TEDx made its name as a worldwide speech event in which faculty and students come together to share diverse ideas and thoughts. Modeled after the original TED Talks, these prestigious gatherings bring honor to any campus that earns the privilege to host. 

For the event to take place, schools need approval known as the TEDx license, granted by the conference. The DIS TEDx team successfully secured their spot among various distinguished international schools for the third consecutive year. The qualification process, which typically spans over seven months, was completed in four months. This allowed speakers to plan their speeches and practice with ample time. Now, as they gear up for the program, members outline the modifications for this year.

The main contrast between this and last year’s events mostly comes from the speech topics, which became more diverse. Ms. Loutsch, the main organizer, said, “Advice we received from TEDx is to make sure we don’t have all of the speeches just centered around one theme.”

The number of speakers also remarkably decreased, with 15 last year and 12 now. “We shrank the number of speakers because we weren’t able to fit all of the speeches in the event last year. Having fewer speakers would save so much more time,” said Ms. Loutsch.

The team decided to conduct the talk in the gym, which established a more open environment for both the presenters and the audience. In the previous venue, the presentation hall, the confined space disrupted the overall focus. As a result, the hosts chose the gymnasium to alleviate such concerns. 

This year’s event also offers special events to add a splash of fun. “We are trying to give a new change in the way of entertaining the audiences during the intermission time. This year for the intermission, unlike last year when the orchestra performed, TEDx is inviting several lunch clubs to come together to showcase their group while our rock bands perform for the audience.” said senior Alex Lee, the co-organizer of the team. 

He added, “I am confident to say this year is going to be the one that lasts for everyone. As DIS is the only school in Daegu to host a TEDx event, I would like to see a lot of appreciation and participation from the middle and high school community. I hope many people can come and join the event. See you there.” TEDx welcomes attendees to the Jetnasium on Wednesday, Mar. 13.