For the organisers of TEDxWandsworth, the event was a year in the making. For those lucky enough to attend, TEDxWandsworth was just a single day of inspirational talks and performances, but one that is not likely to fade from memory.

TEDx: big ideas at local level
TED is a modern phenomenon. What began in 1984 as a conference dedicated to the themes of technology, entertainment and design is today a nonprofit organisation that spreads ideas across the globe via short, powerful talks. They are translated into over 100 languages, watched by millions online and have expanded to include the TEDx initiative, where local communities organise their own event under the auspices of TED.

“Our main ambition is to bring TEDxWandsworth to the borough as an annual speaker event,” said organiser Amman Abid. “We want to engage with local people throughout the year to enable them to become part of our TEDx community by becoming speakers, volunteers, delegates, and organisations and businesses to become involved with us in partnership.”

On Saturday 5th November 2016, TEDx Wandsworth opened its doors for the second year running. Le Bureau, along with a select few Wandsworth businesses, had been chosen as a partner and our stand proved popular with attendees who were keen to learn more about coworking. No one could argue, however, that the talks were the focal point of the day.

TEDxWandsworth 2016: gaining ‘Perspective’
The theme of this year’s event was ‘Perspective’, which asked speakers to “challenge the orthodoxy”. Every one of the 18 talks and performances, most given by Wandsworth residents, interpreted the brief in a unique and powerful way.

To describe the line-up as ‘diverse’ does not do justice to the abundance of topics, ideas and stories that were shared throughout the day. The first talk, from Basky Thiliganation, Professor and Director of Fetal Medicine at St George’s Tooting, examined radical new research into the causation and treatment of pre-eclampsia, a condition in pregnancy that, in some cases, can prove fatal.

By mid-morning, we had heard talks on everything from double-loop learning, Crossrail design and an innovative approach to fitness, and the quality remained high into the afternoon. Performances came from the spheres of dance, music and spoken word, and the live action was interspersed by some of the most iconic TED talks of all time, shown on the big screen.

More information on each of the speakers can be found online at TEDxWandsworth, but below are four of Le Bureau’s favourite talks.

Natalia Cohen: The importance of connection: lessons from 257 days at sea in a rowboat
Natalia relayed her experience of rowing 9,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean as part of a four-woman crew. This is impressive enough before you consider the fact that Natalia had never rowed before.Ever. Her stories of sailing alongside sharks, breath-taking sunsets and the challenges of life at sea underpinned her life affirming message: that happiness is a choice, and self belief is everything.

Roderic Yapp: Double-loop learning: a case study from the front-line
Yapp is a former Marine officer who served in Afghanistan, Libya and anti-pirate operations off the coast of Somalia. His description of life on the front-line gave the reality of war vivid clarity and served as the basis for his main theme. Double-loop learning is the premise that learning can be used to challenge underlying understanding and beliefs. It is used regularly and with great effect in the military but as Yapp explained, it can be utilised by anyone to change entrenched negative patterns of behaviour. Yapp’s fluent delivery and confidence in his subject made this one of the best talks of the day.

Tereza Červeňová: A model’s journey to the other side of the camera
Tereza Červeňová started out as a model before the pressures of the industry took a dangerous toll on her mental and physical health. Having moved to London to study Fine Art in 2011, she soon realised that her passion and skill lay in photography and she switched courses to take it up full-time. Using images from her own work, Červeňová delivered a considered and moving talk on the nature of beauty and the difficulty of finding acceptance in your own skin. Wise beyond her years, it was almost impossible to believe she is only 25.

Guy Shahar: The beautiful reality of autism
For all that we hear about autism in the media, the condition is still hugely misunderstood and frequently mis-managed as a result. Guy Shahar is more qualified to talk about it than most. His son was diagnosed as severely autistic at a young age, prompting him and his wife to seek radical treatment. The results were extraordinary. He has since authored a book (Transforming Autism) and founded the Transforming Autism Project. His talk to TEDxWandsworth shed rare and valuable insight into the way society perceives this complex disease and why we should look at it differently.