“‘This Is Africa’s Turn’ – Technology Conference Convenes Creative Thinkers and Doers” goes the AllAfrica.com headline on the forthcoming TED conference in Arusha, Tanzania.
If you are an African blogger, or passionate about African affairs and don’t know what “TED” is then you need to play catch-up and see if you can be part of the 100 lucky fellowship winner, that is if its not already too late.
Nigerian blogger Emeka Okafor (in picture, blogs: Timbuktu Chronicles/Africa Unchained) is the Program Director of the conference that will see some 1000 paying participants who are “thought-leaders, in business, science and the arts, as well as in the three areas from which TED got its name – technology, entertainment and design”. In addition there will be about 100 sponsored invitees who “will be people actively involved in creating Africa’s future and who could not afford to attend on their own.”
The availability of fellowship is a sweet departure from the mentality commonly displayed by organizers of events of this magnitude. It is commendable that the organizers don’t want a “closed elitist circle” and have realized the need to “open up” the event to the general African/Afrophilic audience. The onus of this - the desire to ensure that “what happens inside the sessions is available to people who can’t be there” - will rest mainly on the Tanzanian media and other Africa-affiliated media outlets - including blogs.
Visit TED.com to access the blog and other media content. I have come to love the video clips of past TED presenters. Awesome!
