TEDxCapeTown: Open Access Control

Explore the balance between freedom, control and constraint at this preeminent lecture series

Visionaries and critical thinkers are invited to engage with TEDxCapeTown on Saturday, 15 August 2015 (the workshops take place on Sunday, the 16th September) at the Cape Town City Hall when acclaimed key speakers address the societal tension between openness, access and control. Now in its fifth year, the vital non-profit continues its confident tackling of subversive and delicate subject matter, in a way that is both challenging and hopeful. From colonising Mars and poetry in Africa to revolutionising African healthcare systems, the topics addressed are as varied as the speakers.

In every aspect of our lives – spiritual, personal, professional and practical – the tug between freedom and control is palpable and something we all respond to in different ways. Where should boundaries be drawn if they should exist at all? Who decides this? Do constraints foster a free and safe society or do they hinder our existence? TEDxCapeTown’s pedigreed line-up of speakers will each tackle various aspects of this theme in a way that is both Afrocentric and relevant to the individual.  

In exploring the various contexts behind the paradox of Open Access Control, TEDxCapeTown advocates for a forward-thinking and bold approach, prompting much debate between the speakers and audience. In its five year journey, the local TED division has encountered many parameters and constraints, making this a topic the team is well-versed in. According to TEDxCapeTown speaker coach Carryn Ortlepp, “The day promises to be varied and offer inspired, insightful conversation starters with loads of opportunity to connect with fellow audience members and the speakers themselves."

Aside from the speakers, guests can anticipate full immersion into the theme in terms of the look and feel of the location. The City Hall will be transformed into a space that takes the interpretation of ‘Open Access Control’ to the next level, with multiple doors and props set to both constrain and open. With Open Design and ArtAppel sponsoring the venue and furnishings, and Eastern Acoustics behind the state-of-the-art audio-visuals, attendees are in for a sensory-rich experience.

This year, TEDxCapeTown is partnering with management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company Accenture - a business renowned for promoting the seamless integration of innovation into organisations. In an exciting new venture, Accenture is launching the hash tag #Innovment, with the aim of facilitating companies to collaborate behind innovative ideas in the online sphere - a means of overcoming confines of time and space. 

WHAT IS TEDXCAPETOWN?

A non-profit organisation, devoted to “Ideas Worth Spreading”, TED started as a four-day conference nearly 30 years ago and has grown to initiate multiple global projects centred on sustainable change. TEDx (x = independently organised event), is a locally organised subsidiary event of TED, and is also devoted to bringing people together to share ideas and instigate deep discussion.

The organisers have a line-up of expert speakers billed to discuss ways in which to unify initiatives that are currently operating independently, through multidisciplinary networking and collaboration.

LINE-UP FOR THE 2015 TEDXCAPETOWN OPEN ACCESS CONTROL LECTURE SERIES

The line-up includes performances by three surprise local acts, and the talks are set to be streamed globally – you can join a viewing party via www.live.tedxcapetown.org. 

• Adriana Marais: My one-way ticket to Mars
• Braam Malherbe: #D.O.T. - Do One Thing
• Heather Tuffin: Less than ideal
• Ian Mccallum: Poetry and Nature: Voice For The Voiceless
• Jill Farrant: Food Security from resurrection plants
• Kelsey Wiens: Open: Designing for Trust
• Kyle Louw: Roses, Violets, Preconceptions ... Poetry
• Marek Dziembowski:Chasing the eclipse
• Myrna Lewis: Mining the gold of conflict
• Myrtle Clarke & Jules Stobbs: Ordinary Criminals
• Siswe Mzobe: Why do we have to move out?
• Vinny Lingham: The future of bitcoin
• Marlene Wasserman (Dr.Eve): Cyber infidelity - the new way we are creating and having relationships

SUNDAY WORKSHOPS (16 AUGUST 2015) 

On Sunday, there will be three workshops happening, the first of which unpacks the complex meaning of democracy, while the second one analyses open business models and the third seeks to expand on the next steps for the TEDxCapeTown team and how you can get involved. Please contact the TEDxCapeTown team for more information on these sessions. 

TICKETS TO THE 2015 TEDXCAPETOWN OPEN ACCESS CONTROL LECTURE SERIES

Tickets are available via Quicket.co.za and cost R380p/p. Please note that in order to attend the event and purchase tickets you need to preregister first. You can do this via Quicket.co.za – once your application is successful, you’ll be notified and can complete the ticket buying process. 

After you register, you can also sign up for free sessions with past speakers via XperiencED.

For more information please visit TEDxCapeTown’s new website or email hello@tedxcapetown.org.

The event starts at 8:30am and ends at 5pm.

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Thought leaders discuss how every single action causes shifts in energy and power and how this impacts the rate of change in society at the 2018 TEDxCapeTown Main Event.

Interested in other lecture series and talks around Cape Town? Take a look at our overview of August events in Cape Town and surrounds so you don’t miss a single shindig.

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