“Illusion and disillusion are perceptions that we are all confronted with.”
January 27 2025Once again this year, TEDx AgroParisTech is striking hard! Focus on perceptions and their interpretations with a new mysterious theme to start 2025: “Illusion”. To find out more, meet Inès Meyer, President of TEDx AgroParisTech 2025, and Anaïs Raymond, its Vice-President, both in the second year of the engineering course.
Hello Inès and Anaïs. Why did you choose to be part of the TEDxAgroParisTech team?
I.M: I wanted to continue my involvement in associations, having been active in my first year in the UDE (Student Union). This year, I wanted to get closer to the arts, and with TEDx, that’s the case, since the event itself emphasizes public speaking.
A.R: This year, I wanted to be part of the organization of a major event. I chose TEDxAgroParisTech because I have always watched and really enjoyed the TED videos on YouTube. What’s more, the 2024 edition really blew me away and inspired me! After that, there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to be part of the organization!
This year’s theme is [Dis]illusions. Why did you choose this theme?
I.M: We chose this theme fairly quickly, it came about through our discussions. It had to be impactful, speak to as many people as possible, and allow for interaction between as many speakers as possible because everyone can find their own interpretation of it. One of our colleagues, for example, suggested “solitude”, but it wasn’t broad enough. Whereas the relationship with illusion and disillusionment, even if it may seem contradictory, are two perceptions that can respond to each other. And it’s something that speaks to each and every one of us.
Tell us a few words about the program and the speakers who will be present.
A.R: This year, as every year, we have a really great program. For example, one of the speakers, Ghalia Chammat, is a VFX producer. She will reveal the secrets of illusions in audiovisuals, particularly in advertising. We are also fortunate to have Marc-André Selosse, a biologist specializing in botany and mycology, who will take us on a journey through the incredible underground networks created by different species to forge surprising links between them… There will be something for everyone!
I.M: Another example, to underline the diversity of the talks, we also welcome Cyril Blanchard, entrepreneur and public speaking coach, who in 2016 held the world record for the enduroman event, a triathlon between Paris and London! Through his talk, he hopes to help us better perceive and understand the weak signals that are sometimes imperceptible to our senses, the very ones that allow us to surpass ourselves thanks to an improvement in our sensory acuity! We could mention them all, but we invite you to get your tickets and come next Thursday to discover them and chat with them over a buffet. A very enjoyable evening awaits you, as inspiring and friendly as previous editions!
TEDxAgroParisTech, a well-oiled organization
While Inès and Anaïs, President and Vice-President respectively, are part of the “Organization” division, several other divisions ensure the smooth running of the event:
- the Communication division, which, as its name suggests, is responsible for communication;
- the Sponsors division, which is responsible for canvassing companies for partnerships, subsidies and visibility;
- the Treasury department manages expenses and finances in general;
- the Logistics department is responsible for the buffets and video recordings;
- and finally the Speakers department, which is responsible for contacting potential speakers and coordinating their meeting with professional coach Layla Jebabli.