KEY TAKEAWAYS: TEDxNOLA returns to New Orleans on Oct. 30 after an approximately 15-year absence of TED events in the city. The event at Loyola University New Orleans will feature speakers and performers discussing innovation, technology, business, public health and the arts. University studen ts can attend free with advance registration, while general ticket sales close at midnight Oct. 28. Organizers plan to expand TEDxNOLA into an ongoing series of smaller discussion events throughout 2027.   TEDxNOLA will return to New Orleans on Oct. 30 after an approximately 15-year absence of TED events in the city, bringing speakers and performers from across the country to Loyola University New Orleans for discussions on innovation, technology, public health and other topics. The independently organized event, titled “What the World Needs Now,” will take place at Loyola’s Communications/Music Complex and feature a program of speakers and performers representing fields including behavioral science, law, education, business, cuisine and music. Organizers announced the event Oct. 27 in partnership with Loyola University, with additional support from public radio stations WWNO in New Orleans and WRKF in Baton Rouge. University students can attend free with advance registration. Ticket sales for other attendees close at midnight Wednesday, Oct. 28. The event is designed to bring together professionals, researchers, entrepreneurs and creative leaders to exchange ideas and explore solutions to social, scientific and technological challenges. “In these complex times, if we stop talking to each other and meeting together, we stand to lose so much,” said Julianne Wurm, founder and lead organizer of TEDxNOLA. “We are seeking to create a space and a community where we can gather to continue composed dialogues about our shared future.” The program includes behavioral economist Dan Ariely, entrepreneur and education advocate Calvin Mackie, civil rights attorney Alanah Odoms, singer-songwriter Kristin Diable and musician Helen Gillet. Other participants include chef Toby Archibald, professor Anita Raj, architect Noam Platt and public health and technology professionals. Organizers said the event will emphasize the connections between different industries and disciplines, with presentations examining how emerging ideas and new approaches can influence communities and businesses. The partnership with Loyola provides a university setting for the event while expanding access to students interested in entrepreneurship, research, public policy and the creative industries. Founded in 1904, Loyola is a Jesuit university with academic programs spanning business, communications, law, music and the liberal arts. TEDxNOLA is also collaborating with WWNO and WRKF, with the possibility that presentations and related discussions could be featured on the TED Radio Hour. Beyond the October event, organizers plan to establish an ongoing series of smaller gatherings in New Orleans. Approximately three months after the inaugural conference, TEDxNOLA expects to begin hosting salon-style events featuring smaller groups of speakers and more focused discussions. The gatherings are intended to continue throughout 2027, providing additional opportunities for networking, collaboration and discussions about issues affecting the region and beyond. TEDx events operate independently under the broader TED program, which provides guidelines for locally organized conferences featuring presentations and discussions on a variety of subjects. The New Orleans event marks an effort to reestablish a TEDx presence in the city and create a continuing forum for exchanging ideas among local and national participants. Additional information about the Oct. 30 event, including the full speaker lineup and ticket registration, is available through the TEDxNOLA website. ...read more read less