Time to sign up for TED 2013

APPLICATIONS for “The Young, The Wise, The Undiscovered” to audition to take part in TED 2013 in California close on 15 March.
WITH only a day left until Joburg applications for TED2013 auditionsclose, it’s time to get those forms in.

You’ve got until 15 March to sign up. Johannesburg is one of 14 cities on six continents open to TED2013 Worldwide Auditions. The auditions are being held to uncover new talent, new voices and new ideas that the world needs to hear.

With the theme “The Young, The Wise, The Undiscovered”,hopefuls are encouraged to apply online and include a one-minute video of themselves. Of the applicants, the 30 best will be invited to the Johannesburg Auditions on 3 May.

Auditions will take the form of a three-tosix-minute talk or performance, in English only. The final leg of TED2013 will take place in California, in the United States.In South Africa, TED has partnered with TEDxSoweto to deliver the Johannesburg leg of the auditions.

Previous TED speakers include the likes of Microsoft founder Bill Gates, writer Chris Abani, scientist Neil Turok, musicians Vusi Mahlasela and Paul Simon, and former US president Bill Clinton.

According to TED2013, the organisers are not looking for “product-hawkers, jargon-junkies, dullards, wafflers, motivator wannabes, self-promoters, spouters of new-age fluff”.

Winners will be selected after all auditions have taken place. TED2013 will then post a video of all the candidates on its website, and the public will vote for those they think are the best.The top 50 participants will then be shortlisted and will have an opportunity to deliver a longer talk or performance at TED2013 in Long Beach, California.