Celebrated Global Conference TED Inspires Ideas Worth Sharing in BC with
"TEDx Vancouver" 2009

First ever TEDx Vancouver announces speakers list and official venue location at Electronic Arts in Burnaby

VANCOUVER , Nov. 18 /CNW/ - In the spirit of "ideas worth spreading," TED has created TEDx. TEDx is a program of regionalized, self-facilitated events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At TEDxVancouver, TEDTalks video and live speakers will combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events, including ours, are self-organized.

This year's inaugural lineup of TEDx Vancouver speakers:

Neill Blomkamp, Film Director (best known for his work on District 9); Kevin Caroll , Author, Speaker, Agent for Social Change; Cheryl Cran , Leadership and Generations Consultant, Author; Guy Dauncey, Speaker, Author, Organizer; Alden Habacon, Author, Speaker, Television; Henry LaBounta, Art Director, Academy Award Nominee; Terry McBride, Music Entrepreneur; Nicholas Molnar , Web Strategist; Dr. Patrick Moore , Environmentalist; Bryan Slusarchuk, Environmental Venture Capitalist; Marc Stoiber , Founder, Change Advertising. Also, giving key performances are Shamik, Beatboxer and Cris Derksen , Cellist.

This year's Vancouver event is private and all seats have now been filled. The TEDxVancouver team, however, is excited to extend the invitation to those who are unable to attend, to join them at a post-conference event at RTL Yaletown, beginning at 7pm . In addition to joining us post-conference, we are encouraging people to participate online via our live webcast, forums, blogs, flickr, facebook and twitter (www.tedxvancouver.com, http://twitter.com/TEDxVan, http://facebook.com/tedxvancouver). You can reach our live webcast URL at: www.tedxvancouver.com.

TEDx Vancouver will take place Saturday, November 21st 2009 at Electronic Arts campus in Burnaby, BC. The event will begin promptly at 9am and will conclude at 4pm . The post event at RTL Yaletown will commence at 7pm and will be on a first come, first served basis as seating is limited.

TEDx Vancouver is pleased to announce the first official sponsors of the 2009 event: Gold Sponsors: Electronic Arts, FCV, Future Shop, Kai Event Management, Vancouver Film School. Silver Sponsors: The 20 Club, Greenscape Capital Group, National Speakers Bureau, Thought Bubble and Troublemaker Studios.

"There's no question this is going to be among the premier events to hit BC. We are presenting a platform for the illuminating, controversial and important discussions of our time," said Cyrus Irani , TEDx Vancouver Licensee and Assistant Producer with Electronic Arts. " It's about building a community. We're looking forward to growing TEDxVancouver and continuing to project the unique, influential and talented voices of Vancouver onto the global stage," he added.

ABOUT TEDxVancouver

TEDxVancouver is a part of the TEDx program through TED, where local, self-organized events bring people together to share ideas worth spreading. TEDxVancouver has been organized by a group of four young professionals living and working in Vancouver , BC. To learn more about this team, you can go to: www.TEDxVancouver.com

ABOUT TED

TED is an annual event where some of the world's leading thinkers and doers are invited to share what they are most passionate about. "TED" stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design - three broad subject areas that are collectively, shaping our future. And in fact, the event is broader still, showcasing ideas that matter in any discipline. Attendees have called it "the ultimate brain spa" and "a four-day journey into the future." The diverse audience - CEOs, scientists, creatives, philanthropists - is Goodall, Frank Gehry, Paul Simon , Sir Richard Branson , Philippe Starck and Bono. But, TED is about much more than famous names. It is about passion, laughter, beauty, ingenuity and ideas capable of changing the world. www.TED.com

For further information: on TEDxVancouver, or to attend the event to interview with one of our speakers, please contact Whitney Stanford; Communications for TEDxVancouver: Cyrus Irani - [email protected]; Or Whitney Stanford (PR) - [email protected], [phone]