College students Rebekah and Andrew attended the prestigious TEDx talks in Exeter in April. The event took place at the Alumni Auditorium at Exeter University where a variety of speakers gave inspiring presentations about the theme of ‘Hope’.Rebekah was selected by the TEDxExeter production crew to be interviewed on camera at the event. She spoke passionately about how the speakers at TEDx Exeter had inspired her as a young person who is Deaf.
TED is a non-profit organisation which was launched in California 30 years ago. It now includes two annual TED Conferences inviting the world’s leading achievers and thinkers to speak for 18 minutes or less. TEDx supports individuals or groups in hosting local, self- organised TED-style events around the world, including in Exeter.
The event included British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters and a large screen display of the speakers, to increase accessibility for people who are Deaf.
Rebekah and Andrew’s GFE Tutor, Tobin Broadbent said:
“Our group including Rebekah and Andrew all travelled up to the Alumni Auditorium at Exeter University to see various speakers perform and talk about a variety of moving and motivating subjects on the theme of ‘Hope’.
“What we witnessed provided a great deal of inspiration. The event was superbly organised and our deaf learners were well included, in terms of the professional sign language interpretation.
“We were made to feel very welcome with our reserved seating at the front of the lecture theatre with a good view of the sign language interpreters and the large screen display of the speakers. The presentations were excellent; challenging, inspiring and motivating.”
He added:
“Rebekah was selected by the TEDx production crew to be interviewed for a film of the event. She spoke about how the event was inspiring from her perspective as a Deaf person and how the ideas she had witnessed could benefit the Deaf community.
“We are so grateful to have been given the opportunity to attend and it has left a legacy of inspiration with our deaf learners who will hopefully become the movers and shakers of the future.”