Born in India, Samira was sent to boarding school in Brighton when she was eleven years old. She recounts with humour her culture shock as she met the customs and the weather of England. Her comic insights, as a stranger to these shores, offer a fresh perspective on life in Britain. Samira is a Year 12 student at The King Alfred School, London, studying Maths, Chemistry and Economics. 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

Meet Aryah Vaibhhav Mahajan, a passionate social entrepreneur and a two-time winner of the UN Women WEP Award (2022 & 2024). She is the founder of a sustainable initiative that empowers rural women by manufacturing eco-friendly cloth bags while helping businesses communicate their values more meaningfully. Aryah also supports doctors in growing their practices organically. A Goldman Sachs Global Growth Fellow and a UN Women Industry Disruptor, she has been incubated at IIM Bangalore and is a proud advocate for creating sustainable, women-led enterprises. Her work bridges social impact, environmental consciousness, and business growth with heart and innovation. Two-time winner of the UN Women’s Women’s Economic Principles (WEP) Award (2022 & 2024) for contributions to gender equality and social entrepreneurship Aryah Vaibhhav Mahajan is a social entrepreneur dedicated to sustainable business and women’s empowerment. As the Founder & CEO of IVillage A Family, he has built a 3,000 sqft production center in Anupshahr, enabling over 100 village women to achieve financial independence by manufacturing eco friendly cloth bags. His organization aligns with multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and has expanded into corporate branding solutions. With an MBA from Rochester Institute of Technology and a corporate finance background, he transitioned into entrepreneurship to drive meaningful change. His efforts have been recognized globally, including incubation at IIM Bangalore and prestigious awards from UN Women 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

Megan is fascinated by how the devil is represented in film and in life, her interest being sparked by a childhood meeting with a ‘man who could talk to the devil’ or so she thought. She describes the hysteria caused by a range of films in the 70s resulting in a period of ‘Satanic Panic’ in America in the 80s. She leaves us to decide for ourselves who is ‘the devil you know’. Megan is a Year 12 student at The King Alfred School, London, studying Film Studies, History and English. 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

Peter’s talk is on Culture Wars and the idea that there are propaganda initiatives created by very professional mercenaries at the behest of anonymous millionaires and then trailed as if they were Holy Writ everywhere, particularly in national legacy media. His priority Culture Wars subjects are asylum seekers in boats, trans people, environmentalists, ‘the woke mob’ generally (whoever they are!), soft-left celebrities, soft-left academics and high court judges. And anyone who could vaguely be called The Metropolitan Liberal Elite.All these stories serve to distract people from their own real interests and Peter objects that people living real lives don’t know that this is happening to them. Peter York, an Old Alfredian, is an author, journalist, broadcaster, management consultant and former President of The Media Society. Over the last 30+ years he has produced a flood of articles, initially in Harpers & Queen and thereafter in broadsheets, particularly The Independent, and thirteen books, including the 1980s best-selling trade book The Official Sloane Ranger Handbook. His latest book, ‘A Dead Cat On Your Table’ was published in 2024 by Byline. 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

Finding herself in the midst of massive change and redundancy just after turning 50, Rikke took a leap into the unknown and volunteered in a programme to empower women in India. Her experience working with these women had an unexpected impact on herself. She returned lighter, braver and with a richer understanding of what truly matters. Rikke is an experienced leader who has spent half of her life in the world of advertising and marketing - Danish born and bred - but a true European having lived in Germany, Italy, France and a combined 16 years in London. 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

Sophie shares a powerful story that challenges how we define intelligence and ability, shedding light on the overlooked strengths of twice-exceptional (2e) children who are both gifted and have learning differences. She calls on parents and educators to move beyond a deficit lens and adopt a strength-based approach that fosters identity, motivation, and belonging. Sophie is an education consultant and advocate for neurodivergent learners, she supports schools and families to better understand cognitive diversity through strength-based assessments, workshops and practical consultancy. 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