Theme: Migration: Chances. Challenges.

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).

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Germany

Fetsum

Fetsum’s life bears resemblance to a fascinating story through highly divers worlds. Born in Egypt as the son of Eritrean revolutionists, his family was forced to leave the country due to political circumstances and they fled to Italy. Three years later they continued their journey and finally found a new home in Stuttgart, Germany. A cast of fortune, since Stuttgart was evolving in the 90s-era into the epicenter of German hip-hop music. Fetsum build a friendship with Max Herre in his early years, where he gained not only a friend, but also his first musical experiences and insights. Shaped by his own history and origin, he decided to study political sciences. Nevertheless, he remained true to music. In the following years Fetsum shared stages with the likes of Patrice, K’naan, Söhne Mannheims and Peter Fox. His debut album ”The Colors of Hope” released in 2012 gained national as well as international attention.

Pastor James Wuye and Mohammed Ashafa

Pastor Wuye and Imam Ashafa are committed to the peaceful co-existence between Christians and Muslims. The two ministers have experienced the dynamics of inter-religious violence themselves in ongoing conflicts in Nigeria until they finally established the Interfaith Mediation Centre. The Centre now strengthens successfully Interreligious cooperation, conflict resolutions and peace education. The work relies on the roots of the problem and involves institutions such as churches and schools. Their presence in the media has gained them great support even outside Nigeria.

Abdoulaye Fall

Abdoulaye Fall holds a degree in English Studies. He later attended a Master in Translation, Interpretation and Intercultural Studies and has a Master in Immigration Management. Currently, Abdoulaye is a PhD candidate researching on Senegalese Migration in Catalonia at the Center for Demographic Studies of Barcelona. After founding his own self-funded group, he got involved in the self-funded Communities Program as a field agent and contributed considerably in reaching migrants’ communities in Spain alongside with the monitoring of CAFs and the organization of training activities in the field of microfinance and community organization. Abdoulaye is presently Vice-President of the European Financial Inclusion Network. Based on his own work experience, he deeply believes in the capacity of low-income people to improve their life conditions without external help provided they are given the adequate tools and the reasons to believe in it.

Anne Kjaer Riechert

Anne Kjær Riechert is a graduate from the prestigious social innovation and change management education KaosPilot in Denmark. She worked as the creative lead and corporate social responsibility consultant for the Copenhagen-based brand strategy company Stoic, where she, amongst others, developed and implemented Samsung Electronics award- winning CSR strategy for Scandinavia. Anne was recognized by Berlingske Business Magazine as one of Denmark’s 10 largest talents under 35 years, in the “Business Development” category. In response to the refugee crises, Anne co-founded Refugees on Rails to help integrate refugees into the European tech scene. The project later developed into a vocational training program teaching basic and advanced programming skills to asylum seekers to get them ready to work. Since January 2016 Anne is managing director of the program, called “ReDI School of Digital Integration”.

April Humble

As a Scot living in Berlin, April Humble’s academic background lies in Peace Studies. Today, her professional work consists of serving on the Secretariat of the Earth League, an international group of climate change experts. Additionally, as a junior scientist, her interest lie in climate change and migration. April has dedicated much time over the years to working with refugees in different capacities. Since the refugee crisis, she has spent time in Kos and Bodrum working with refugees and has been involved in helping to keep refugees alive and safe en route, particularly in the Aegean sea crossing, through working with United Rescues (an SOS line for refugees in trouble) and through providing life jackets to refugees about to make the crossing. In her spare time, she is a passionate researcher on global border security and its effects on those on the move.

Asem Hasna

Asem Hasna is a Syrian prosthetic technician and was a paramedic in the Syrian war with a background of studying mathematics for two years. Since 2014, Asem works as a 3D printing expert in Refugee Open Ware (ROW) to employ technologies to help people in crises affected areas. ROW is a global humanitarian innovation consortium whose mission is to employ advanced technology to improve human rights fulfilment of both refugees and host communities in conflict-affected areas - such as 3D printing, robotics, the internet of things, brain-computer interface and virtual/ augmented reality.

David Lubell

Inge Missmahl

Inge Missmahl has been involved as a main actor in the activities supporting the establishment of a mental health system and mental health services in Afghanistan since 2004. Inge has founded IpsogGmbH (International Psychosocial Organisation) a non profit humanitarian Organisation based in Germany. She also founded the online video service: www.ipso-ecare.com. Ipso is specialized in the field of mental health and psychosocial care, developing locally adapted concepts, delivering trainings for psycho social counsellors and other health staff. Psychosocial stressors, such as family conflicts, personal problems, grief, life transitions and the possible conflicts arising from the different value systems in societies of different stakeholders are addressed with Ipso’s programs. Peace and reconciliation, strengthening civil society and individuals to take social responsibility are the underlying aims of all Ipso’s programs.

Kilian Kleinschmidt

Kilian Kleinschmidt is an international networker, humanitarian and refugee expert with over 25 years experience in a wide range of countries, emergencies and refugee camps as United Nations official, Aid worker and Diplomat. He is the founder and Chairman of the Startup Innovation and Planning Agency (IPA) which aims at connecting the millions of poor and dispossessed with the idle and under-utilized resources and modern technologies of the 21st century through its project Switxboard. Kilian is part of a number of initiatives and projects which aim at global connectivity through better use of globalization. He currently also advises the Austrian Ministry of Interior on Refugee issues. He became known as the “Mayor of Zatari” when he managed on behalf of UNHCR the refugee camp of Za’atari in Northern Jordan from 2013 to 2014. Za’atari has become a symbol for new and innovative approaches in refugee and humanitarian management under his leadership.

Mehmet Celebi

Mehmet Alparslan Çelebi is board member of the Central Council of Muslims in Germany (ZMD), co-founder of the Center for Arts, Research and Education (CARE e.V.), co- publisher at Der.Wisch publishing house and works as a Manager at zeb Financial Services Advisory. Mehmet’s areas of social work comprise Islamic identity in Europe, Islamophobia, Turkish-German relations and social and political integration of Muslims, where he creates collaboration networks and initiates and leads projects. As political active and conservative Muslims, his parents have founded one of Europe’s biggest Turkish- Islamic NGO named ATIB with over 180 member associations throughout Europe. Mehmet has led the youth organization of ATIB and was announced as board member, where today he is in charge of refugee projects, education of young members and collaboration with governmental bodies.

Shai Reshef

President and founder of University of the People, Shai Reshef is an educational entrepreneur, with over 25 years of experience in the international education market. Shai has been widely recognized for his work with UoPeople, including being named one of Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business, awarded an Ashoka fellowship and selected by The Huffington Post as the Ultimate Game Changer in Education. Recently, he was awarded the Prince’s Prize for Innovative Philanthropy by Prince Albert II of Monaco. Before founding University of the People, Shai directed KIT e-learning, the first online university in Europe. His TED Talk: “An Ultra-Low-Cost College Degree” has been viewed by over 2.5 million people.

Vincent Zimmer

Vincent Zimmer is managing director and Co-founder of Kiron, a social start up whose mission is to eliminate barriers for refugees to access higher education by allowing enrolment based on performance and using digital technology. Kiron is disrupting higher education by marrying elements of digital education with traditional education and fostering international cooperations to transform universities. Vincent believes that education is the key to integration. Vincent is a serial entrepreneur who previously co-founded 5 international startups from Shanghai to Sao Paulo across diverse sectors, such as healthcare and higher education. Besides, he worked as a consultant for the evaluation of EU programs and digitalization. He was selected as a responsible leader of the BMW Foundation and was listed in Forbes 30 under 30. He is a PhD candidate and holds a Master in International Economics from Göttingen University and a Master in Public Policy from the London School of Economics.