Mercedes College Makes History as Western Australia’s First School to Host a TEDx Event
In April 2026, Mercedes College made history as the first school in Western Australia to host an official TEDx Youth event, bringing the globally recognised platform for “ideas worth spreading” to the heart of Perth’s CBD.
Held in the College’s Performing Arts Centre and guided by the event theme Illuminate, TEDx Mercedes College Youth showcased the voices, and perspectives of our students, with 16 speakers taking to the stage to shed light on their ideas and inspire change. From personal reflections to global issues, each talk demonstrated the depth of thinking, creativity and confidence of Mercedes students, all while engaging meaningfully with the world around them.
This landmark event reflects Mercedes College’s commitment to providing opportunities that extend beyond the classroom, empowering young people to find their voice and share it on a global stage through partnerships with internationally respected organisations such as TEDx.
We invite you to explore the full collection of TEDx Youth talks below and be inspired by the ideas of our students.
In the spirit of discovering and spreading ideas, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized. (Subject to certain rules and regulations.)
TED is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to discovering, debating and spreading ideas that spark conversation, deepen understanding and drive meaningful change. Our organization is devoted to curiosity, reason, wonder and the pursuit of knowledge — without an agenda. We welcome people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world and connection with others, and we invite everyone to engage with ideas and activate them in your community.
TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, but today it spans a multitude of worldwide communities and initiatives exploring everything from science and business to education, arts and global issues. In addition to the TED Talks curated from our annual conferences and published on TED.com, we produce original podcasts, short video series, animated educational lessons (TED-Ed) and TV programs that are translated into more than 100 languages and distributed via partnerships around the world. Each year, thousands of independently run TEDx events. Through the Audacious Project, TED has helped catalyze $6.6 billion in funding for projects that support bold solutions to the world’s most urgent challenges — working to make the world more beautiful, sustainable and just. In 2020, TED launched Countdown, an initiative to accelerate solutions to the climate crisis and mobilize a movement for a net-zero future, and in 2023 TED launched TED Democracy to spark a new kind of conversation focused on realistic pathways towards a more vibrant and equitable future. View a full list of TED’s many programs and initiatives.
