TEDxAmposta 2018 showcases female talent

The slogan of the TED organization is "ideas worth spreading" and that is precisely what the southern Catalan town of Amposta intends to do on Saturday when it hosts the fourth edition of TEDxAmposta. TEDx events are independently organized versions of the famous TED conferences, providing a forum for experts to give talks on their different specialties, from such fields as design and technology to culture and science.

Yet, this year’s TEDxAmposta is somewhat exceptional, as 70% of the expert speakers at the event are women. Attendees will get the chance to hear talks by the likes of computer whiz and Google prizewinner Jordina Torrents, award-winning mezzosoprano Anna Brull, and even Ukrainian world chess champion Anna Muzychuk, who refused to take part in the last world chess championship in Saudi Arabia in protest over what she saw as sexist rules.

In fact, Muzychuk’s presence will be one of the highlights of the event on Saturday, which begins in the morning with the world champion playing chess against 25 opponents, at the same time. "It is not about beating them all, but about enjoying the match and to get even more people interested in chess and to promote young talent. It will be a lovely activity in which the result is not important,” said the chess champion.

TEDxAmposta, which is held in La Lira Ampostina theatre, will also showcase local talent, such as the aforementioned Brull, who is from the nearby town of Ampolla but who now lives and works in Austria. Brull says she intends to talk about what it takes to succeed, “explaining that if I can do it, anyone can with perseverance and dedication,” she says, adding: “It is not only talent but also the hours one has to put into anything.”

The high proportion of women participating in this year’s TEDxAmposta was by pure chance, according to organizer Joan Esteller. "It was not deliberate. We looked for people who are leaders and who are helping to change the world, who have ideas that are worth spreading, and we were delighted to find that most of them were women. We are very happy it has turned out this way,” he said.