First TEDxBerlinSalon in 2015

2015 is the year in which the Millennium Development Goals –  agreed upon in 2000, by the United Nations – are reviewed and in which new targets are set.

Accordingly so, the overall topic at the TEDxBerlinSalon was “Chances. Challenges. Changes. Development 2015 and beyond.” All speakers focused on the development of, and possibilities on, the African continent.

The conference was opened by Gavin Yamey, a physician and medical journal editor with training in the public health sector. He reported about already existing possibilities to improve and he also made the claim that one USD invested in public health and medicine in Africa would have a revenue of 9–20 USD on the long run.

He was followed by Ola Okeunrin who founded the Flying Doctors Nigeria, West Africa’s first indigenous air ambulance service, that provides medical services to people living in remote areas. She tries to change and to strengthen the role of women not only in Africa and the way people think and talk about powerful women. Her own mother calls her a “cursed”, as she is still unwed at 28 years old …

Next on stage was Mallence Bart-Williams, born in Cologne and now a Sierra Leonean fashion designer. Every single item of her label is hand-made by street kids in one of the poorest parts in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone. She is not asking for charity but for SHARITY – a strong word that pushes the focus from receiving relief and emphasizes the need for fairer prices for their natural resources and self produced goods.

Finally David Hermlin, a 15 year old Berliner, entered the stage to talk about the protests in his mother’s country, Kenya. He has traveled a lot to Kenya and as a professional dancer, singer and actor he is trying to use his skills to turn the world’s view on Kenya.

Let’s all continue then to talk about these aspects of global health, the fight against poverty, for good governance and the rise of Africa as the continent of the future.

Image: Sebastian Gabsch