What does it really mean to be happy—and who gets to define it? In this deeply personal and thought-provoking talk, Nourhan challenges conventional psychological frameworks of happiness, sharing her journey through disconnection, eating disorder recovery, and rediscovery. With striking vulnerability, she invites us to turn inward, asking not what happiness should look like, but what it feels like when it’s truly ours. A beautiful reminder that vitality begins with presence—and sometimes, with noticing the quiet colours of our own room. What does it really mean to be happy—and who gets to define it? In this deeply personal and thought-provoking talk, Nourhan challenges conventional psychological frameworks of happiness, sharing her journey through disconnection, eating disorder recovery, and rediscovery. With striking vulnerability, she invites us to turn inward, asking not what happiness should look like, but what it feels like when it’s truly ours. A beautiful reminder that vitality begins with presence—and sometimes, with noticing the quiet colours of our own room. 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

What happens when the stage meets the classroom? In this personal and thought-provoking talk, the speaker explores how a background in acting shaped a powerful, dynamic teaching identity. From Shakespeare to TESOL, they draw parallels between scripts and lesson plans, audiences and students, performance and pedagogy—inviting us to reimagine education not as authority, but as artistry. A call for educators to step beyond the script and embrace creativity, empathy, and performance in the pursuit of real change. What happens when the stage meets the classroom? In this personal and thought-provoking talk, the speaker explores how a background in acting shaped a powerful, dynamic teaching identity. From Shakespeare to TESOL, they draw parallels between scripts and lesson plans, audiences and students, performance and pedagogy—inviting us to reimagine education not as authority, but as artistry. A call for educators to step beyond the script and embrace creativity, empathy, and performance in the pursuit of real change. 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

What if the beliefs you hold most dearly aren’t yours at all? In this eye-opening and deeply personal talk, Mahreen uncovers how media—through stories, stereotypes, and screen time—shapes our identity, perceptions, and even our dreams. From false narratives to viral truth-telling, she shares her journey as a content creator reclaiming the narrative for South Asians and Arabs through her show Karak with Mahreen. A compelling call to become conscious consumers in a world where media is not just influence—it’s power. What if the beliefs you hold most dearly aren’t yours at all? In this eye-opening and deeply personal talk, Mahreen uncovers how media—through stories, stereotypes, and screen time—shapes our identity, perceptions, and even our dreams. From false narratives to viral truth-telling, she shares her journey as a content creator reclaiming the narrative for South Asians and Arabs through her show Karak with Mahreen. A compelling call to become conscious consumers in a world where media is not just influence—it’s power. 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

In this raw, humorous, and deeply introspective talk, the speaker explores self-improvement not as a glossy success story—but as a process of failing, learning, and discovering. Using the quirky metaphor of a fork trying to eat soup, she reminds us that we’re not built for perfection—and that’s perfectly okay. Through reflections on rejection, emotional avoidance, and metacognition, this talk gently nudges us toward grace, growth, and getting to know the person we’re stuck with for life: ourselves. In this raw, humorous, and deeply introspective talk, the speaker explores self-improvement not as a glossy success story—but as a process of failing, learning, and discovering. Using the quirky metaphor of a fork trying to eat soup, she reminds us that we’re not built for perfection—and that’s perfectly okay. Through reflections on rejection, emotional avoidance, and metacognition, this talk gently nudges us toward grace, growth, and getting to know the person we’re stuck with for life: ourselves. 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

What does resilience look like in the age of social media? In this powerful and timely talk, Ananya K unpacks how today's youth face pressures like never before—facing identity crises, shrinking attention spans, and curated connection in a hyper-digital world. She introduces a new framework of resilience: identity, attention, and connection resilience, urging us to go beyond “bouncing back” to truly evolving. A rallying call to protect humanity in a world that profits from distraction and disconnection. What does resilience look like in the age of social media? In this powerful and timely talk, Ananya K unpacks how today's youth face pressures like never before—facing identity crises, shrinking attention spans, and curated connection in a hyper-digital world. She introduces a new framework of resilience: identity, attention, and connection resilience, urging us to go beyond “bouncing back” to truly evolving. A rallying call to protect humanity in a world that profits from distraction and disconnection. 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

Aaron George Vinay, a tech-savvy Grade 12 student from GEMS Our Own English High School, Sharjah-Boys. His talk challenges the pressure to be perfect and invites us to start before we feel ready. Through humour and insight, he encourages embracing mistakes as part of learning. It’s not about being careless, it’s about being brave enough to begin, imperfectly. Aaron George Vinay, a tech-savvy Grade 12 student from GEMS Our Own English High School Sharjah-Boys. His talk challenges the pressure to be perfect and invites us to start before we feel ready. Through humour and insight, he encourages embracing mistakes as part of learning. It’s not about being careless it’s about being brave enough to begin, imperfectly. 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