ideacity 2014: Fifth Speaker Announcement!

We’re nearly halfway through our ideacity 2014 speaker announcements, and it’s becoming impossible to say which sessions and individual talks we’re looking forward to most. The presenters featured this week bring of world experience and diverse insights on everything from international diplomacy, to the inner workings of our own minds. Their understanding of human nature spans from the neurological, to the spiritual, but if the subject matter sounds like it might be a little weighty, don’t worry – this week’s roster also possesses enough wit and humour to add a little levity to even the most profound topics.

DASHAN – Canadian Comedian in China

Although he may go by the relatively inconspicuous name of Mark Rowswell here in his native country, in his adopted home of China the comedian known as Da Shan is a full blown celebrity. As one of the most well-known western personalities working in the Chinese entertainment industry, Da Shan is responsible for establishing widespread perceptions of the mild-mannered canuck throughout the country. With a fluency in Mandarin that has become the envy of many a western student of the language, Da Shan first appeared on Chinese television in 1988 as the host of an international singing competition, and has since become a regular fixture in the media. MORE…

ARIEL GARTEN – The Brain Guru

If there ever was a gap between science, art, business and technology, Ariel Garten, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of InteraXon Inc., has closed it. Her work converts the workings of the mind into tangible solutions. Ariel has researched at the Krembil Neuroscience Institute studying hippocampal neurogenesis, displayed work at the Art Gallery of Ontario, DeLeon White Gallery and opened Toronto Fashion Week. The intersections of these diverse interests have culminated into various lectures with topics such as “The Neuroscience of Aesthetics” and “The Neuroscience of Conflict”, featured on TVO’s Big Ideas. MORE…

RABBI SHMULEY – Evolving the Masses

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, known to many as “America’s Rabbi”, has been hailed as “the most famous Rabbi in America” by Newsweek and The Washington Post, and one of the fifty most influential Jews in world by The Jerusalem Post. The Guardian recognizes him as a “leading American thinker”, and the New York Observer has called him “the best-known Orthodox Jew in the world”. And it’s no wonder – over the years, Rabbi Shmuley has become one of the world’s leading values and spirituality exponents and relationship experts, with 29 bestselling books (translated into 20 languages), and regular appearances on global TV, radio, and print media. MORE…

THE ARROGANT WORMS – Musical Comedy Trio

It began as a hobby, making fun of a big dumb world. Over the years, though, musically-inclined comedians (or are they comically-inclined musicians?) The Arrogant Worms have used their unique combination of talents to win over audiences large and small. Luckily, the world is still dumb and the trio (composed of Mike McCormick, Chris Patterson and Trevor Strong) still has plenty to sing about. The shows are fast, furious and family friendly. The wit is quick, the satire is biting and the musicianship is second to none. So is it any wonder that their unique energy and showmanship has earned them fans from kids to parents to grandparents to Princess Leia? See for yourself! MORE…

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: BENNETT JONES

Like any great event, ideacity wouldn’t be possible without the vision and support of our sponsors.

Bennett Jones is an internationally recognized Canadian law firm founded and focused on principles of professional excellence, integrity, respect and independent thought. The firm is home to more than 380 lawyers and business advisors in eight offices – Calgary, Toronto, Edmonton, Ottawa, Doha, Dubai and Washington, DC, and Beijing, and its professional practice encompasses virtually every sector of business, industry and government. MORE…

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“ideacity, known as Canada’s Premiere Meeting of the Minds, is a new species of conference.”

For more information or tickets to the 2014 ideacity conference, visit our ticketing page or contact David Cravit at [email protected], 416-607-7739 or cell 647-280-8163.