TED is a US based not-for-profit enterprise devoted to the propagation of Ideas Worth Spreading. TED started out in 1984 as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment & Design. The annual conferences in Long Beach and Edinburgh bring together the world's most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives in exactly 18 minutes. Attendees have called it "the ultimate brain spa", "a four-day journey into the future, in the company of those creating it" or even "Davos for optimists". The diverse audience - CEOs, scientists, creatives, philanthropists ? is almost as extraordinary as the speakers, who have included Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Frank Gehry, Paul Simon, Sir Richard Branson, Philippe Starck and Bono. Along with the annual TED Conference in Long Beach, California, and the TEDGlobal conference in Edinburgh UK, TED includes the award-winning TEDTalks video site, the Open Translation Program, which provides subtitles and interactive transcripts as well as the ability for any TEDTalk to be translated by volunteers worldwide; the new TEDx community program; and the annual TED Prize, where exceptional individuals with a wish to change the world are given the opportunity to put their wishes into action; TEDx, which offers individuals or groups a way to organise local, independent TED-like events around the world; and the TEDFellows program, helping world-changing innovators from around the globe to become part of the TED community and, with its help, amplify the impact of their remarkable projects and activities. Follow TED on Twitter at twitter.com/TEDTalks, or on Facebook at facebook.com/TED. TED2012, "Full Spectrum," will be held February 27 to March 2, 2012, in Long Beach, California, with the TEDActive simulcast in Palm Springs, California.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TED has created a program called TEDx. TEDx is a program of local, self-organised events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. TED provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individually licenced TEDx events are self-organised. TEDxSydney 2010 is being organised by Remo Giuffré and his General Thinking network of thinkers & collaborators.

TED.com/TEDx