TEDxCanberra Youth 2024: Stars

What is the difference between being a star and a mere glimmer? 

A glimmer may momentarily catch attention, but a star illuminates the night sky, guiding others with its enduring brilliance. Who is better to be these stars than the youth? Ready to recognise, react and redefine the ordinary and light up the future for all of us! 

TEDxYouth@Canberra 2024: Stars celebrates the radiant potential of our youth. Our 8 stellar speakers will shine brightly and illuminating ideas that inspire, challenge and innovate.  

Join us to witness the brilliance of youth-led ideas and initiatives on Sunday 4th August 2024 at Canberra Girls Grammar School. 

Since 2010, TEDxCanberra has brought together thousands of Canberrans to celebrate great ideas on science, technology, arts, culture and the humanities. In 2024, we continue this tradition by inviting young visionaries to share their insights and ignite our imaginations. Let's come together to explore how we can grow, learn and become the changemakers who will build a brighter tomorrow. 

Don't miss the opportunity to be inspired by the future leaders of our world! Mark your calendar and prepare to be dazzled by the stars of TEDxCanberra Youth 2024.. 

The 2024 speaker and performer line-up is being progressively announced
through June and July on our social media channels - check them out on Facebook and Instagram.

What to expect

TEDxYouthCanberra 2024: Stars will be held in-person at the Canberra Girls Grammar School. Your registration will give you access to:

• Welcome to Country ceremony
• Three sessions of TED Talks and music performances - featuring up-and-coming Australians who are out to change the world
• Option of an interactive Discovery/Workshop Session in the afternoon where you can be part of the action
• Opportunities to network and meet fellow Canberrans who are making a difference
• Catered lunch

Our speakers

Zahra Al Hilaly: Zahra is an Australian lawyer, journalist, and activist, for human rights, interfaith dialogue, and peace building. As the former CEO of Oaktree Australia, Zahra led Australia’s largest  youth-led development organisation, empowering over 750,000 young people in the Asia-Pacific region to become leaders of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Zahra currently works as a Programme Manager for Young Negotiators Academy, where they train young people to lead negotiations at the United Nations’ Conference of Parties. As a proud daughter of refugees from Palestine and Iraq, Zahra’s mission is to ensure refugee youth are being amplified in peace building agendas. In 2023, Zahra was named an Australian Women in Excellence and in 2024, she was named on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia-Pacific list. 

Kayleigh Sleath: Kayleigh is the founder of Ohna, a startup using tech to build more distributed food systems. By partnering with farmers and food organizations, she aims to help bridge the gap between producers and consumers, fostering a more connected and sustainable food network. Ohna has been featured by Cosmos Magazine and the ABC, and Kayleigh was named one of Vogue Australia's 2023 Future Innovators for her work. In addition to her role at Ohna, Kayleigh is completing a Bachelor of Engineering Research and Development in Mechatronics, teaches computer science at the Australian National University, and has published research on artificial intelligence. Passionate about the potential of new technology, she is particularly excited by its capacity to create more efficient and equitable systems.

Kuba Meikle: Kuba is a first year university student, studying Law and Arts at ANU. He is generally interested in the political process, and was appointed as a member of the Federal Government's Youth Advisory Group on Civic Engagement. Kuba is also the Tasmanian President of UN Youth and volunteers for the NSW Youth Parliament. In his spare time, Kuba enjoys a bike ride, bush walk, or baking a sweet treat, and is an avid lover of wombats and Messina's super ducle de leche icecream. Last year, Kuba was the national senior winner of the Rostrum Voice of Youth public speaking competition, discussing the topic "Let the past not rule us" in reference to Australia's Constitution. He is keen to continue talking about our most important law at this year's TedxYouth Canberra.

Leah Shoebridge: Leah is a 14-year-old student at Merici College, Canberra with a passion for all things STEM and space. She’s loved science from the age of four, when she first heard about Marie Curie, and ever since then, she has been constantly obsessed with physics and maths. Outside of the STEM field, Leah enjoys debating, reading, and orienteering. She’s excited to share her endless enthusiasm for the universe beyond the confines of our atmosphere, and to encourage youth to become more engaged in this incredible industry.

Josh Shaw: Josh is a 19 year-old student at ANU, studying PPE and Psychology. He is originally from Wagga and brings a passion for making our society better for young people. He serves as Youth Governor in the Y NSW Youth Parliament, volunteers for UrVoice Australia, a mental health not-for-profit, and was previously College Captain at Mater Dei Catholic College. Josh believes that society should ensure everyone has access to basic rights, but to ensure this, everyone needs a say. He’ll be speaking about the urgency of young people and experts coming together to develop solutions to Australia’s housing crisis, because the current state of the housing market means many young people tragically cannot access their fundamental right to shelter. Deep down, Josh is driven by empathy — he believes that we as a community should support each other. This is what shapes his determination that everyone should have access to human rights like shelter, food, and water.

Leensaa Jarso: Leensaa is a Year 12 student at Canberra Girls Grammar School and Chairperson of the Student Representative Council at Canberra Girls Grammar School. She's a beacon of joy and positivity, always ready with a smile. Passionate about equality and justice, Leensaa is determined to make a real difference in the world. Her first mission? Tackling discrimination in Australia and inspiring change in how we think about and deal with racism, making our community a kinder, more inclusive place.

Ingrid Stening: Ingrid is a year 12 student at Canberra Girls Grammar School who is a passionate writer, speaker, debater and advocate for women in STEM. Having grown up  in a diverse and multicultural environment, she is a strong believer of the importance of inclusion, and the appreciation of the individualities which make every person uniquely important.

Richard Ji: Richard is a year 11 student at Narrabundah College. He is a multifaceted innovator with a diverse background who has competed in various IT competitions and events such as CyberTaipan, PECAN+, and the YICTE. Richard combines his passion for technology with a relentless pursuit of innovation as he pioneered PankVision, a revolutionary software aimed at revolutionising pancreatic cancer treatment. His vision extends beyond technology; Richard seeks to reshape healthcare globally, envisioning a future with reduced mortality rates from this devastating disease. Recognized for musical excellence by Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove in 2016, Richard's interests span beyond technology, encompassing a deep appreciation for music and animated films. Through his endeavours, Richard strives to inspire individuals from current and future generations to leverage their passions, interests, and creativity to enact positive change in the world.

Our partners and supporters

TEDxCanberra Youth 2024 would not be possible without the generous support of our local and regional partners:

• Principal Partner: Synergy
• Presenting Partner: Canberra Girls Grammar School
• Media Partner: RiotACT
• Creative Partner: creati8ve
• Design Partner: Impress Design
• Production Partner: Dirty Deeds
• Bronze Partner: University of Canberra Faculty of Arts and Design
• Community Partners: The Firm, Netier
• Visual Scribe: Gavin Blake

Our special thanks to the all-star speaker coach team Bradley Roche, Harry Hatch and Alfred Chidembo for supporting our speaker coaching program.