The fifth annual student-led TEDxNYUAD took place as part of the global TEDx series in the NYU Abu Dhabi Arts Center’s Red Theater on April 13. TED, which stands for Technology, Entertainment, and Design, is a program designed to serve as a platform for people all around the world to share their stories and research under the mantra “Ideas Worth Spreading.” TEDx is a program that aims to bring the spirit of TED’s mission to local communities around the globe. The theme this year for TEDxNYUAD was “In Plain Sight,” focusing on ideas or concepts that have become hidden in plain sight due to either constant exposure or a lack of noticeable alternatives. The open-ended and ambiguous nature of the theme lent itself to wide interpretation across different cultures and academic disciplines represented within the NYU Abu Dhabi community.

From talks on the effect of rapidly accelerating global warming in Nepal by Rastraraj Bhandari, to the journey and struggles faced by female Arab athletes by Maitha AlSuwaidi, TEDxNYUAD 2019 featured an impressive range of passionate and eloquent speakers.

Emma Kay Tocci, Class of 2020, delivered a spirited speech entitled, “We Need To Start Telling Americans They’re Ignorant.” The talk detailed her personal journey with confronting her own ignorance due to her U.S. American upbringing. On what motivated her speech, Tocci said, “My desire to speak about the subject of American ignorance, and ignorance in a broader context, came from my own personal experience with not knowing things I should know. I felt that it was an important topic to talk about because it’s a sensitive issue, but a very critical problem in today’s globalized world. I wanted to dissect the ’ignorant American' stereotype, to see what the validity and cause of it was, and how it’s perpetuated.”

In contrast, Jagan Nayaranan Subramanian, Class of 2019, gave a design oriented talk on the influence buildings and architecture have on our everyday lives. In his speech, Subramanian discussed how buildings have historically contributed to the formation of social codes and etiquette in society. "The key to more inclusive architecture is you. You have the power to transform a badly designed building into a good and useful one, just by being mindful and thoughtful of how you interact with the places around you,” said Subramanian.

Staff and faculty members also participated in the event. Peter Dicce, Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Athletics, took the spotlight, delivering a speech that discussed the intersection between sports and globalization in the context of locker room talk. “It is as if life has turned into a zero sum game. If you win then I lose and if I win then you lose. What I’m here to tell you is that sports are the exception because sports bind us together. Sports influence how millions of us connect each other and how we situate ourselves in the world and how we gain some small sense of identity,” he said. Dicce concluded in his speech by asking the audience to chant with him “Love, Love, Love” echoing the sentiments of retired footballer Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as “Pele” who in 1977 also cried “Love! Love! Love” to a crowd of 75,646 in his farewell.

Other speakers included Alta Mauro, Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Spiritual Life and Intercultural Education, who reflected on the everyday horrors of marginalization and misrepresentations we encounter. Imen Masmoudi, a local high school student who detailed her personal struggles and ultimately revelation with her faith also spoke. Overall, the event displayed a wide variety of talented and evocative speakers.