On Friday 2 October 2026, from 16:00 to 18:30 CEST, the first edition of TEDxEuropean University Institute Florence will take place in the Martti Ahtisaari Peace Hall at the Florence School of Transnational Governance (STG). This event will bring together policy professionals and researchers from across and beyond the EUI community around the theme ‘Agents of Change’.
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a programme of local, self-organised events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. TED is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organisation dedicated to discovering, debating and spreading ideas that spark conversation, deepen understanding and drive meaningful change.
TEDxEuropean University Institute Florence puts this philosophy into practice by creating a space where ideas developed through research and professional experience can reach a wider audience. Organised by the EUI Global Executive Master (GEM) team in collaboration with the Communications Service, the event will feature, among others, EUI professors and selected GEM participants presenting subjects that drive them and their research in a TEDx format. Speakers include Pawel Czajkowski, Margarita Iliopoulou, Mahnaz Lashkri, George Papaconstantinou, Monika Sus, Wadia Fruergaard, Koralia Kontou, and Alain Lempereur. Talks will address issues including Europe’s energy transition, migration governance, media visibility in the digital era, responsible negotiations, EU security, transnational water governance, and Europe’s media and financial systems. The event will also offer an opportunity for participants joining the third GEM cohort in October to hear from their peers, meet the graduating participants of the first cohort, and engage with the wider EUI community.
The programme will also feature speakers from beyond the GEM community, bringing different perspectives to the stage and connecting the EUI’s research and professional networks. Among them is Terry Szuplat, one of the instructors of the executive course on Policy Communication and former White House speechwriter who worked with President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2017. In addition to his TED talk, he will also deliver a lecture on Thursday 1 October 2026, from 17:30 to 19:00 CEST, open to the public and titled “Say It Well: Lessons from an Obama Speechwriter”. Seats are limited, so early registration is encouraged.
Dorothy Estrada-Tanck, EUI alumna and former Chair of the UN Working Group on Discrimination against Women and Girls, will also be among the TEDx speakers, bringing to the stage her international expertise in human rights, gender equality, and non-discrimination.
TEDxEuropean University Institute Florence will offer a new platform for the EUI community to share ideas developed through research and professional experience that challenge assumptions, inform debate, and inspire action.
All talks, designed to last around eight minutes, will be professionally recorded and made available through the official TEDx YouTube channel.
This independent TEDx event is operated under license from TED.
To join Terry Szuplat’s lecture on Thursday, 1 October 2026, please register online.
Contact us if you are interested in attending TEDxEuropean University Institute Florence in person on Friday, 2 October.
For further information, visit the corresponding TEDx page and follow the new Instagram account for updates.