About
TEDxDU
The University of Denver is a pioneer in the global TEDx movement. DU was eager to be a TEDx licensee because our missions so closely align. TED is about ideas worth sharing; DU measures its success by the lives our graduates go on to lead, and the impact they and our students, faculty and staff have in our community and our world. We envision TEDxDU as a gigantic collaboration engine — a catalyst for positive change. There are others out there who share our commitment to improving the human condition — imagine when we find and connect with one another, how much faster our collective progress will be.
TED
TED is an annual event where some of the world’s leading thinkers and doers are invited to share what they are most passionate about. “TED” stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design—three broad subject areas that are, collectively, shaping our future. And in fact, the event is broader still, showcasing ideas that matter in any discipline. Attendees have called it “the ultimate brain spa” and “a four-day journey into the future.” The diverse audience — CEOs, scientists, creatives, philanthropists—is almost as extraordinary as the speakers, who have included Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Frank Gehry, Paul Simon, Sir Richard Branson, Philippe Starck and Bono.
TED was first held in Monterey, Calif., in 1984. In 2001, Chris Anderson’s Sapling Foundation acquired TED from its founder, Richard Saul Wurman. In recent years, TED has expanded to include an international conference, TEDGlobal; media initiatives, including TED Talks and TED.com; TEDx, a program to license TED to independent organizers around the world; and the TED Prize.
To date, there have been over 600 TEDx events, with over 700 more planned, in 88 countries. TED videos have been viewed 319 million times since the launch of TED.com.
TED2011, “The Rediscovery of Wonder,” will take place Feb. 28–March 4, 2011, in Long Beach.
TEDx
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 videos 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.
