Theme: Building Bridges

At TEDxGVAGrad, we present a unique opportunity to bring together Geneva’s academic and non-academic realities while stimulating the spread of varied viewpoints on contemporary issues affecting our society. With nearly 1,000 students hailing from over 100 countries, the Geneva Graduate Institute (IHEID) has a legacy of promoting diverse perspectives and ideas, with notable alumni such as Kofi Annan and Micheline Calmy-Rey. By tapping into the diversity of the Geneva Graduate Institute and Geneva as an international hub, TEDxGVAGrad embraces diverse perspectives to explore new paradigms through creativity, openness, and dialogue.

This year, we’re all about Building Bridges. We highlight the power of crossing divides, breaking barriers, and transcending boundaries in creating opportunities for collaboration and innovation to tackle global challenges. Across every field—be it the arts, technology, social justice, politics, or business—building bridges help us face challenges together and develop fresh ideas for a more connected, inclusive future.

Maison de la Paix
Chem. Eugène-Rigot 2
Genève, Genève (fr), 1202
Switzerland

Agnès Aubert

Founder, Art for Peace

Founder of Art For Peace and expert in Art Therapy, Agnès uses art as a transformative way to foster resilience, social healing, and women’s empowerment. With a Master’s in Peacebuilding & Conflict Transformation through the arts, she has dedicated her career to supporting vulnerable populations and advocating for indigenous nations. Her project, The Forgiveness Door, explores forgiveness, as a pathway to personal and collective transformation especially after the #METOO era. Through her work, Agnès bridges art, therapy, and activism, inspiring individuals to reconnect with a sense of peace within themselves and the world.

Claudia Comte

Artist

Claudia Comte (b. 1983, Grancy) is a Swiss artist based in Basel, Switzerland. Her practice is guided by a longstanding interest in teasing out the history and memory of biomorphic forms through traditional hand processes, industrial and machine technologies. Comte’s site-specific installations bring together monumental wall paintings and sculptures playfully inspired by organic patterns and morphology, paying testament to the intelligence and transformative capacities of the ecological world.

Evangelos Athanasiadis

Student, Geneva Graduate Institute

Evangelos Athanasiadis is an amateur actor, a lifelong volunteer and a Master’s student at the Geneva Graduate Institute specializing in migration. His passion for international affairs, combined with his deep love for the arts, has led him to engage in multiple youth projects across Europe and the Middle East. From participatory theater workshops for refugees on the Greek islands to documentary filmmaking for peace in eastern Turkey and theatrical performances exploring queer history, Evangelos is discovering the transformative power of art—not just as a tool for expression, but as a force for connection and change.

Francesco Femia

Performer

Francesco Femia, a versatile musician, he performs as a soloist, in chamber music with the Metronome Quintet and with orchestras such as the Venice Chamber Orchestra, the Rossini Orchestra of Pesaro and the Geneva Chamber Orchestra. After completing his Bachelor's degree (2021) with Elisa Cozzini and Vincent Lucas in Paris, he joins the Master Concert’s program at the Geneva University of Music (Michel Bellavance) in 2024. He participates in international masterclasses (Paolo Taballione, Andrea Manco, Karl Heinz Schütz).

Franklin Moya

Author

Franklin Moya is a writer, illustrator, and advocate for mental well-being. In Spain, he published his first novel and served a watercolour illustrator for a charity supporting disabled children book. After being diagnosed with ADHD, he developed a deep passion for psychology and earned an online degree in positive psychology, emotional intelligence, and mindfulness. Now, he shares his knowledge and experiences to support others on their journeys.

Hossein Cheaito

Student, Geneva Graduate Institute

Hossein Cheaito is a heterodox economist and PhD candidate in Economic Sociology at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva researching "Queer Debt." With an MSc in Development Economics from the University of Sussex and a BA in Economics from the American University of Beirut, he is a former Chevening-Said Foundation scholar and an active member of the International Association for Feminist Economics (IAFFE), serving on its MENA committee.

Inés Léon Giménez

Student, Geneva Graduate Institute

Inés is a Geneva Graduate Institute master’s student specializing in Gender, Race, and Diversity. In 2024, she graduated from a triple master’s degree between France, Germany, and Italy, for which she wrote her thesis ‘Choreographing Diplomacy: Dance as a Container and Content of International Relations’ - which serves as an inspiration for her talk. Her passion for dance grew during her studies and subsequent degree at the Conservatoire in Reunion Island, her island of origin - also a pillar for her work and creativity. On top of this, Inés is a feminist activist and advocate, part of the Feminist Collective at IHEID, of the Beijing+30 Youth Steering Committee supported by UN Women, and of Nous Toutes 974. Throughout academia, activism, and art, she champions a people-centric and collaborative worldview, aiming at empowering all citizens, especially young women.

Jasmine Simperingham

Program Director for Forced Displacement, PILnet

Jasmine Simperingham is a feminist, a lawyer and a global leader on refugee rights pro bono. With over two decades of international experience in the humanitarian, human rights, and justice sectors - including roles with the UN Refugee Agency and the governments of New Zealand and the UK - she now leads a global movement of lawyers committed to leveraging the law to empower refugees, stateless individuals, and other displaced people. As Program Director for Forced Displacement at PILnet, a global NGO, Jasmine cultivates collaborative partnerships between legal professionals and civil society organizations to advance refugee rights. She champions a people-centered and holistic ecosystem approach to legal work, ensuring that the legal needs, rights, and lived experiences of displaced people are at the forefront of legal advocacy and action.

Jennifer Parlamis

Professor of Organization Development, University of San Francisco, Executive In Residence Fellow, Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP)

Jennifer Parlamis is a Professor of Organization Development at the University of San Francisco, holding a Ph.D. in Social and Organizational Psychology from Columbia University. Her scholarly work examines technology and emotions in negotiations, leadership discourse, and global governance. Her research has been published in leading journals such as International Journal of Conflict Management and Negotiation Journal, and she serves as Associate Editor at Group Decision and Negotiation. Jennifer teaches courses on negotiation, workplace diplomacy, and leadership. In addition to her academic role, she is an experienced organization development consultant, leadership coach, and certified mediator, advising organizations across diverse industries and sectors. She is currently an Executive-in-Residence Fellow at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy focusing on United Nations Security Council reform.

Jennifer Thornquest

Student, Geneva Graduate Institute

Jennifer Thornquest is a curious researcher and creative leader. Her journey back to higher education began in 2015 when a heated debate over Syrian refugee resettlement divided her rural Idaho community. Confronted with how little she knew about the political forces shaping displacement, she staged a durational solo vigil on the bridge at the entrance to her town. Her quiet act of defiance gained national attention, making her an unexpected figurehead for welcoming refugees. The experience also changed the trajectory of her life. Now a Master’s student at the Graduate Institute in Geneva, her research explores participatory arts in peacebuilding and migration. Jennifer’s talk explores the bridge between realizing what she didn’t know, embracing solidarity, and the transformative impact of lifelong learning—the power of one person making one choice, one day at a time.

Mau Jim

Performer

Born and raised in Mexico City, Mauricio combines his academic work with his musical career. He has played in bands like GuildMage and Montaña and composed music for theater. Performing as Mau Jim Live Rock Show, he blends acoustic intimacy with stadium rock energy. He studied Political Science at UNAM and El Colegio de México and is now pursuing a PhD in Socioeconomics at the University of Geneva, focusing on cultural policies and social protection systems.

Mide Johnson

Performer

Mide Johnson is a Nigerian-born soul, jazz, and rap artist. With a background in human rights law and visual arts, Mide uses his art as a medium for activism, conveying deep emotions and fostering connections within communities.

Natael Fautrat

Youth Council Coordinator, EU Strategy for the Alpine Region (EUSALP)

Natael is an idea maker committed to empowering youth and society. Since 2019, he has created opportunities for youth participation within the EU Strategy for the Alpine Region (EUSALP). Born in the Alps, he was captivated by the mountains and their values. As a graduate of the Mountain Professions Training Center, he shaped his career around his passions. His travels reinforced the importance of intercultural exchange, fueling his curiosity about the world. After an Erasmus exchange, he founded the "Foreigners Association Chambéry" to connect internationals and locals, gaining valuable skills and insights through this hands-on experience. Deeply observant of the evolving world and human connections, Natael values the guidance he received and is dedicated to supporting young people as they navigate challenges and societal change.

Neil Buhne

Development Coordination and Humanitarian Coordination Expert, Former Asia Pacific Regional Director, United Nations Development Coordination Office

Neil Buhne served the United Nations for 37 years across nine countries (1984–2021) before joining CCDP as a Research Associate and McGill University’s Institute for Studies in International Development as a Professor of Practice in 2022. In 2025, he joined the Advisory Board of the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) at the University of Oxford. Throughout his UN career, he focused on uniting its efforts for impactful development cooperation, humanitarian aid, and peacebuilding. He most recently served as Regional Director, Asia-Pacific, for the UN Development Coordination Office in Bangkok. Previously, he was the UN Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bulgaria, and Belarus. He also led UNDP Geneva’s Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery and UNDP’s Integrated Geneva Liaison Office. He continues to engage as a consultant to help improve the UN’s work at the country level.

Rashi Puri

Student, Geneva Graduate Institute

Rashi Puri is an independent researcher on the 1947 Partition of India and understanding its human impact. She focuses on engaging with the social, political and cultural landscape of the Indian Subcontinent. She is currently pursuing MA International Relations/Political Science at the Geneva Graduate institute.

Triya Roy

Student, Geneva Graduate Institute

Triya Roy is a Master’s student at the Geneva Graduate Institute (IHEID), where she is pursuing an interdisciplinary degree, specialising in human rights and humanitarianism. With diverse academic and early career experiences, Triya strongly advocates for the development of transferable skills. Outside of her studies, she enjoys making music, learning new languages, and watching TED Talks.

Zulykha Zainal

Senior Assistant for Digital Transformation, IFRC

Zulykha Zainal is a data scientist with expertise in turning complex data into actionable insights. She holds a Master’s in Data Science, specializing in data visualization and analytics for social change. With experience in both government and humanitarian sectors, she currently drives innovation at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Outside of work, Zulykha is passionate about books, cats, and unicorns—constantly in search of magic in the everyday.