The audience
One of the evening’s most intriguing questions is why the attendees were there. They all signed up filling out an action oriented application form (think of questions as “ What can you contribute?” and “Where lies your expertise?”) to ensure real change. So when Steven Kop asked why people had specifically chosen Arjan Erkel’s project, everybody answered without a blink: someone could provide broad knowledge, one participant was bitten by a mosquito as a kid, and a somewhat surprising yet practical answer came from a young man who is “deeply connected to Rotterdam and its high buildings.” The moment Arjan asked for an office space to organize project meetings about his gigantic mosquito net plans, the same guy immediately knew a spot – with a view on the desired Euromast. If only all development aid would go this smoothly!
Where can we start to describe the special evening some 108 benevolent change agents took part in last Monday at TEDxChange? There seemed to be a natural ease of exchanging information and knowledge between the guests and speakers. And if the ever rising room temperature reflected people’s burning desire to make that positive change the world needs, we can be reassured. Here are some typical moments you could have experienced.
Rushing to the tables
When we had heard all pitches, moderators Andrew Makkinga and Marcia Luyten, who did a fantastic job, asked the excited audience to make the difficult choice of only two projects. One could join two round tables during which a different course was served by catering service REST. Ever been to a warehouse sale? Let’s say there was a somewhat civilized rush to the ticket table before people spread out through the room. Seated as one of the first, Ron Admiraal joined Consolata Ndayishimiye: “Her story just stood out to me. She is on a very tough mission to move her country forward. I think I’ll be able to support by reaching out to expats living in Burundi.”
All speakers had a personal table host to support them, guide the discussion and collect all personal commitment forms (oh yes, we all had to capture our support on a piece of paper. And there are pictures to prove it, too.) Maybe the hosts have an even stronger connection to the speakers since they signed up to support them at an early stage. Host Frans Thijssen is a big fan of Pascal Katana because he firmly believes the world needs individual leadership more than organizations. “One person can make the difference and I think the future will be shaped by talented individuals.” Frans touches a shared world view there. This seems to me the one underlying belief all TEDsters share: people are not (only) the problem, but the source of solutions. “I love individuals who stand up and make things happen. I can see that in Pascal and his vision on sustainable energy. That’s why I wanted to be his host tonight.”
