Gaza's first-ever TEDx event took place Thursday in Shujaiya despite the escalating aggression and violence from the Israeli government.
Organizers of the event aimed to show "the world that Palestinians, and especially those from Gaza who suffered severely from wars and neglect, have stories worth telling and ideas worth spreading," according to Al Jazeera.
During the event, 11 speakers presented their ideas in Arabic and English.
"Everything is being done by the community, mostly volunteers from local universities," said Basel Almadoun, who helped with the event's social media.
"We wanted to do something for us and by us, and [TEDx Shujaiya] is purely Palestinian."
One attendant expressed how the event helped make him feel more connected to the world beyond Gaza.
"In Gaza, we are disconnected from the outside world, but we watch TED videos just like everyone else. Being here makes me feel more connected to the rest of the world," said Mohammed Abu Seif, a 22-year-old student from Al-Azhar university, according to Al Jazeera.
"War isn’t the only thing that happens in Gaza. There is life and ideas here, too. I hope to have the chance to come to more events like this."
TED Talks (Technology, Entertainment and Design) began 30 years ago in California.
The original four-day conference has since grown into a global non-profit with satellite events – like the one in Gaza – taking place all over the world. Numerous videos of talks from the main conference and satellite events have become viral hits online.