I’m happy to announce that I’ve been selected for a fellowship to take part in TEDGlobal this June in Arusha, Tanzania. It feels a little like I won the lottery to tell you the truth. There weren’t that many handed out, so I feel humbled to have been given the opportunity to spend some time talking with some of Africa’s great minds.
This is the first TED conference to take place in Africa, and if it’s like any other TED it will be phenomenal. I’m not sure how many of you watch their videos, but they are some of the best on the web for ideas and thought leadership.
This conference is coming at a pivotal time for Africa’s technological future. I have friends, like Ory Okolloh (Kenyan Pundit), who will be speaking and am excited to have the chance to talk to others who are doing the incredible in very challenging situations, like H Chinery-Hesse.
You can be assured that I’ll be blogging the event – hopefully the conference’s wireless network will be up to the challenge.
[NOTE: Rafiq has started a list of Fellowship attendees]
February 12, 2007 at 3:38 pm
Congratulations! I’m happy for you and I’m just happy that TED got it right to make sure you’re there.
February 12, 2007 at 3:48 pm
Congrats. I wish I’d had the time to apply, but I’ll be watching your blog for good updates.
February 12, 2007 at 4:53 pm
Congrats! Can’t wait to hear all about it.
February 12, 2007 at 4:55 pm
Congratulations Erik! You deserve it, well done!
February 12, 2007 at 6:27 pm
Thanks one and all. I know there are many others who deserve this award, so I do receive it with humility – especially knowing how many others are much better writers than myself.
As with conferences I’ve attended in the past, if there are any questions and topics you would like me to discuss with people, let me know and I’ll put them on my agenda and write a post about it.
February 12, 2007 at 10:29 pm
Congrats!! Can’t wait to see your ideas on a larger stage. Well done, well done!
February 12, 2007 at 11:22 pm
Congratulations and see you there. I got my invite a few weeks ago. Any idea who you are going to room with?
February 13, 2007 at 5:53 am
Congrats Hash. Guess I’ll be seeing you in Arusha too 🙂
February 13, 2007 at 6:22 am
Mabruk! We’re very pleased for you and look forwqard to hearing all about it.
February 13, 2007 at 6:51 am
Wonderful news. Well done. I can’t wait to read your reporting on it. Have a great time!
February 13, 2007 at 7:21 am
Congratulations Hash. This is great! Keep up the intensity and wonderful work you do.
February 13, 2007 at 10:00 am
Congrats Hash! Wonderful news!
February 13, 2007 at 10:12 am
hi, congratulation for the fellowship. I’m blogger from Madagascar (currently based in france) and I had been awarded as a fellow too, may be we’ll meet up in Arusha, and nice too meet you 🙂
February 13, 2007 at 3:06 pm
Congratulations!
February 15, 2007 at 7:35 am
Congrats. One question (and this is entirely anti-PC and may be inappropriate but I feel I have to ask -no offence meant): Do you think your invitation had anything to do with the fact that you are a self-confessed WHITE African? What would you say about allegations that the TED (and other) Conferences tend to be dominated by non-indigenous Africans who are seeking to make a quick buck out of the continent’s woes?
February 15, 2007 at 8:00 am
Hey Patrick, that’s a good question, and I could care less about the PC aspect of it.
Some agencies, conferences and organizations very well might be taking advantage of being rich and white in Africa. TED is not, and if you take a moment to look at TED’s list of speakers you’ll note that it is predominantly Africans – which is how it should be since this TED Global focuses on Africa. Emeka should be given credit for making sure this happened.
As far as attendees go, I would not be surprised if I was in the minority (being white) at this event. However, I cannot speak to the makeup until I actually get there. I’ll let you know though.
Now, as to my invitation, I don’t think it has to do with me being white. I could be wrong of course, but I hope not. I think it has more to do with my track record of talking about big ideas and trying to come up with creative technological solutions for Africa. I’ve been fairly consistent about my message.
Again, thanks for your question, and I’m glad you felt you could ask it openly here.