It Starts at Home: Redefining Social Responsibility | H.E. Maysa Alnuwais | TEDxAlBateen
In this heartfelt and inspiring TEDxAlBateen talk, Maysa Al Nowais, Executive Director at Ma’an — the Authority of Social Contribution, shares how one lesson from her mother sparked a lifelong journey to redefine what social responsibility truly means.Through touching family stories and powerful examples from her work at Ma’an, Maysa reveals how compassion, when organized, can move an entire society forward. From a six-year-old’s act of kindness to the creation of life-changing projects like the Abu Dhabi Dialysis Center and the Journey of Generations program, her message is clear: real change begins at home — and grows through every hand that gives.Maysa’s talk shows how the UAE is building a future where generosity is not an event, but an ecosystem — one where government, business, and community unite to turn empathy into sustainable impact.Key ideas:- How family values shape lifelong social responsibility
- Turning compassion into measurable community impact
- Building bridges between government, private sector, and people
- The power of small acts to create large-scale change
- Why progress without compassion will always be incompleteRecorded live at TEDxAlBateen 2025 — themed “Threads of Us,” celebrating the connections that bind families, communities, and nations through empathy and purpose.#TEDxAlBateen #MaysaAlNowais #ThreadsOfUs #SocialResponsibility #AbuDhabi #Inspiration #Giving #Compassion Her Excellency Maysa AlNuwais is the Executive Director of Community Engagement & Volunteering at the Authority of Social Contribution - Ma’an, the Abu Dhabi Government entity operating under the Department of Community Development. The Authority was established to amplify the development and engagement of a connected, collaborative community within the UAE capital.With 24 years of leadership experience across multiple industries and a robust foundation in project management, AlNuwais navigates her role orchestrating projects and initiatives from inception to fruition, amplifying community engagement across Abu Dhabi.Beyond her role at the Authority of Social Contribution – Ma’an, AlNuwais has demonstrated business prowess through several successful ventures. Her entrepreneurial spirit and expertise in various industries complement her community-focused endeavors, showcasing her versatility and commitment to impactful 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
More from TED
- 12:31Uma mulher corajosa rompe o silêncio – Mãe de Isabella Nardoni | Ana Carolina Oliveira | TEDxErechimEsse não é só mais um discurso, é um soco de realidade, é sobre violência invisível, sobre vozes caladas, sobre infâncias arrancadas.Uma mulher corajosa rompe o silêncio. Ana Carolina. Esse não é só mais um discurso, é um soco de realidade, é sobre violência invisível, sobre vozes caladas, sobre infâncias arrancadas. É sobre o que acontece dentro de casa, onde o medo mora, e onde quase ninguém ousa entrar, uma mulher corajosa que rompe o silêncio. Ana Carolina é mãe da Isabella Nardoni. Uma mãe que esteve onde quase ninguém vai, escutou o que quase ninguém suporta ouvir e rompeu o silêncio após o maior trauma da vida, agora ela escolhe ser voz, por todas as outras que ainda não conseguem. 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
- 11:24The quest for a perfect vagina | Dr. Parul Saoji | TEDxPanajiA bold talk dismantling vagina myths, sharing real stories of choice and healing, centering science, consent, dignity, and unapologetic bodily agency. Dr Parul Saoji, is an aesthetic and functional gynaecology consultant, laparoscopic surgeon, and infertility specialist. Director of Oracle Clinic & Training Centre, Nagpur, she serves as AMOGS YTP Chair (2024–26) and Clinical Secretary, NOGS (2025–26). She has been felicitated by HON CM DEVENDRA FADNADVIS JI for her splendid work and by HON MINISITER OF ROADS AND HIGHWAYS SHRI NITINJI GADKARI JI . Recipient of FOGSI’s Kamini Rao Oration (2024) and yuva NOGS oration 2022 She is the first recipient of ‘All Five Golds’ of Nagpur OBGY Society, NOGS, YUVA and P.K. Gold medals, AMWI Golden Jubilee Award, and Dr Pravin Mehta Laparoscopy Fellowship. Author of a Handbook in Aesthetic Gynecology and co-editor in Infertility, 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
- 6:49Entropy and the Arrow of Time | Peter Stockil | TEDxKings College SchoolPeter (Year 11) explores Entropy: The Universe's Hidden Force, examining how the measure of disorder governs everything from cooling tea to the ultimate fate of the cosmos. Using vivid analogies of bees escaping a jar and energy dispersing from hot objects, he explains why entropy constantly increases despite the theoretical possibility of reversal, how this irreversible process provides our arrow of time distinguishing past from future, and paradoxically how the sun's delivery of low entropy energy enables all life on Earth, making entropy responsible for everything from stellar phenomena to human existence itself. Peter is a Year 11 pupil at King's College School, Wimbledon, who is fascinated by astrophysics and the chaotic nature of the universe. With a love for public speaking, he takes a deep dive into one of the most misunderstood topics in all of the physics, entropy, and all of its consequences. 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
- 5:54The human question: Where AI meets philosophy | Saam Roohpour | TEDxKings College SchoolSaam (Year 8) investigates Can AI Be Human?, drawing on his experience building a large language model to explore the philosophical boundaries between artificial and human intelligence. He examines Asimov's laws of robotics and their modern violations through AI hallucinations in clinical settings, questions what truly defines personhood through the perspectives of philosophers from Locke to Singer, and argues that while AI may already meet many criteria for personhood, we should aspire for artificial intelligence to embody humanity's highest ideals rather than replicate our flaws, as these systems will become the defining invention of human civilisation. Saam is a Year 8 student at King's College School, Wimbledon, Saam is fascinated by physics and philosophy, namely ethics and metaphysics. He likes to always ask why and in his free time, he enjoys squash, rugby, and other sports. He also loves to create and build, and one example is his LLM which he discusses in his talk. 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
- 4:58The Smartest Generation? Neuroplasticity in Children | Alex Hayward | TEDxKings College SchoolAlex (lower sixth) investigates Neuroplasticity in Children, examining why young people can outperform adults in complex tasks such as solving Rubik's cubes or mastering chess. She explores how children possess twice the synaptic density of adults, creating hypersensitive brains that excel at pattern recognition and language acquisition, before emphasising the critical importance of providing enriching learning environments during these formative years to shape the next generation of curious and intelligent adults. Alex is a sixth form pupil at King’s College School, Wimbledon. Alex studies Biology, Chemistry, History and Politics at A Level. She is the co-founder of NeuroSoci, a weekly school society discussing a broad range of neurological topics, and aspires to study medicine or neuroscience at university. Alongside her academics, she is a keen sportswomen, and holds a sports scholarship for her contributions to football and hockey. She is passionate about public speaking and science communication. 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
- 6:33The Impact of War Zones on Children's Mentalities | Gauri Prashanth | TEDxYouth@FISAll over the world, conflict is happening. Whether in Israel, Gaza, or Russia, Ukraine or even in severely oppressive regimes like North Korea - nobody has noticed the main stakeholders: Children. They are still developing their minds, and being exposed to such violence and conflict leaves a lifelong impact. In this talk, Gauri Prashanth describes how we need to take action, so that we don’t have to leave ourselves wondering what could have been for these children living in war zones. My name is Gauri, and I am in 9th grade at Frankfurt International School in Germany. Originally, I am from India. I enjoy public speaking and reading in my free time. I will be talking about the impact of war zones on children's mentalities. After reading numerous articles and discussing current global affairs, I believe that this is an important issue that needs to be addressed and mitigated. 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
