The TED brand has gone all over the world to share short and powerful talks to thousands of listeners throughout the years, and it has quickly become a valuable resource for all things inspiration, empowerment, and enlightenment. We’re sure every student has been shown at least one TED Talks video in class, with teachers and professors wanting to impart valuable life lessons through the speakers’ expert words.

Well, this is now a lot closer to home as the students of the University of the Philippines–Los Baños (UPLB) brings the famed talks to their virtual campus with the fourth year of TEDxUPLB.

Image lifted from TEDxUPLB Facebook page

TEDx is a program of independently organized TED events, and UPLB has been granted this opportunity to showcase “ideas worth sharing” among Filipinos for several years now, since 2013. This year, TEDxUPLB is bringing their ideas online for the first time to accommodate the restrictions put in place by the COVID-19 pandemic, without sacrificing this gathering of brilliant minds and experts. Hence, the organizers present TEDxUPLB 2021: Sign of the Times.

The event will be streamed online this Sunday, May 2, 2021, from 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM PST in a live program free of charge, meaning anyone can join in on the fun and learn from the day’s speakers.

With the theme Sign of the Times, the event sets to “explore historic breakthroughs and futuristic visions in defining society’s existing ideas.” This calls on the speakers to take the time to fully reflect on where we are as a society, and what the future could possibly entail for us in light of everything that’s happened and is still happening. The lineup includes Dr. Jayeel Cornelio, Engr. Cherrys Abrigo, Dr. Ronilo Flores, Dr. Jomar Rabajante, E Del Mundo, and Alanah Torralba.

The TEDxUPLB program is run by undergraduate students of the university, spearheaded by other organizations in the institution: The UP Community Broadcasters’ Society Inc., UPLB Grange Association, and UP Model United Nations. Its main goal is to encourage the sharing of ideas inside and outside the campus’ tight-knit community, as well as extend the conversation to other students or experts around the country with this online coverage.

Now that we’re in the middle of an on-going (and seemingly still worsening) health, financial, and political crisis, it’s more important than ever to convene, listen, and learn from one another on how we can overcome and move forward together. A free online event of this caliber is the perfect opportunity to learn more about the world without spending a single Peso, and without leaving the comforts of our bedroom.

Follow https://www.facebook.com/tedxuplb and https://www.tedxuplb.com/ to learn more, and turn that notification on so you don’t miss the live stream!