TEDxWrigleyville Announces "Uplifting Discourse"

TEDxWrigleyville, a globally recognized and award-winning TEDx production group, is proud to announce its 2024 programming titled "Uplifting Discourse." This year's events are in partnership with TED Democracy and will include TEDx talks, activations, and musical performances on Tuesday, August 27th from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Chicago Cultural Center (78 E Washington). The program will also feature a Youth Democracy Film Festival on Friday, August 30th from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Gallagher Way (3635 N Clark).

This year’s speakers and performers intend to foster open dialogue, reduce polarization, promote accessible engagement, encourage accountability, build resilience, enhance public communication, and inspire creativity and innovation. The featured speakers include Joel Braunold, Rebecca Davis, Matt Hay, Debi Hemmeter, Kim Greene Hiller, George Lepauw, and Brooke Skinner Ricketts.

In addition, the Youth Democracy Film Festival will inspire young filmmakers to explore the diverse and impactful theme of democracy through creative storytelling. The grand prize winner will enjoy a private tour of Illinois Senator Dick Durbin’s office and a 30-minute meeting to discuss their views on democracy, empowering young voices in civic discourse. Additional prizes include recognition of the top films posted on the website and social media feeds, "Award" certificates for the winners, and a "Filmmaker" designation for all contestants.

These independently organized events, licensed by TED, are led by founder and executive producer Shermin Kruse and her team of curators and volunteers. Generous sponsors include Gallagher Way and The Chicago Cultural Center.

“The talks and film festival at our ‘Uplifting Discourse’ event are curated to help alleviate the challenges facing democracy today,” explains Kruse. “By promoting unity and understanding, we can collaboratively generate and share ideas that have the potential to change the world.”

Since their first event in 2019, TEDxWrigleyville has produced approximately 70 TEDx and TED Talks, as well as dozens of TEDx activations, performances, music videos, and art installation, with millions of times across TED.com, TEDx YouTube channels, and TED Daily Podcast platforms.

Tickets for TEDxWrigleyville’s “Uplifting Discourse” program on August 27th are $75 per person and can be purchased at www.tedxwrigleyville.com. The film festival will be free to the public with a suggested donation at the door. For more information, tickets, and film submissions, please visit www.tedxwrigleyville.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

About TEDx, x = independently organized event

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, TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection. 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.)

About TED

TED is on a mission to discover and spread ideas that spark imagination, embrace possibility and catalyze impact. Our organization is devoted to curiosity, reason, wonder and the pursuit of knowledge — without an agenda. We welcome people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world and engagement with others, and we invite everyone to engage with ideas and activate them in your community.

TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged. Today it spans a multitude of worldwide communities and initiatives exploring everything from science and business to education, arts and global issues. Aside from the hundreds of TED Talks curated from our annual conferences and published on TED.com, we produce original podcasts, short video series, animated TED-Ed lessons and TV programs that are translated into more than 100 languages and distributed via partnerships around the world. Each year, more than 3,000 independently run TEDx events bring people together to share ideas and bridge divides in communities on every continent. Through the Audacious Project, TED has helped catalyze nearly $3 billion in funding for projects that seek to make the world more beautiful, sustainable and just. In 2020, TED launched Countdown, an initiative to accelerate solutions to the climate crisis and mobilize a movement for a net-zero emission future. View a full list of TED’s many programs and initiatives.

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