TEDxALC: Great stories from African leaders worth sharing

Opened in Mauritius since October 2015, the African Leadership College has been offering an innovative learning experience to local and foreign students alike through various degree programs. While proning academic excellence and delivering an immersive yet transformative experience, the College, through a batch of passionate students, has also been pioneering the organisation of TEDxALC talks. Hossam Hamdy, a fellow student of the African Leadership College, is the Lead Organiser for TEDxALC and one of the masterminds behind the initiative.

CIEL: The first ever TEDxALC was organised in Mauritius on May 21st 2016. How have things been going so far?

Hossam Hamdy: Last year’s event was a great success. Students from across Africa got a chance to interact with the Mauritian community, engage in meaningful conversations and create long lasting relationships and networks. For this year we are looking forward to have a bigger event with speakers coming from 6 countries and who will explore all kinds of topics.

C: What is the lineup of orators for the year 2017?

H.H: For 2017, we really wished to invite keynote speakers who make things move in Africa. Some of our speakers we invited are Ms. Madelle Kangha (Founder of Jump Start Africa), Mr. Jimmy Harmon (Director of the Nelson Mandela Center), Mr. Sakhile Dlamini (Google), Ms. Varsha Naran (Director, Lumière Coaching & Consulting) and many more. We are also adding value to these talks by including a wide range of artistic performances presented by students from across Africa and by Mauritian performers.

C: What is the main theme for 2017? 

H.H: The theme for TEDxALC 2017 is “What if... Actualizing endless possibilities”. The idea behind is to challenge the status quo and really think out of the box on how we can rethink and tackle all the problematics we are facing today.

C: How did the idea to host TEDxALC sprout?

H.H: When I first arrived to Mauritius in 2016, what striked me at first was the diversity of profiles present within our student community. We saw that there was a need to bridge the gap between the Pan-African students’ body of ALC and the Mauritian community at large. As a result, I got together with a couple of friends and came to the conclusion that the TEDx event format is the best for our needs.

C: What is the philosophy behind TEDxALC and TED talks?

H.H: TEDxALC’s philosophy is to bring high caliber thinkers, change-makers and influencers from across Africa and around the globe to our stage in Mauritius. We aim to create a space where anyone can discover and get inspired by the talks and performances featured in our events.

C: Who should attend these talks?

H.H: There is no typical profile for attendees. We get people from across Mauritius from all backgrounds: students, professionals, Managers, artists and tourists. Everyone is the most welcome.

CIEL group is the proud sponsor of TEDxALC 2017. If tickets for the next TEDxALC gathering are already sold out, stay tuned and follow us on Facebook. You could win two exclusive tickets for the next session.