How to turn frustration into art | Samar Mezghanni | TEDxSouthMediterraneanUniversity
NOTE FROM TED: This talk only represents the speaker’s personal views and experiences. TEDx events are independently organized by volunteers. The guidelines we give TEDx organizers are described in more detail here: http://storage.ted.com/tedx/manuals/tedx_content_guidelines.pdfThe last time I wanted to kill someone was at a private dinner for eight VIPs. I was not one of them, but I witnessed the bizarre conversations and extraordinary events happening at that dinner unfold in front me, along with the corrupt toxic personalities of its guests. Fuming with anger, I managed to stop myself from poisoning the dinner, only to commit a rather beautiful crime later: I took revenge by writing the truth about that night in my novel “Dinner for Eight”. Throughout the story, the lies sustaining fragile masculinity, power corruption, and climate change are revealed to unmask the eight VIPs that you may know.
In a world mastered by a few corrupt VIPs, and in the zeitgeist of ugly lies, we are sedated, insane, or criminals. But what makes a beautiful crime? And how can we turn our frustration, anger, malaise, pain and desire for revenge into a different story, a constructive idea, and a call for action? Dr. Samar is a Canadian/Tunisian/Iraqi writer and international speaker with two records in Guinness Book for World Records as the youngest writer in the world in 2000 and the most prolific writer in the world in 2002. She has written over a hundred stories and published 16 books. Her work earned her several awards and her stories were quoted by the Chair of the Nobel Prize in her speech at the Nobel Prize Ceremony in 2015.
Samar is the first Tunisian to obtain a PhD from the University of Cambridge ever (in more than 800 years). She delivered keynote speeches in more than 30 countries across 5 continents including a Keynote speech at the United Nations (UN). The BBC nominated her as one of the 100 most inspiring women. The UN appointed her as a United Nations Young Leader for the Sustainable Development Goals. She was classified as one of the most influential Arab women in 2013 and one of the most important young leaders in the Arab region in 2012. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
More from TED
- 10:08Why does Chinese people shorund death in black? | Sophia Lai | TEDxYuehai St SalonWhen Sophia learned her aunt had cancer, her family cocooned themselves in forced optimism—as if silence could erase death’s shadow. "Does speaking of death really summon misfortune?" The question haunted her.Then she witnessed a 17-year-old anime fan’s farewell party. In that moment, clarity struck: Confronting mortality isn’t cursing life—it’s honoring it. How many Chinese families, she wondered, are crumbling under this conspiracy of silence? Death was never life’s opposite—it’s the bold punctuation that gives meaning to our story. 校园时装秀主席 This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- 10:05An lnstruction for My Tears | Eleven Hu | TEDxYuehai St SalonFrom childhood, when my emotional depth was dismissed as "fragility," to discovering how sensitivity fuels profound thought, I learned to channel raw feeling into creative power.In this talk, Eleven explores the inner world of highly sensitive people (HSPs). Loneliness is overcome through empathy; vulnerability is redefined as strength. When we wield emotions as our pen, every tear becomes poetry—a bridge connecting human hearts. 国际学校G2学生 This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- 9:52Cinema or Stigma? Rethinking mental disorders in film | Eileen Feng | TEDxYuehai St SalonMovies crystallize culture. When we step into theaters, they become windows to diverse worlds and stories. But when a character with mental illness appears on screen, how are they portrayed? As dangerous? Fragile? Or helpless? Cinema is more than entertainment—it shapes our worldview and influences how we perceive others.Are depictions of mental health in film trapped in tired tropes that fuel stereotypes? Movies are not just storytelling; they can mislead or enlighten, stigmatize or heal. Every frame holds the power to distort—or dissolve—the fog of misunderstanding. “荟”艺术馆策展人 This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- 17:31Africa2Moon: Africa's First Lunar Mission | Adriana Marais | TEDxYuehai St SalonAfrica2Moon is a radio telescope currently in the running to potentially become Africa's first lunar mission. This groundbreaking project aims to conduct pioneering scientific research impossible to perform on Earth—not just making new discoveries and demonstrating technological innovation, but also showcasing the power of collaboration. Most importantly, it inspires the next generation of dreamers.When children across Africa and the world gaze at the Moon, our mission is to ignite their curiosity and excitement, connecting them to this thrilling new era of exploration. 非洲首次登月计划Africa2Moon的核心科学家 This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- 16:13Piercing Through Cocoon Walls | Annie Yang | TEDxYuehai St SalonHow Can a Viral Social Media Video Expose the Dangers of Filter Bubbles?In this talk, youth education creator Annie shares her story—from facing online hate due to information gaps to confronting how algorithms trap us in filter bubbles, amplifying bias and division. Amid this seemingly unstoppable tide of our times, how can ordinary individuals break free and find solutions?Through her NGO’s journey, Annie reveals how empathy and dialogue can crack open even the thickest walls of filter bubbles, letting diverse voices and light shine through. Global Teens Unite 跨国非盈利组织创始人 This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- 11:06A new approach to collaborative learning | Hubertus Weyer | TEDxUniversity of LodzThis TEDx talk shows the power of collaboration, technology, and innovative learning methods to shape the future of knowledge sharing. It highlights the change from traditional, individual-based learning to dynamic, community-driven approaches that foster creativity, adaptability, and lifelong learning. Hubertus Weyer is an enthusiast of communication. Previously, Hubertus worked in the steel industry in Germany and currently has a position as coordinator of the Business English and Communications Section at Wiesbaden Business School. The focus of his work is to combine innovative approaches to learning as a collaborative process of communication, internationalization as well as business studies. Personally, He has a strong relationship to North America and enjoys traveling and meeting friends. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx