TEDx event draws sold-out crowd to UNB after years away

Tedx speakers, organizers, volunteers and a room full of audience at the Kinesiology Building at UNB for TEDx conference. (Credit: Suzanne Shah/AQ)

On Jan. 15, a sold-out crowd filled the University of New Brunswick (UNB) earlier this year as TEDx returned to Fredericton after a four-year hiatus.

TEDx is an independent event under the TED organization, a global platform created to share ideas worth spreading, bringing together speakers from different fields to inspire conversations and reflections. 

Through these independently organized events, local communities can engage with global conversations in their own spaces. 

The gathering featured 10 speakers, including two UNB students alongside professionals from various disciplines, drawing community members eager to reconnect with the platform.

“Behind the scenes, it’s like making a business from scratch,” said Carla Carvajal, organizer of the event, supported by Sabrina Perli, Harsh Chowdhari and multiple volunteers. 

She said that planning began months in advance and intensified toward the end of the year. 

Vedika Shashikant, one of the student volunteers, assisted with guest registration, stage setup, lighting and logistics throughout the day.

Despite the event’s fast pace, the experience proved meaningful for Shashikant. 

“I genuinely love being around people and doing background work,” she said. “When things are intense, that’s when I'm in my zen zone.”

Bringing the conference back to Fredericton required renewing a license, securing sponsors and following strict guidelines. 

The last time the city hosted such an event was on May 14, 2022, making this return particularly significant. 

“It wasn’t like, ‘oh, 10 speakers,’” Carvajal said. “It was three speakers, then we had the band, then three speakers… we had performances in between.”

That intention shaped the flow of the day. 

Talks were interspersed with live music and performances, including jazz and blues, creating a steady rhythm that kept the audience engaged. 

According to Carvajal, the audience itself played an important role in the atmosphere. 

“A lot of people think Freddy [Fredericton] is just a small town,” Carvajal said. “But there’s a lot of talent here… so why not bring this here?”

One of the ten speakers was Drashtant Verma, whose talk focused on leadership, perspective and emotional resilience, particularly for young people navigating pressure and responsibility. 

“Usually, what people think is the end of the world, well, [it isn’t],” he said. 

While Carvajal has not confirmed whether the initiative will return next year, the success of this edition set a strong foundation for what could come next. 

“The expectations are higher now,” Carvajal said. “That means we have to do greater things next time.”

“The audience was great—we shared and learned a lot from each other.”

For organizers, volunteers and attendees alike, the return of TEDx  served as a reminder of the city’s appetite for ideas, collaboration and student-led initiatives.