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March 6, 2020 0

Don’t forget, tickets still available for March 7th! Buy yours NOW!

?Q: What is the change you see / what are the changes you see in the conversation about women’s voice/role in the world?
?A: Now more than ever we are seeing women entrepreneurs and women in finance joining forces in creating grassroots initiatives to support themselves. Having evidence of why diversity is good for business, makes change possible across sectors and development stage. We are a lot better at communicating the benefits of diversity.

?Q: What still needs to be done?
?A: Everything starts with education and knowledge sharing in my view. Our ecosystems need more people to come together and share their experiences with one another and design programs that help address the challenges women entrepreneurs and women if other professions have in a collaborative way. The fact that we still need dedicated funding initiatives to support women go into entrepreneurship that will remain for many years to come, in my view, we can resolve quite a lot with just equipping entrepreneurs with the toolkit they require to build high-growth businesses.

?Q: With regards to our event theme, Women March Together, what is the glue that links us women to create a better, more conscious world?
?A: We are all together in this and we have shared experiences even if we are thousands of miles apart. Leaning on one another and sharing this understanding its something that we are just starting to do now in our generation. I think it is the most important thing that we can do as women to ensure that future generations will have a better experience in entrepreneurship and beyond.

?Q: What is the story you would say today about women?
?A: I would like to share a story about women in entrepreneurship and women in finance and how their destinies are interlinked. The future that they imagine and work on designing together today will determine the success of many generations of entrepreneurs and investors alike. It is the story about encouraging us to work together, share more and think about why this is the best time to start changing, and maybe that change is us.

TEDxBucharest

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March 6, 2020 0

Don’t forget, tickets still available for March 7th! Buy yours NOW!

?Q: What is the change you see / what are the changes you see in the conversation about women’s voice/role in the world?
?A: Thanks to Social Media now we have platforms where any message can be heard. Good or bad, constructive or superficial. Or too superficial sometimes. But as we get to be our own curators of content, Social Media changes the narrative and we can all be part in real society changes, from equal payments to sex scandals and climate change, to name a few. Social Media helped Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the young democrat representative, to become a rock star celebrity in the US and “forced” the younger generations to pay attention to what politicians are doing and how this may affect their lives. Last year, Finland decided to name their youngest prime minister ever, a 34 yo woman, who appointed more women in her cabinet. And she’s also the world’s youngest serving leader. I remember I felt very proud about her and reminded me about myself (I’m not the prime minister at Finland. yet), who I was appointed a manager at the age of 23 and was asked not to talk about my age in official meetings because I was way too young for such a position.

Finally, capabilities are more important nowadays than any other requirement. Then there is the role model that Jacinda Arden offers from New Zealand, constantly showing that a country can also be run with a sharp mind and a kind heart. Women are now present in every structure that’s deciding the future and are constantly proving there’s always room for intelligent people and fresh perspectives. Places where it doesn’t matter the gender, but what you can do. And that’s the most important part, in my perspective.

?Q: What still needs to be done?
?A: With this focus on women empowerment and gender equality, I think we should also talk about the risk of radicalization. There should be a measure in everything, a balance, and like my old Russian friend Gorki put it – “the measurement of any civilization can be seen in its attitude towards women”. A couple of years ago, I was at a gala dinner in Sydney and I was the only woman seated at the table together with 9 men. None of them offered to pour wine into my glass so I did it myself. Then, the guys next to me asked me to pour in their glasses too. I was appalled. How come? This would never happen in Europe, sometimes neither in the US. But their answer was simple – “can’t you pour it? Do you have a problem? You wanted gender equality, this is it”. Yes, I want gender equality, but I also want to be treated as a woman. Chivalry should not die.

?Q: With regards to our event theme, Women March Together, what is the glue that links us women to create a better, more conscious world?
?A: Openness. An open mind can open any world and any prejudices. When we start to notice the ceiling we created with our own thoughts and patterns, that’s the moment when we can change anything.

?Q: What is the story you would say today about women?
?A: I was born in 1985, right at the border between communism and democracy. I feel lucky and grateful I was born in a time and in a country where I am free to do whatever I want to. That’s the greatest freedom: to have the feeling you can do anything. Here you can easily access education. Here it doesn’t matter if you are a boy or a girl, it only matters what you want to do. And how much time you are willing to invest in your dreams. I strongly believe we create our own opportunities so I would like to tell a story about courageous women who were brave enough to try different paths in their lives. To leave “what if” behind and transform it in “I will do it”. Because there is nothing that can stand against the human will. Or to put it in another perspective, if it’s not working, at least we’re going to have a good story to tell, something to laugh at.

TEDxBucharest

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March 2, 2020 0

We want to be as inclusive as possible and make your TEDxBucharest experience a memorable one.
So this March 7th, we are accommodating an innovative and creative Playground at Auditorium Pallady.
A specially designed space with modular shapes and a labyrinth for kids aged up to 8 y.o. and created by partners Uplay and Tzitzipoc.

? Activities:

1️⃣ Meet Tzitzi & Poc: 2 PM – 2:50 PM
2️⃣ Slime workshop: 3 PM – 3:50 PM
3️⃣ Dance and free movement: 4 PM – 4:50 PM
4️⃣ Building workshop: 5 PM – 5:50 PM
5️⃣ Reuse old objects workshop: 6 PM – 6:50 PM

TEDxBucharest

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March 1, 2020 0

Don’t forget, tickets still available for March 7th! Buy yours NOW!

?Q: What is the change you see / what are the changes you see in the conversation about women’s voice/role in the world?
?A: The woman’s new role is to be a community facilitator, nurturing communication across generations, hierarchic levels, and systems, and building communities as the new ingredient of organizations, not just internally but also externally, by engaging clients in decisions.

?Q: What still needs to be done?
?A: Romania is years behind western countries and we need to address many areas, from domestic violence to lacking options after maternity leave. In the corporate and entrepreneurial environment, women need to have in place specific helping tools in order to manage the multiple mixes of roles from mother to wife and great employee. There is no way a woman can balance well all she has to do, without help from its employers. Ideas like nursing places next to the office, short work days until the baby is two years old, having 2 coupling moms for the same role, for women with young kids and also special flexibility for mothers of kids with special needs, all these should be implemented sooner rather than later.

?Q: With regards to our event theme, Women March Together, what is the glue that links us women to create a better, more conscious world?
?A: The glue is the woman’s constant search for love, in everything she does.

?Q: What is the story you would say today about women?
?A: Keep learning and get educated on all areas of life. Mentor young women who have a great opportunity to become true leaders for the communities of the future.

TEDxBucharest

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February 29, 2020 0

Don’t forget, tickets still available for March 7th! Buy yours NOW!

?Q: What is the change you see / what are the changes you see in the conversation about women’s voice/role in the world?
?A: Women’s voice is stronger and stronger in all environments, including business. In organizations, women are present at all levels and they are making their way up to the boardroom. What women bring to the table is a more altruistic approach, a more empathic way of understanding the world and the human side and a sort of work hard and play hard philosophy.

?Q: What still needs to be done?
?A: From my practice of working with hundreds of women in important positions in corporations or entrepreneurs, I see that there is still room to lift up more and more the “glass ceiling” of own limitations, of feelings such as “not being good enough”, of compensations mechanisms such as “I need to do all, by myself at any price”.

?Q: With regards to our event theme, Women March Together, what is the glue that links us women to create a better, more conscious world?
?A: In my opinion, women have great strength, namely self-awareness. This is an important internal compass that helps them grow and contribute to a better place everywhere they are.

?Q: What is the story you would say today about women?
?A: I would tell a story about how our own fears and anxieties are the very ingredient for our career advancement and success, but also can be the very cause for our derailments. My pitch is about self-awareness and moderation.

TEDxBucharest

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February 28, 2020 0

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?Q: What is the change you see / what are the changes you see in the conversation about women’s voice/role in the world?
?A: I feel that the conversation should no longer make so much of a difference between man and women, as this turns actually against us and can be perceived as positive discrimination. In our country at least, given the history, the differences are rather ancestral and not perceived as such in what regards the women’s voices or roles in professional life. I would dare to say that we are quite the opposite, having rather large numbers of successful women in very senior roles and we cannot be compared with the business environment across the ocean.

?Q: What still needs to be done?
?A: The differences should be accommodated, as we try to accommodate and understand different cultures, mentalities, I see the same need for empathy in what regards other differences between us, not only related to men and women.

?Q: With regards to our event theme, Women March Together, what is the glue that links us women to create a better, more conscious world?
?A: When thinking about accommodating differences, empathy plays a central role in the different approaches from man and women, consequently, I believe that this should and is already adding value in all interactions: professionally or socially and will probably prove a growing impact in social causes as well.

?Q: What is the story you would say today about women?
?A: I would say that we came a long way, but we should rather focus on normality now than on outlining differences.

TEDxBucharest

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February 27, 2020 0

Don’t forget, tickets still available for March 7th! Buy yours NOW!

?Q: What is the change you see / what are the changes you see in the conversation about women’s voice/role in the world?
?A: I definitely see more powerful speeches. With fewer curtains to embellish it which is beautiful. I see more intricate topics being brought to the attention which moves the conversation from black and white kind of verdicts (it should be like this or like that) to a more nuanced conversation about women. It is true that we are still in the digital bubble, however, if we hadn’t had this social networks means of communication we wouldn’t have gotten this far. I enjoy seeing more men in the conversation as active speakers because I believe that rooms (be they virtual or actual rooms) full of just women will not actually make the difference. Speaking truths to blank walls won’t tear them down. People coming together will.

?Q: What still needs to be done?
?A: Positive examples. And less extremism. Excess is never a solution in my opinion. I do believe we should flood the public space with more conversation about women especially in countries like Romania, however, the centerpiece should be positive relatable examples of normality. We still have to discuss domestic violence, single mothers, pay gaps, sexual education and all other topics we avoid as they’re not “suitable” for public spaces. They never will be if we don’t address them properly.

?Q: With regards to our event theme, Women March Together, what is the glue that links us women to create a better, more conscious world?
?A: I believe the glue is common sense and the patience to explain and advocate for change over and over again. We are, in general, patient and persistent. Which is probably the most important feature that helped us score wins in this endeavor. I have a friend I really admire who told me once that “if I have to be the awful one in the room for always pointing out abusive situations or unfair moments, then so be it. I’ll do it until I don’t have to anymore”. Which is remarkable and shows great strength. It’s not easy to feel you have to prove you’re worth it, when you should only prove you’re better.

Q: What is the story you would say today about women? 
?A: It’s very hard to find that one story to empower millions. I wish I had that recipe. So I’d rather not pick a topic but insist on the other particularities of the story. On the fact that it should be a never-ending one and that is should always be a balanced one. It shouldn’t be about one woman or about one plot, it should be about all of us, it should be energetic, fresh and very well-argued with facts, numbers and logic.

TEDxBucharest

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February 25, 2020 0

Don’t forget, tickets still available for March 7th! Buy yours NOW!

 

?Q: What is the change you see / what are the changes you see in the conversation about women’s voice/role in the world?

?A: There would be numerous changes in the conversation about women’s voice and role in the world, but in order to be concise, I would emphasize that we are no longer in the age of Plato, who allegedly thanked the Gods for being born Greek and not barbarian, free and not slave, male and not female […], even if, sadly, from time to time, such a paraphrase is still being reported.

?Q: What still needs to be done?

?A: I agree with the position of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) that says ”women need to be listened to better”, not strengthened, as strengthening involves at least two parties in which one has the capacity to give, to offer power, making the other party inherently poor, weak or ignorant. It may also suggest that, in a paternalistic approach, one party knows what is best and what is right, and how much must be given to the other. 

If we are to speak about gender equality, it is not the attribute of men to strengthen the women, for this shows a highly unbalanced relation between men and women. It goes the same way for policymakers and for society, for women serve as policymakers and women are part of the society. The key would be to better listen to women.

 

?Q: With regards to our event theme, Women March Together, what is the glue that links us women to create a better, more conscious world?

?A: I think that the answer to the question of what it is the glue that links women together to create a better, more conscious world lies in the question itself, for it clearly presents the key-points: women together for the world, better, more conscious, and, as I see it, the most important point – women as creators.

Even if it is widely known and, shamefully, sometimes vulgarized, I consider that women are true creators of life, for they carry life and they give life. Women are conscious about themselves and by expressing themselves they continue to march together, for only women truly know what they want and what they need. All in all, as I see it, the glue that links women is consciousness. Women are conscious creators.

Q: What is the story you would say today about women? 

? A: I remember my years as a medical student when I took part at the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations General Assembly, I think it was Canterbury (UK), August 2007, when we had a workshop held by a representative of Médecins sans frontiers MSF (Doctors Without Borders). The person in charge, whose name, unfortunately, I do not recall, was a lovely lady in her mid-40s and she worked as a doctor. She had been with MSF for more than two decades and she told us stories that could easily be turned into movies. As this would have not been enough, two of her fingers from the same hand – again, I do not recall, but I think it was her left hand – were amputated due to a wound in a war theatre. ”As per normal”, she said, ”I’m happily married with children” and laughed, ”and [this has] not stopped me from doing what I like and be wherever [in the world] I feel I am needed and I can help”.

I have nothing left to say except to stress I am, I like, I feel, I can.

TEDxBucharest

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February 25, 2020 0

Don’t forget, tickets still available for March 7th! Buy yours NOW!

?Q: What is the change you see / what are the changes you see in the conversation about women’s voice/role in the world?
?A: We added fun to the discourse. Cheers to female comedians, podcast hosts and other humorous content creators! Working on improving the world while giggling is so much more pleasant.

?Q: What still needs to be done?
?A: Educate today’s children to be kind, brave and in touch with their emotions.

?Q: With regards to our event theme, Women March Together, what is the glue that links us women to create a better, more conscious world?
?A: Empathy – being connected to the feelings and especially the vulnerabilities of others around.

Q: What is the story you would say today about women? 
?A: The stronger we are, the more feminine we are.

TEDxBucharest

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February 25, 2020 0

Don’t forget, tickets still available for March 7th! Buy yours NOW!

?Q: What is the change you see / what are the changes you see in the conversation about women’s voice/role in the world?
?A: Dacă luăm în considerare țările care nu au regimuri fundamentaliste, trăim categoric în cea mai bună lume posibilă pentru femei din întreaga istorie. Desigur, când spun cea mai bună lume nu mă refer la faptul că suntem sunt mai fericite, asta nu avem cum să o măsurăm comparativ. Ci la faptul că niciodată în istorie noi, ca femei, nu am fost mai libere, nu am avut mai mult acces la cultivarea și dezvoltarea propriilor înzestrări, nu am avut o voce care să conteze cultural, civic și politic pe cât avem acum. Toate aceste “miracole” ale libertății și drepturilor s-au petrecut treptat, în ultima sută de ani.

Practic, până acum un veac femeile au trăit în preistorie. Au fost considerate doar anexe îngrijitoare ale celor care aveau acces la facerea istoriei. Nici libertatea nici drepturile nu au fost daruri ale sorții sau ale înțelepciunii istoriei. Ele au fost și sunt o cucerire treptată, încărcată de mari sacrificii: excludere, izolare, detenție, persecuție, moarte. Este o mare ingratitudine ca noi să nu știm nimic despre feministele care și-au pus reputația, libertatea și viața în joc pentru ca generațiile fiicelor, nepoatelor și
strănepoatelor lor să se bucure cu nepăsare că au libertate și drepturi, considerând că nimic nu e mai normal.

?Q: What still needs to be done?
?A: Intrarea noastră în istorie (mai generalizat, aproximativ acum 70 de ani) a însemnat intrarea în acces la orice formă de educație, la orice nivel, la orice fel de profesii, la proprietate, la vot, la participare și implicare politică. Cu alte cuvinte, dacă vrem să măsurăm realizările femeilor în istorie, cu excepții, ar cam trebui să căutăm mai degrabă în ultimii 30-40 de ani. Este impresionant, totuși. Am moștenit o lume care s-a conturat la nivel public, în cultură, economie, știință, politică, tehnologie, ca proiecție și realizare bărbătească. Este o lume copleșitoare, adesea admirabilă, impresionantă, uneori crudă și excesiv de conflictuală. Este lumea pe care o percepem, în care trăim, despre care învățăm. Mintea noastră este în mare setată după patternurile și valorile ei. Ca să putem să sperăm că această lume va reflecta și chipul experiențelor, intereselor și
ideilor femeiești, și că femeile sunt cu adevărat libere, există câteva cerințe minimale:

Cred că cea primară este următoarea: Femeile nu trebuie să mai fie tratate vreodată cu un pumn în gură. O luăm în două sensuri: să nu fie distruse prin violență fizică și să nu fie distruse prin violență morală și intelectuală (umilire, dispreț, denigrare,
desconsiderare). Pumnul în gură poate să fie pus și simbolic, prin urmare mult mai subtil: ele nu sunt acolo unde se iau hotărâri de interes profesional, politic etc.

?Q: With regards to our event theme, Women March Together, what is the glue that links us women to create a better, more conscious world?
?A: Termenul: women march together este foarte bun, conține o bogăție de sensuri. Cel mai direct se referă la a fi în marș, cu alte cuvinte, angajate pe un drum. Că acest drum este, în principal, construcția lor. Marșul nu este solitar, ci solidar. Aceste fapt în sine este impresionant, istoric vorbind. Femeile nu au avut o tradiție de solidaritate în spațiul public, echivalentă a fraternității masculine. Termenul suroritate pare o invenție forțată. În realitate nu este invenție și cu atât mai puțin nu este forțată. Acest marș (drum, cale) este pentru cauze la care femeile aderă liber așa cum și bărbații au aderat la cauzele lor
în spațiul public. Așa cum aderăm și astăzi, femei și bărbați, la cauze în care credem și pentru care ne depășim comoditatea interesului exclusiv față de noi, familiile noastre și colegii noștri. Un alt sens evident se referă la semnificația lunii în care ne aflăm: Martie, cu deosebire a zilei de 8 Martie: ziua internațională a drepturilor femeilor. Anul acesta se împlinesc 111 ani de când a fost pentru prima oară sărbătorită printr-un imens marș al femeilor la New York.

Pot crea femeile o lume ceva mai umană decât cea pe care au găsit-o atunci când au început să scape de regimul patriarhal de putere și să conteze cu adevărat în Agora? Eu cred că da, însă nu necondiționat. Pe scurt: nu vom crea o lume mai umană dacă vom adopta modelul conflictualist și dacă vrem să îi dominăm alți oameni sau natura. Aceste modele au deja exerciții multimilenare. Eu nu cred că femeile le sunt superioare bărbaților, nici să bărbații sunt superiori femeilor. Există însă ceva anume care ne dă nouă un anume avantaj față de modelul tradițional: extinderea eticii grijii din spațiul privat în cel public. Lumea care vine după noi nu este alcătuită dintr-o sumă de indivizi mai mult sau mai puțin străini de care nu suntem obligați să ne pese. Ci este o lume în care fiecare dintre cei care vin sunt fiii și fiicele altor femei, la fel ca și noi. Experiența (fie ea și doar potențială) a faptului de a da viață este punctul de plecare al intuiției morale că trăim în comunitatea umană și în cea biotică deopotrivă și că nu suntem posibili fără ele. Prin urmare, este foarte posibil să evităm semnificativ modelele de distrugere și exploatare în favoarea celor de creștere și ocrotire. Există clar și rezultate vizibile în acest sens. Democrațiile consolidate, mult mai paritare ca reprezentare a ideilor și intereselor femeilor, sunt lumi care evită războaiele, fac strategii de diminuare a polarizării sociale, au politici de implicare a statului în creșterea copiilor și îngrijirea vârstnicilor, au legi și politici de prevenire și sancționare a tuturor tipurilor de violențe, au politici bune de mediu și fac tot ce pot pentru dreptatea intergenerațională. Prin
urmare, lumea noastră este deja prezentă. Este însă mult prea restrânsă.

Q: What is the story you would say today about women? 
?A: My story will be named like this. Where did we start and where are we now, or what do we owe feminism?

TEDxBucharest