Humanity is at the core of TEDxZurich 2016

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"Explain humanity in three sentences to your eight-year-old nephew."

Every year, the creative minds behind TEDxZurich put a special twist on the program. This year's theme is PEOPLE FIRST, and solving the above task was the key for attendees to get one of the much demanded seats. (After all, in these turbulent times, we all need a refresher on humanity.)

"Imagine that you are a fish in the deep ocean. You don't look exactly like all other fish, but you share a common experience. And most importantly, you feel something when another fish gets stuck in a net - no matter their size, shape or color."

This is my humble explanation of the concept of humanity. But more importantly, I am curious to see how this year's line-up of speakers will frame their 18 minute speeches. With backgrounds as diverse as landscape architecture or behavioral economics, how are they going to make the concept relatable?

Here are some of the speakers I am most curious about at TEDxZurich 2016:

Cristina Riesen

One superlative is not enough to describe the fast paced career of Cristina Riesen. Her accomplishments have been recognized by several renowned publications, such as the Top 30 Swiss Digital Leaders by Handelszeitung. After all, she is responsible for attracting Evernote to open a branch in Zürich.

Dmitry Golubnichy

We have previously covered the #100happydays project here on Newly Swissed. Dmitry Golubnichy is the genius behind this worldwide movement which brought him appearances in major outlets such as CNN, Huffington post or the Telegraph. I hope to gain some insights into how Dmitry stays happy amid the uncertainties of our times.

Marcel Blattner

The more autonomous computers are getting, the more relevant it will be for humans to understand the concept of machine learning. It is no longer just a buzzword, either, with artificial intelligence steering many of our decisions in everyday life. (Case in point: How algorithms in self-driving cars calculate the behavior in accident situations.)

Marcel Blattner is at the forefront of computer science and I am curious to learn about his latest insights. For , how humanity and A.I.

TEDxZurich takes place on November 11, 2016. Registration has closed.