Hickory – A group of local volunteers are planning the sixth year of TEDxHickory, a full-day event to be held November 3, 2018 at the The Belk Centrum at Lenoir-Rhyne University. The independently organized event — TEDx Hickory — is licensed by TED and will feature a combination of live speakers and TED Talk videos that is sure to elevate the thinking and broaden the perspective of all who participate.

TEDx Hickory is looking for speakers to present at this coming year’s event, under the theme “The Power of Know.” We have all the knowledge in the world right at our fingertips. Don’t believe me? Pull out your phone. Nowadays, we can look up information on just about anything – and that’s what ultimately is making us more naive. Just about everyone with an opinion can become an expert. So what’s real? What’s not? What is being an expert? What is being knowledgeable? And most importantly, does it even matter?

We are an inquisitive species. From birth we seek to learn, to understand, to know. All of us know some things but none of us know all things – although we all know at least one know-it-all. But our thirst for knowledge has stagnated. When our number one source of information and news is Facebook, we know we need to do better. We now live in an information bubble where we just receive curated content that validates our perceptions.

So, what do you know that others don’t? What specialized or obscure knowledge do you possess? What do you know that others would like to learn about? Maybe it’s an expertise in medicine, technology, nutrition, history, astronomy, or something less academic but equally specialized like growing herbs, cooking, telling jokes, woodworking, or juggling. Can you share what you know in a format that educates and entertains?  Then you might be right for Tedx Hickory this year when we explore “The Power of Know.”

Anyone interested in speaking will be asked to provide talks that fall under the “The Power of Know” theme – however broad or specific. Per the rules of TEDx, presenters are allowed to speak for no more than 18 minutes each. From now through September 14, those interested can apply online by visiting TEDx Hickory.com. Presentations will be chosen based on how well they fit the vision of TEDx and the variety of the presentations for the day.

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, 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). Follow TEDx Hickory on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TEDxHickory/

About TED

TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California 30 years ago, TED has grown to support its mission with multiple initiatives. The two annual TED Conferences invite the world’s leading thinkers and doers to speak. These talks are then made available at TED.com. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Nandan Nilekani, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Sal Khan and Daniel Kahneman.

The annual TED Conference takes place each spring in Vancouver, British Columbia, along with the TEDActive and TEDFest events. TED’s media initiatives include TED.com, where new TED Talks are posted daily; the educational initiative TED-Ed; TEDx, which supports individuals or groups in hosting local, self- organized TED-style events around the world, and the TED Fellows program, helping world-changing innovators from around the globe to amplify the impact of their projects and activities.