What happens when 20,000 people are given the same instruction—to fold and tear an A4 sheet of paper? The results are never the same. Each design is unique, just like how we each perceive and interact with the world. This simple activity opens a powerful conversation about perspective, learning, and the human journey.In this inspiring TEDx talk, Vyankatesh Kharage shares how embracing acceptance, engagement, and self-empowerment can transform our lives. From learning teamwork and resilience as an athlete to founding a social enterprise that taught life skills to children through sports, he discovered how differently each child perceives the world—a realization that led him to cognitive science.When financial challenges forced him to close his sports venture, he turned to management studies and followed his father's advice to travel like Gandhi, observing overburdened teachers, under-resourced schools, and the deep passion that kept them going. These experiences shaped his philosophy of "Asude" (acceptance) while we cannot control everything, we can control our actions and how we engage with life. The opposite, "Rahude," is disengagement and resistance.During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vyankatesh and his life partner worked with high school students in Marathwada to prevent dropouts, helping students from rural communities to continue their education and build a future. His journey eventually took him to Harvard to study cognitive science and learning design, giving him a global perspective before returning to empower children in India.This talk is a reminder that when we practice acceptance, engage mindfully, and empower ourselves, we can turn life's challenges into opportunities. Vyankatesh Kharage is a social entrepreneur and founder of Asudé Foundation, focused on providing career education and life skills to rural Indian students. A Harvard alumnus with a Master's in Learning Design and Technology, he blends innovation, social-emotional learning, and human-centered design to improve education. He holds a PGPDM from S.P. Jain Institute and is a recipient of the Social Impact Fellowship at Harvard Innovation Labs. His philosophy, "Asudé," means Acceptance. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Professor Halikiopoulou dismantles the myth that the rise of the far right is solely based on immigration, and explains how economic and strategic factors play a decisive role. Far from being just a reflection of cultural fear, it is a political maneuver aimed at uniting diverse voters through nationalist narratives.Daphne Halikiopoulou (PhD LSE) is Chair in Comparative Politics at the University of York. Her research focuses on party politics, voting behavior, the far right, populism, and nationalism in Europe. She is the author of Understanding Right-Wing Populism and What to Do About It and The Golden Dawn’s ‘Nationalist Solution’, as well as numerous articles in leading journals such as the Journal of European Public Policy, West European Politics, and the Journal of Common Market Studies. Her work has been recognized with the Best Paper award from the APSA. She is a member of the PopuList team, joint Editor-in-Chief of Nations and Nationalism and Political Studies, and co-editor of the Springer book series in Electoral Politics.This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx