Theme: SLOW LIFE

In a world where everything happens at full speed, it’s time to embrace the Slow Life. The Slow Life is about finding a deeper meaning and purpose far beyond the superficial. It’s about reconnecting with oneself and the natural world, and finding joy in life’s simplest pleasures. It is about learning how to live in harmony with our precious and fragile environment, and working hand-in-hand with our local communities to make the world a better place. And it is about being mindful of every moment, and nurturing our physical and mental wellbeing to become the very best we can be.

What better place to discover the Slow Life than in the Maldives’ Baa Atoll, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, where snow-white islands are surrounded by pristine turquoise waters. In this unique part of the Indian Ocean, the local island communities and tourist resorts are embodying the Slow Life ethos – working together to develop a model for a more sustainable and inclusive future that not only impacts the Maldives, but also offers important lessons for the rest of the world.

TEDxBaaAtoll is about learning and inspiring each other. Where local and international speakers will celebrate culture, art, discourse, wellness and the environment – those diverse elements which are all part of the Slow Life.

Start your own Slow Life journey at TEDxBaaAtoll. Apply to attend, or register your email to receive details about virtual participation.

Cinema Paradiso
Kunfunadhoo Island
Kunfunadhoo Island, Baa, 06170
Maldives

Aishath Adnan

Over the course of her 15-year career, Aishath has worked in a variety of roles designing, implementing and managing technology solutions for both the public and private sectors. She holds a Master’s Degree in Information Technology from University of West of England and is currently working as a technology manager, leading a software development team in the Maldives. She also teaches computer science subjects at a leading college in the Maldives. An active advocate for women in tech, she also co-founded the non-profit organisation Women in Tech Maldives which strives to inspire, empower and celebrate more women joining the tech industry.

Aki Allahgholi

Ahmad ‘Aki’ Allahghol grew up in Switzerland, where he returned after studying International Business & Computer Science on a full NCAA Division 1 basketball scholarship at Quinnipiac University in the USA. Back in Switzerland, Aki worked between the IT sector, private banking and the hospitality industry, while also playing as a Swiss National Basketball Team Player in Europe for several years. After a near burnout in 2009, Aki took some time off to travel through South & Central America, the Caribbean, India and Southeast Asia. His journey brought him to reconnect with the natural world, giving him perspective on the threats our planet is facing, which in large part are created by the capitalistic system he had previously been serving. This realization inspired Aki to pivot his life to serve nature rather than a system that nurtures only one’s ego instead of one’s true self. Aki has since dedicated his energy and talents to marine conservation initiatives around the globe, working for several marine conservation NGOs worldwide. To formalize his knowledge and expertise in the field, he earned his Master’s degree in Sustainable Natural Resource Management with a thesis in Coral Reef Restoration from the United Nations University for Peace in Costa Rica. Following an additional two years as Project Manager for a Philippine-based NGO working on coral reef restoration, MPA management and alternative livelihood solutions, he founded Coralive.org in 2016 to fully serve an eco-minded holistic approach to restore and protect a healthy ocean.

Akib Jahir

Akib is a passionate entomologist, avid mosquito hunter and Manchester United enthusiast. Based in the Maldives, Akib’s work is pioneering the way towards an integrated method sustainable mosquito management. He is passionate about eliminating mosquito-borne diseases, the impact this can have on the public health sector, and fostering environmental balance on our beautiful planet. Akib holds both a Bachelors degree in Zoology and a Masters in Entomology from the Aligarh Muslim University in India. Additionally, he holds a second Masters in Integrated Pest Management and Crop Protection from Harper Adams’s University in the United Kingdom, where he given the British Crop Production Council’s Best Student Award for his research with Black Vine Weevils.

Bruce Bromley

Bruce is the Chief Financial Officer and Deputy CEO of an award-winning luxury hospitality company. Somewhat uniquely, Bruce shares the responsibility for both finance and sustainability in the company, merging the two key pillars of sustainable corporate development. With a background in numbers, Bruce’s career has taken him from strategy consulting, to investment banking and hedge fund management in the City of London, and eventually into hospitality. Bruce’s keen interest and application of the principles of impact investing are evident in both his day job, as well as his role as a Trustee for the Soneva Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation focused on mitigating the impacts of climate charge. Bruce holds a degree in econometrics from the University of Kwazulu Natal, South Africa, a Masters in Hospitality Management from Cornell, and a Cert-BA from the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

Carissa Nimah

Originally a journalist before moving into PR and marketing, Carissa has worked for some of the world’s top luxury brands, and is personally motivated by creativity, purpose and ethical business. She holds a Masters of Marketing degree, as well as two undergraduate degrees in Politics and Journalism from Australian universities. She is now studying law part-time. Carissa lives in Hua Hin with her husband and daughter, and has previously lived and worked in Australia, Ireland, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and Thailand. She has a German Shephard and English Cocker spaniel, as well as a feral cat. She is an aspiring kite surfer, yogi and vegan chef. Carissa is currently Guardian of the Brand (Chief Commercial Officer) of a world-renowned brand of luxury resorts, where she oversees sales, marketing and reservations teams globally.

Hussain ‘Sendi’ Rasheed

Hussain ‘Sendi’ Rasheed has contributed over 30 years of his life to the Maldives’ diving industry. Not only was he the region’s first ever PADI-certified Course Director, he also pioneered many of the country’s diving standards, was the first to launch a locally-owned dive centre in a resort, and developed the marine faculty at Villa College. As well as being an entrepreneur and mentor to others who have followed in his footsteps, Sendi is also a passionate explorer and environmentalist, who has helped raise awareness about marine ecosystems and biodiversity. For his services to the diving industry, Sendi has been awarded with the prestigious President’s Award and the Maldives Tourism Award, as well as being honoured in the international Scuba Diving Hall of Fame. He attributes his motivation to his father, who introduced him to the wonders of the underwater world at a young age. After three decades of service, Sendi has now settled on Fulhadhoo in the Baa Atoll, with his wife of 36 years and his children. He considers his two grandchildren, born during the Covid pandemic to his son and his daughter, as his pride and joy and the best prize he could ever hope to receive. Sendi’s goal is to live a happy and healthy life, researching the benefits of using the ocean’s resources sustainably through his farming.

Malsa Maaz

I am a cultural anthropologist passionate about Maldivian culture. Being the daughter of a sailor, I grew up listening to stories from around the world which made me want to explore more. So I went on to study anthropology at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David where I’ve completed my Bachelor of Arts in Archaeology & Anthropology and Master of Research in Engaged Anthropology. I have done fieldwork in the Maldives, exploring the coconut culture of the Maldives. My latest research is how bodies hold and transmit cultural knowledge.

Saazu Saeed

Former Vice President of both the Maldives Surfing Association and the Diving Association of the Maldives, Shaziya ‘Saazu’ Saeed is a professional diver and surfer, as well as a passionate advocate for ocean conservation and women in surfing. In 2001, she competed in the men’s division of the Maldives’ National Bodyboarding Competition as the only female participant. She went on to work as a dive instructor and surf instructor at resorts and surf schools across the archipelago, setting up her own resort watersports company with her partner, following the birth of her daughter in 2014. Over the last two decades, Saazu’s activism has seen her collaborate with numerous regional environmental NGOs, as well as being Founder and Vice Chairperson of Save Our Waves, an NGO dedicated to protecting the Maldives’ surf breaks, and Co-Founder of Raalhu Edhuru, a movement to teach children the basics of surfing. In early 2019, she joined three other women on an unprecedented 100-kilometre stand up paddle boarding expedition around the Baa Atoll to raise awareness of the dangers of plastic pollution, climate change and ghost fishing nets on the region’s fragile marine ecosystems. In the same year, Saazu received the National Award for her contribution to diving over the last two decades. More recently, Saazu became a member of the Vision Council for the World Surfing Reserves, and in 2022, launched Aloha Beach Club, a community-based project that provides a safe and fun environment through the ocean.

Yala Shameem

Yala Shameem is a youth activist from the island of Kudafari in the Maldives’ Noonu Atoll. At just 13 years of age, she is a dedicated advocate for environmental conservation and the phasing out of single-use plastics. Yala believes that every choice matters and strives to stop pollution and lead a zero waste lifestyle. Already leading by example, she takes a hands-on role in beach clean ups and follows the ‘three Rs’- reusing, reducing and recycling however she can. She hopes to spread awareness and see a day where everyone is helping to make a positive difference for the conservation of the environment. From her perspective as a student, Yala believes that children need to learn about environmental conservation at school, by implementing a different system and learning process that relates directly to everyday life while addressing the urgent challenges of pollution and climate change.