This talk explores how reading has shaped generations and why it’s disappearing in today’s fast-paced, digital world. While technology has shortened our attention spans, it also holds the key to rekindling a love of reading. It is argued that AI should not replace human authors but instead make reading more interactive, immersive, and personal. Imagine books that let you shape the story, explore “what if” scenarios, or co-create endings with the help of AI, turning reading into an active, game-like experience. The vision is clear: use technology to reignite curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking while preserving the human heart of storytelling. Reading, at its core, is how we connect, reflect, and truly live. AI can help bring us back to what makes stories irresistible once again. Zunaira Imran is a Year 12 Prefect at Unity Grammar College with a strong interest in public speaking, education, and community involvement. She has been an active member of the school’s debating team, mock trial, Model Global Parliament, Model UN and leadership initiatives, where she serves as an Interfaith Representative. She is a Youth Ambassador for the Sabeel e Mustafa Charity Foundation, supports language education as a teacher assistant at Sydney Urdu School, and helps organise community fundraisers, including events for breast cancer awareness with the National Breast Cancer Foundation. She was also awarded the Certificate of Commendation for Youth Community Service: NSW Committee of the Order of Australia Association in 2024. Through these experiences, she hopes to keep contributing to spaces that encourage dialogue, learning, and positive 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

This talk explores how personal struggle can spark powerful social change. It highlights the importance of recognising injustice, questioning cultural norms, and daring to create new paths when existing systems fail to support people.Through lessons of resilience, resourcefulness, and fortitude, the message is clear: change begins with awareness, action, and purpose. Building initiatives rooted in lived experience, evidence, and community voices ensures impact that truly matters.Social justice isn’t just about speaking truth, it’s about the courage to challenge stigma, disrupt silence, and build spaces that include and uplift everyone. Soumaya Najjarin is a policy and project management professional with over 8 years of experience in government and a decade of community service. Currently pursuing postgraduate studies in law, she brings a unique blend of governance expertise and grassroots advocacy to her work.As the Founding Director of New Beginnings Aus, Australia’s first Islamic divorce recovery organisation, she has pioneered transformative programs that support women, men, and families in navigating the emotional and social challenges of divorce. Her TEDx talk explores the often overlooked discrimination faced by individuals and families due to their divorce status, highlighting the urgent need for more compassionate, inclusive community. Her work is rooted in impact, innovation, and a dedication to meaningful change.Driven by her commitment to systemic change, Soumaya combines policy knowledge with lived experience to advocate for dignity, belonging, and fairness for all regardless of marital status. 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

Dialogue is often presented as a way to bridge our divisions and bring us together. But when does dialogue harm us? Who benefits (and loses) when everyone gets a chance to speak. And whom does it serve? Assistant Professor of English at Bowdoin College. 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

Imagine the if the next person to change the world isn’t a billionaire or a world leader, but a teenager sitting in a classroom, probably not expecting the world to change because of them? By empowering Youth they will become the changemakers of the future. So the system needs to be challenged whereby the voice of youth isn't heard as they are either too young or too inexperienced or whatever other excuse is given to hold them down. Youth need to be given a platform to share their creativity and imagination and be allowed to inistigate change. Uzairuddin Mir is a Year 12 student at Unity Grammar, proudly serving as the Community Service Prefect and a key member of the school’s leadership team. As a passionate public speaker, Uzair has participated in the annual Model Global Parliament, taking on the role of Speaker four times and counting. He’s also been an active voice in Unity Grammar’s Interfaith program for two consecutive years, fostering understanding and connection across diverse communities. Uzair’s commitment to service extends beyond the school gates. He has taken part in numerous homeless runs, offering hands-on support to those in need, and reflecting his deep-rooted compassion and sense of social responsibility. A keen innovator, he’s also been a core member of the school’s FLL Robotics Team, helping lead the team to the national stage across two seasons combining creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving to tackle real-world challenges. 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

Rebuilding doesn’t have to be a lonely road, nor does it have to be a daunting process. It is a bridge we build together, a collective and revolutionary act. Rebuilding can be resting, reconnecting with a passion, or reaching out to someone in your community—these small acts are the foundation of resilience. We should not fear starting from the ground up. Instead, embrace it. Because in the process of rebuilding, of resetting, we discover not only our strength, but also the path to our future. Alumni at Bowdoin College 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

Ella's TED Talk flips the script on how we think about money, showing that traditional currencies lose value over time, stealing our precious moments. She introduces Bitcoin as the ultimate "time capsule"—a tool that preserves your wealth, and by extension, your time. With Bitcoin, you're not just saving money; you're saving the ability to live the life you want, now. Ella challenges us to rethink everything about money, because in a world where time is everything, Bitcoin is the tool that ensures it’s on your side. Ella Hough is a senior at Cornell University, pursuing a Bitcoin-focused study through Cornell’s Robert S. Harrison College Scholar Degree Program. In addition to being a “College Scholar” major, Ella is majoring in Cognitive Science with minors in Business, Information Science (concentrated in Networks, Crowds, & Markets), and Moral Psychology.Outside of the classroom, Ella is a Junior Fellow at the Cornell Brooks School Tech Policy Institute, leading the first study focused on bitcoin adoption and financial freedom across 25 countries, founder of the Cornell Bitcoin Club, Project Lead at Generation Bitcoin (501c3), co-founder of the Bitcoin Students Network (501c4), and voice for Bitcoin through her writing and speaking.Previously, Ella was a member of IBM Canada’s CSR team, where she has managed STEM learning experiences for 75k+ students. Ella is an adventurer at heart, a connector who values questions over answers and endeavors to perfect the art of improbable friendship. 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