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).

Dijlah village
AlMasbah
Baghdad, Baghdād, 3318
Iraq

Abdullah Shaban

Naval Architect Engineer

Abdullah Shaban is a Naval Architect Engineer, currently working within the family business in the Maritime and shipbuilding industry. With extensive experience in shipbuilding, Abdullah has been involved in several major shipbuilding projects across South Korea, Turkey, and Malaysia, focusing on project supervision, technical oversight and management, ensuring quality standards, and coordinating between international teams. A graduate of the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom, Abdullah holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Ship Science. Having lived in multiple countries, Abdullah was born in Iraq, worked in South Korea and Turkey, and has been based in London, UK. This international experience has given him a unique global perspective and an ability to adapt to diverse working environments and cultures.

Dr. Abir Haddad

Founder and Director of the Institute for Legal Transformation

Abir Haddad is Legal Futurist and Director of the Institute for Legal Transformation, UNFCCC advisor on law and governance, Capital 40 under 40, an alumnus of the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science, and lectures Modern Law of Arab States at the Institute for Private International Law at the University of Cologne, Germany. She advises governments and law professionals in lawmaking processes for transformative disruptions such as exponential technologies and Climate Change.

Dr. Ahmed Gailani

Research Fellow - UK Energy Research Centre

Dr. Ahmed Gailani is a research fellow in industrial decarbonisation at the UK Energy Research Centre and the University of Leeds. Recently, he was funded by the Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre and the UK Energy Research Centre to join the Climate Change Committee (UK’s government advisor) on secondment where he led the modelling for the industrial sector the 7th Carbon Budget advise to UK parliament. He also works as a Technical Advisor to the Department of Energy Security and Net zero. Dr. Ahmed is a consultant to the World Green Economy Organization where he works to develop the institutional arrangement for the Iraqi government as part of the Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Dr. Ahmed is also the chair of early career researchers at the UK Energy Research Centre and previously was the principal investigator for an EPSRC Supergen Energy Networks hub early career research grant titled “Rethinking the Design of Great Britain’s Capacity Market (RED CAT).

Dr. Emad Ballack

Founder/ CEO at ZiBox e-commerce

Dr. Emad Ballack is a commercial diplomat and an Iraqi global serial entrepreneur, founder of ZIBOX INC and Motors Hanar . He holds a PhD in International Economic Relations, and is the first Iraqi to win the Herring Red Crowns Award among the top 100 in Asia for the year 2019. With over 20 years of experience, he has managed projects worth more than a billion dollars in oil and gas, e-commerce, and construction. He speaks 11 languages and has published 32 scientific research papers, becoming a model of leadership and creativity.

Dr. Husam Muslim

Senior researcher/ Manager/ Ph.D in Engineering

Dr. Husam is an accomplished researcher specializing in Automated Driving Systems (ADS), human factors, and traffic safety. With a Ph.D. in engineering from the University of Tsukuba, he has significantly contributed to defining global safety standards, publishing high-impact papers, and leading innovative experiments on driver behavior and automation. At the Japan Automobile Research Institute, he bridges cutting-edge research with real-world applications, focusing on scenario-based evaluations, traffic safety in low-income regions, and advanced driver assistance systems. Fluent in Arabic, Japanese, and English, Dr. Husam is also a dedicated mentor, educator, and collaborator, working with institutions worldwide to advance mobility safety and accessibility.

Dr. Riyad Al-Obaidy

Dr. Architect

Dr. Riyad Al-Obaidy is an accomplished architect with a specialization in accessibility design for disabled and elderly individuals. He holds a PhD in Architecture, focusing on accessibility, from Romania, and has also studied Design Research for Disability at London Metropolitan University in the UK. Dr. Al-Obaidy briefly worked at UCL University, contributing to research in accessibility, before joining Jacobs, a renowned company in California. At Jacobs, he worked as an architect specializing in accessibility, undertaking projects in London and Dublin. With a vast portfolio of global projects, Dr. Al-Obaidy has made significant contributions to the field of inclusive design. Currently, he is leading a groundbreaking project aimed at improving accessibility for disabled individuals in Iraq.

Gada Shaikli

Athlete

- First Iraqi athlete to ever raise the national flag at the Spartan World Championship in Greece. - Won the Middle East Championship in the 21 km Spartan Obstacle Course Race. - First Arab woman to win first place in the Spartan Sprint World Championship for my category, held in Greece. - Won 3rd place in the Spartan Beast World Championship (21 km obstacle race) in Abu Dhabi. - The only Arab athlete to participate in and complete the World’s Highest Obstacle Course on Mount Kilimanjaro. - Broke two Guinness World Records on Mount Kilimanjaro. - Featured in and competed on the Million Dollar Land competition on MBC's reality show. - Won first place in multiple races within my category in Hyrox competitions across the Middle East and Canada. - Represented Iraq for the first time in history at the Hyrox World Championship in France, achieving over 4.3million views on Instagram.

Hatem AlKhafaji

Space Architect

As an entrepreneur and an architect with a passion for futuristic space architecture and robotics, Hatem has a master's degree in space studies from the International Space University in France. In 2013, and authored the pioneering book that compiled all lunar architecture design codes, marking a significant milestone in the field. He has participated designing multiple iconic architecture buildings around the globe such as Dubai's Museum of the Future and 3D printed Office of the Future. Furthermore, Hatem designed multiple space habitats and produced various scientific research papers related to space engineering and architecture. Lastly, he is taking on the role of Chief Technology Officer in a tech startup that tackles the population growth and shortage of housing in North America, he successfully scaled the team from 10 to 75 talented individuals and generated over 50 million dollars in revenue in the 1st year.

Hussein Mohammed

Voice Actor

Hussein is a professional Voice Actor and a pioneer in his field with various international works on anime, video games, commercials, and everything in-between; All from his home studio in Baghdad, Iraq. Hussein's voiced characters ranging from young adults to seniors and even dragons, and has works both in English and Arabic for companies like Samsung and Coca-Cola. Outside of his voice-over work, he's a show host, media personality, audio engineer, and even a music artist with a self-produced 12-track album. He's also a graduate from the distinguished Baghdad College High School with a GPA of 95/100, and plans to pursue higher education. Hussein is a business man and a skilled artist through-and-through.

Prof. Deiary Fraidoon Kader

Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Knee specialist, London SWLEOC

Professor Deiary F Kader Specialising in knee surgery, sports medicine, and healthcare innovation, Prof Kader is a consultant orthopaedic surgeon in London and director of research at SWLEOC focusing on AI in healthcare. He trained in Australia and the UK, holds membership with the UK Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine, and has been a visiting professor at Northumbria University since 2007 and an honorary associate professor at UCL. Published over 300 scientific works (h-index of 37 and over 13000 citation), including two bestselling orthopaedic books and the recently released Life Academy (Personal Insights). A past president of BOSTAA, and vice president of ORAIA, he has made significant contributions to education and research. Founder of NGMV charity and Life Academy, also worked as a war trauma surgeon with the ICRC and advises the Swisscross Foundation. A passionate educator and humanitarian, his work continues to inspire and innovate globally.

Samuel Robert Jameel

Opera singer

Samuel Robert is a 21-year-old final-year Renewable Energy Engineering student at the University of Baghdad, with a deep passion for music that began in his childhood. From singing and playing instruments in church to studying music theory and operatic singing under the mentorship of Mr. Basman, Samuel has continuously honed his skills in solfège, piano, guitar, and singing. As he nears graduation, Samuel is eager to dedicate more time to his musical journey. His vision includes exploring classical styles and composing modern English songs, aiming to share his art with the world.