecting a woman’s worth to her ability of being a mother and gives some solutions to make the lives of mothers better.

Nova Spruijt

Student at Leiden University College

The Time to Make Catcalling a Crime Is Now - Nova Spruijt currently studies Liberal Arts and Sciences. Having led events related to feminism, Nova’s Talk discusses the experience of being catcalled, and attempts made to criminalize the act of catcalling. She addresses the urgency of fighting against catcalling and highlights the impacts it has for women in our daily society. From this point of view, she will discusses if criminalization might be the path to take.

Sander de Bruin

Student at Leiden Univeristy

The Other Side of Unmuting - Sander currently studies International Relations and Organisations. As a former debater, presenter and speechwriter, Sander in his talk will focus on the importance of listening, and how it can help to unmute the ones around you, as well as yourself. Sander suggests that we actively listen: hear the experiences and stories of people, without jumping to conclusions or counterarguments.