About TEDxCIS Dubai
About the event
TEDxCIS Dubai Youth is an independently organized TED event that brings together students, educators, and members of the wider community for a day of thought-provoking ideas and exploration. Rooted in curiosity and dialogue, the event creates a space where learning extends beyond the classroom.
This year’s event features 12 carefully selected speakers, each bringing a distinct perspective shaped by the theme Dimensional Infinity. Through live talks and interactive moments, speakers will explore ideas that span disciplines such as science, philosophy, mathematics, identity, and creativity, revealing how seemingly separate dimensions connect and overlap.
Attendees will engage in inspiring talks, meaningful conversations, and opportunities to connect with others who share a passion for ideas and innovation. The event is designed to encourage questioning, reflection, and discussion long after the talks end.
TEDxCIS Dubai Youth is a platform that celebrates young voices and bold thinking. Whether you are a student eager to explore new ways of seeing the world or an educator seeking fresh perspectives, this event offers a memorable and enriching experience.
Join us as we explore infinite dimensions of thought, challenge assumptions, and discover ideas worth spreading.
Our Manifesto
TEDxCIS began with a simple belief: every young mind has a story worth sharing. What started as a small student-led initiative at Cambridge International School, Dubai, has become a platform that highlights diverse voices and encourages ideas that challenge, inspire, and transform. Our journey began with a desire to create a space where students, educators, and community members could step beyond the classroom. We wanted to engage with ideas that matter. Over the years, TEDxCIS has turned into an annual tradition that brings together thinkers, innovators, creatives, and problem-solvers from across the CIS community. Each event involves months of dedication, teamwork, and a shared commitment to making an impact. In 2026, our theme "Prism: Dimensional Infinity" captured what TEDxCIS stands for. We explore ideas from multiple angles, celebrate unique perspectives, and discover the limitless potential in every individual. Through this approach, our speakers continue to break boundaries, redefine narratives, and spark conversations that inspire action. Today, TEDxCIS remains a fully student-led effort, driven by passion, leadership, and teamwork. What started as an idea has grown into a movement powered by the belief that meaningful change begins with a single spark. Our story is still unfolding, and every speaker, volunteer, and audience member becomes part of it.
2024
TEDx CIS Dubai 2024 was a landmark event, being the first TEDx after COVID-19 and the first to take place in our school’s new campus. Under the theme VIVID: Voice Inspiring Valuable Ideas and Discussion, speakers shared a vibrant range of ideas that sparked curiosity and conversation. The theme helped celebrate the power of expression and the impact that sharing ideas can have. It encouraged speakers to use their voice to inspire reflection and offer perspectives that challenge assumptions. At its core, the theme emphasized how diverse experiences and insights can create a richer understanding of the world and motivate positive action. Our speakers were phenomenal in their talks, covering a wide range of fascinating topics. From exploring personal journeys in entrepreneurship and redefining what it means to excel academically, to challenging perspectives on mental health, mathematics, law, and the meaning of happiness. The talks offered a variety of unique experiences and valuable insights. Some speakers shared how they inspired others while navigating lifelong challenges such as ADHD, autism, and other disabilities, while others encouraged reflection on the choices and dilemmas that shape our lives. Through these talks, the event created a space that challenged conventional thinking, and encouraged participants to reflect on ideas that inspire growth and creativity. TEDx 2024 successfully brought together the community that cherished curiosity and the power of sharing valuable ideas
2025
TEDxCIS Dubai 2025 was a powerful continuation of our school's tradition of celebrating ideas and dialogue. Under the theme Innate. Innovate. Intonate., the event explored how ideas are formed, developed, and ultimately shared. The theme encouraged speakers to reflect on what is instinctive and natural within us, how those instincts can evolve into innovation, and how ideas gain meaning when they are voiced with purpose. Innate focused on the abilities, instincts, and perspectives we are born with — the quiet drivers that shape who we are and how we think. Innovate examined how these innate qualities can be transformed into new ways of thinking, problem-solving, and creating change. Intonate emphasised the importance of expression, highlighting how ideas must be communicated thoughtfully in order to resonate, inspire reflection, and spark discussion.