Seamless societies, unlimited communication, growing interdependence, and globalization. And yet unrestrained pleasure, extravagant personalities and civil disobedience. What happens when we cross boundaries?

The theme of this year’s TEDxAlmedalen, a midnight seminar in Visby, is boundlessness.

Visby
Sweden

Virpi Pahkinen

Virpi Pahkinen has toured over 45 countries and is multiply praised for her work. She was awarded with the Swedish royal medal Litteris et Artibus in 2011 for outstanding artistic work as a dancer and choreographer. Her distinctive and soulful dances were presented by the Adelaide Festival in Australia and Festival Cervantino in Mexico. She has also choreographed larger ensembles, such as Skånes Dansteater (Sweden’s largestindependent dance company) and the Finnish National Opera. Her inspiration is partially mysticism and Eastern religion is often reflected in her performances. In the spring of 2013, she released her literary debut Ormbäraren (Serpent holder) through MBM Förlag. Virpi Pahkinen will also be one of the speakers in this year’s radi show Sommar i P1.

Alexander Crawford

Alexander Crawford is research director at the Tällberg Foundation. As analyst, commentator and engaged social media informer, he is a committed generalist who follows economies, societies, technology, policy and politics and Earth systems. His passion is to try tounderstand what is going on in the world, and to help people gain new insights by seeing new patterns and connecting dots in new ways. He has worked with the Foundation for over 15 years, where he has served as Project Manager and Program Designer for the annual global meeting Tällberg Forum.

Cecilia Hertz

Cecilia Hertz’s journey started out with interior design of the Crew Return Vehicle for NASA and the European Space Agency, ESA – an experience that led to the creation of her successful company, Umbilical Design in Stockholm. Umbilical Design is one of 13 Space Brokers in Europe contracted by ESA. Its main business is how to transfer space technology, material and concepts to the everyday life here on earth to create a more sustainable society. Umbilical Design has already worked within areas as different as car production, protective clothing, sustainable city development and the future of education. Some of their work include helping out in the concept development of a Mission Control Centre on the moon, exercise equipment for astronauts when in space, developing a sailing suit from materials used for the tires of space vehicles, and protective clothing for the extreme conditions at a steel heating plant. Cecilia Hertz believes we need to continue challenging ourselves and our technologies instead of doing repetitive design. She sees that excitement about space inspires alot when lecturing young children.

Nicklas Lundblad

Dr. Nicklas Lundblad is currently Director of Public Policy & Government relations at Google Inc and leads a team in Mountain View, California working on global public policy issues. His previous experience includes working as Executive Vice President at the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, working with Google as European Policy Manager for the Nordics, and working as CEO and co-founder of Swedish current affairs magazine Neo. Dr. Lundblad has experience from both European and Swedish advisory boards and expert groups at both Commissioner and ministerial levels, and contributes to several newspapers, trade magazines and other publications. He has taught and given seminars on Internet and Law for more than 10 years on topics ranging from information standards, security, the philosophy of privacy to the politics of copyright. He holds a Ph.D. in applied information technology from Gothenburg and Chalmers University, an LL.M. with a specialization in ICT-law, and a B.A. in Philosophy – both from Stockholm University.

Ida Östensson

Ida Östensson is founder and CEO of Crossing Boarders which is a foundation that works to change power structures and create new opportunities for unprivileged groups. The focus is on the leisure sector and in a short period of time Crossing Boarders has become a solution-oriented and innovative force in the work to enable a meaningful free time for all. Crossing Boarders vision is a society without limiting standards, where all voices can be heard and where all can reach their full potential. Ida has a background in the skateboard culture in which she has started up local and national organizations for skateboarding girls. Ida has been engaged in gender equality questions as long as she can remember. She started a group in her high school that worked to prevent sexual harassment. When Ida was 19 she was handpicked by Umeå municipality to work with young people’s influence. Since then, she has opened up Sweden’s first Garment Library, started the Swedishskateboarding associations and helped three young girls to write a book. She is a doer who rather give solutions instead of complain and she thinks she will experience an equal world before she dies.

Milad Mohammadi

Milad Mohammadi was 22 years old when he became one of the youngest in Sweden with both a law degree and Bachelor of Social Sciences in Economics and Political Science. Instead of applying to the diplomatic service program, he decided to become the biggest role model ever he could be and affect society at grassroots level through his passion. Today he contributes innovative community solutions through social entrepreneurship at www.milad.se, his work at Fryshuset for marginalized youth and as one of the initiators of the acclaimed Soppkök Stockholm for the homeless, the undocumented and other disadvantaged groups. His lectures have affected people throughout Sweden, from the school benches of the Million Homes Program (the common name for a housing program implemented in Sweden to make sure everyone could have a home at reasonable price), to boardrooms and departments on issues such as integration and people’s motivations. At the age of 23 years Milad has the plan to establish Sweden’s best and most entrepreneurial high schools in one of Stockholm’s Million Homes Program.