TEDxBirmingham Announces Application Process to Attend March Event

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Dec. 10, 2013 - PRLog -- TEDxBirmingham, a locally organized event in the spirit of the TED Conferences, recently announced the opening of applications to attend its March 1, 2014 event, themed “Rediscover the Magic.”  Applications to receive an invitation can be made on their newly launched website at www.TEDxBirmingham.org.

The non-profit organization seeks to curate an audience of remarkable people representing a wide variety of professions and experiences who are looking forward to being inspired by the ideas shared at TEDxBirmingham and who will personify TED’s motto, “Ideas Worth Spreading.”

“We hope to have a group of attendees who represent a diverse cross-disciplinary mix of people, ranging from civic and business leaders to professionals, educators, technologists, artists, and more,” said Matthew Hamilton, the group’s co-organizer.  “The ideal attendee for a TEDx event is someone who does more than just show up to listen, but rather contributes to the conversation.”

Invitations to attend TEDxBirmingham will not be made on a first-come, first-serve basis.  Rather, applications will be open until January 15, 2014, and reviewed anonymously to invite people who will contribute the most to the event and fellow attendees.  Beginning in late January the group will begin sending out invitations for selected individuals to purchase tickets.

TEDxBirmingham is also offering a limited number of scholarships for college students and K-12 educators, allowing those selected to attend at no cost.  “Education is such an integral part of our community,” said Dr. Dylan Ferniany, the group’s K-12 Relations Coordinator.  “I think these scholarships will really bring some great attention to some outstanding teachers in Birmingham.”

Anyone interested in learning more about TEDxBirmingham can get information and apply to attend at www.TEDxBirmingham.org.  Information is also available by following @TEDxBirmingham (https://twitter.com/TEDxBirmingham) on Twitter.

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.)   http://www.ted.com/tedx

About TED

TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California almost 30 years ago, TED has grown to support those world-changing ideas with multiple initiatives. The two annual TED Conferences invite the world's leading thinkers and doers to speak for 18 minutes on a diverse mix of topics. Many of these talks are then made available, free, at TED.com. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Nandan Nilekani, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Isabel Allende and former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The TED2014 Conference will take place in Vancouver, British Columbia, along with the TEDActive simulcast in neighboring Whistler. TEDGlobal 2014 will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

TED's media initiatives include TED.com, where new TED Talks are posted daily; the Open Translation Project, which provides subtitles and interactive transcripts as well as translations from volunteers worldwide; the educational initiative TED-Ed; and TEDBooks, short e-books on powerful ideas. TED has established the annual TED Prize, where exceptional individuals with a wish to change the world get help translating their wishes into action; 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 remarkable projects and activities.

Follow TED on Twitter at http://twitter.com/TEDNews, or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TED.

For information about TED's upcoming conferences, visit http://www.ted.com/registration.

About TEDxBirmingham

TEDxBirmingham is an independent TEDx event operated under license from TED.  It is not being organized by the TED conferences — this is an independent TEDx event organized by Birmingham volunteers.

TEDxBirmingham is loosely themed, and speakers — none of whom are paid — are curated from various backgrounds. The program also features artistic performers as well as a tasting by a local chef.  Attending TEDxBirmingham requires applying for an invitation.  The audience is carefully curated, representing a cross-disciplinary mix of attendees, ranging from civic and business leaders to professionals, educators, technologists, and artists.  TEDxBirmingham – like all TEDx events – is an independent, volunteer effort.  It is not organized for political reasons, monetary reward, or personal gain.  Everyone associated with TEDxBirmingham does so because they believe in the power of ideas to change the world.  TEDxBirmingham is supported by sponsors, who provide both in-kind contribution of their services or products, or cash contributions.  TEDxBirmingham is organized under the financial stewardship of the Innovation Depot, which is a 501(c)(3) organization.