TEDxKrakow - Andy Williams - New roles for cultural institutions November 29, 2011

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Andy Williams is the director of the British Council in Poland. Over the past 20 years, his work in international cultural relations has taken him from London to Gdańsk to Damascus and from Bangkok to Baku. Over this time, the ease of access to technological tools for organisation as well as "now" communication means that everyone can be an international activist. What's more, we have shaped our tools to allow us to organise in a global world and our tools are now shaping us. Generation Y is more connected than any other generation before it; young people demand instant gratification and have high expectations, but they are also more committed to building community. How will governments, corporations, institutions like the British Council (and you) respond to this "new normal"?

Andy spoke at TEDxKraków, an independently organised TED event which took place on 20 October 2011 at the Manggha Centre for Japanese Art and Technology in Kraków Poland. Our theme was "The New Normal" and we asked our speakers to tell us about what we might just have to get used to once the dust settles from the various ongoing geopolitical, financial and environmental crises.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)