FAQ

TEDxTokyo FAQ

Here is some information about TEDxTokyo and our activities, including the upcoming 2010 event. We’ll post other essential bits of knowledge whenever we realize you’ve just got to know them.

The Basics

• Is TEDxTokyo open to the public?
• How much does it cost to join TEDxTokyo?
• When and where will the 2010 event be held, and what will be happening there?

Management

• How do you choose TEDxTokyo speakers?
• Do TEDxTokyo speakers receive any type of compensation or reimbursement for accommodations and transportation?

Participation

• How can I become involved in organizing TEDxTokyo?
• How can I become a sponsor or in-kind donor for TEDxTokyo?
• Do I have to be able to communicate in English to attend TEDxTokyo events?
• Will you provide any help for non-bilingual attendees through services such as interpreters, bilingual materials and subtitles?
• Will assistance be offered for attendees who are hearing-impaired, sight-impaired or otherwise disabled?

The Basics

Is TEDxTokyo open to the public?

Yes, the organization is open to everyone. The event being held on May 15, 2010, however, is by invitation only. Three hundred handpicked thought leaders representing a host of diverse disciplines will be invited to share their ideas throughout the day, and a handful of them will also give presentations. If you consider yourself to be a candidate for either of those roles — or know someone who is — please contact us using the appropriate e-mail address (participate@tedxtokyo.com or speaker@tedxokyo.com) and tell us why.

Just as at the main TED conference, the distinction between speakers and participants is minor, and any participant could become a speaker at a future TEDxTokyo event. That includes you.

Volunteers who invest serious amounts of time and energy in TEDxTokyo activities, and help to expand the community will also be invited to attend the May 2010 event. There are plenty of event-related roles we need to fill, by the way, including TEDxTokyo ambassadors, speaker management, translation, refreshment and meal support. Please e-mail volunteer@tedxtokyo.com to learn more.

How much does it cost to join TEDxTokyo?

Joining the TEDxTokyo community is free. However, since volunteers are investing thousands of hours to organize TEDxTokyo, we are asking participants to contribute 20,000 to 40,000 yen to TEDxTokyo’s core charity, Living Dreams. The mission of Living Dreams is to enrich and empower Japan’s orphans. You can find out more at www.livingdreams.jp.

Please keep in mind that TEDxTokyo is much more than a single annual program. The main event will take us far, but it’s just part of the surge in what we foresee as a continuous wave of brilliant ideas, events and initiatives. We want you there with us.

When and where will the 2010 event be held, and what will be happening there?

The event will be held on May 15, at Miraikan in Odaiba, and will run from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. The day will be packed with live presentations, TEDTalks videos and virtually continuous interactions between participants. There is also going to be an evening reception.

Please e-mail volunteer@tedxtokyo.com for general inquiries. For specific questions about particular roles, check the options under the Get Involved section of the TEDxTokyo website.

Management

How do you choose TEDxTokyo speakers?

The TEDxTokyo community depends on trusted advisors to recommend speakers. Because many more speakers are suggested than we can showcase during any one event, the core team speaks to all potential presenters to better grasp how well their topics fit with the chosen themes, and to gauge potential presentation length. This balancing act also enables us determine how each presentation will mesh with those of other speakers, the four themes of day and the TEDTalks being shown. Naturally we also want to ensure that the lineup offers a range of topics, viewpoints and fields.

The core team will do its best to orchestrate the most riveting mix and juxtapositions to properly launch the TEDxTokyo community in Japan. The talks, by the way, will range from 3 to 12 minutes.

Do TEDxTokyo speakers receive any compensation or reimbursement for accommodations and transportation?

TEDxTokyo does not compensate speakers. Other speaker needs are addressed on a case-by-case basis.

Participation

How can I become involved in organizing TEDxTokyo?

Join the volunteer community! E-mail volunteer@tedxtokyo.com for more details, or go right to the Get Involved section of the TEDxTokyo website.

How can I become a sponsor or in-kind donor for TEDxTokyo?

If you are interested in sponsorship or in-kind opportunities with TEDxTokyo, please contact us at sponsor@tedxtokyo.com for details.

Do I have to be able to communicate in English to attend TEDxTokyo events?

TEDxTokyo’s activities are held primarily in English, and all conversation break activities will be presented in English. However you are free to converse in the languages you know when talking with other attendees. In addition the TEDTalks will be subtitled in Japanese — thank you, translation team! — and we will be providing simultaneous translations for the live presentations in 2010.

By the way, if you can recommend translators or interpreters who might be willing to volunteer to subtitle or translate during the May 15, 2010, event, please e-mail volunteer@tedxtokyo.com with contact and background details.

Will you provide any help for non-bilingual attendees, such as interpreters, bilingual materials and subtitles?

All TEDTalks shown will be subtitled in Japanese, and we will have simultaneous translations for the live presentations in 2010. If you can recommend translators or interpreters who might be willing to subtitle or translate during the May 15, 2010, event, by the way, please e-mail volunteer@tedxtokyo.com with contact and background details.

Will assistance be offered for attendees who are hearing-impaired, sight-impaired, or otherwise disabled?

Yes. The venue for the 2010 event, Miraikan in Odaiba, is equipped with disability aids.