I’m a big fan of TED Talks which are interesting talks by interesting people that arise out of a series of conferences held under the TED label (which stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design). The conferences began in 1984 but lately videos of all of the presentations have been made freely available on YouTube and on the TED website. TED has proven to be so popular that it freely licenses its brand to non-profits to hold TED like events locally. These are called TEDx and I just learned that one is to be held in Lowell on Sunday, April 27, 2014. I’ve already marked the date on my calendar.

Here’s the Press Release from the event organizers with more information:

LOWELL, MA– We are excited to today announce the creation of TEDxLowell, an independently produced event operating under a license from TED. The inaugural conference will be held on Sunday, April 27, 2014 at the United Teen Equality Center in Downtown Lowell. TEDxLowell will be organized by members of the Honors Ambassador Program at UMass Lowell, representatives from the United Teen Equality Center in Lowell, and various other volunteers from organizations in Lowell. Speakers are currently being selected and vetted and will be announced as they are confirmed. More
information on applying to speak can be found at www.tedxlowell.com.

About the Organizer and Venue: The Honors Ambassador Program at UMass Lowell is an entrepreneurial student-run organization at the University of Massachusetts Lowell dedicated to promoting and advancing high-value educational experiences at the University, in its new Commonwealth Honors College, and around Lowell. UTEC‘s mission is to ignite and nurture the ambition of our most disconnected young people to trade violence and poverty for social and economic success. UTEC’s model begins with intensive street outreach to our most disconnected youth. UTEC engages youth through case management, workforce training in social enterprises and alternative education. Social justice and civic engagement are embedded in all programming.