A journey doesn't always coincide with a destination. It can be a change of perspective, a scientific discovery, a personal experience, or a path that leads to a new awareness. It is around this broad interpretation of the concept of travel that the fourth edition of TEDxBellinzona, scheduled for Saturday 12 September 2026 at the Cattedrale delle Officine.
The chosen theme, summarized in the phrase "It doesn't matter where the journey takes you, but what idea you choose to sow," proposes a reflection that goes beyond simple spatial displacement. Travel thus becomes a metaphor for describing transformations, knowledge, and encounters, connecting experiences from diverse fields.
The event's goal is to bring to the stage stories and content that engage audiences through diverse perspectives. Science, research, artificial intelligence, sports, diplomacy, and social commitment will be some of the topics explored during the evening.
Six voices to cross different disciplines
Six speakers with very different professional and personal experiences will guide the audience on this journey.
Among the guests is Roberto Balzaretti, Swiss ambassador, who will bring a perspective on international relations and the changes affecting the contemporary world.
The scientific dimension will be represented by Gea Cereghetti, a biochemist and cell biologist, and Annalisa Manera, professor of nuclear systems and multiphase flows at ETH Zurich. These two paths will allow us to approach the topic of knowledge and research from different perspectives, demonstrating how scientific progress also stems from the ability to ask new questions.
Sport and the relationship with individual limits will be the focus of the experience of professional freediver Vera Giampietro. A discipline in which control of body, mind, and breathing plays a crucial role, which can become, from the perspective of the event, an opportunity to reflect on the relationship between personal challenge and overcoming one's own limits.
Alessandro Mele, president of the Cometa Swiss Foundation, will bring his experience in social work and education, while Bruno Giussani, journalist and former European director of TED conferences, will contribute his knowledge of the TED universe and the dissemination of ideas through public debate.
The variety of profiles chosen reflects one of the distinctive elements of the TEDx formula: bringing together seemingly distant skills and paths, in the belief that new insights can emerge precisely from the encounter between disciplines.
The show will be hosted by Caroline Roth
The evening will be moderated by journalist and presenter Caroline Roth, who will accompany the audience through the speeches and various moments included in the programme.
Alongside the lectures, an artistic interlude will be presented by performance artist Andrea Arena. This performance will help expand the narrative of the central theme, introducing a different mode of expression than the presentations and conversations on stage.
The program will also include an interview with Sergio Ermotti, CEO of UBS, hosted by television presenter Christa Rigozzi. The conversation will offer further insight into the relationship between leadership, transformation, and the future, forming part of the reflection process proposed for the 2026 edition.
From geography to personal journey
The theme of travel was chosen by the organizers as the guiding thread for a day in which the concept of departure takes on different meanings. One can set out to reach a destination, but also to acquire a new skill, face a challenge, change one's way of thinking, or seek an answer to an unanswered question.
In this sense, the journey offered by TEDxBellinzona doesn't end with the event's conclusion. The speakers' experiences are designed to leave the audience with questions and insights that will continue well beyond the evening.
The decision to bring together personalities active in different fields reflects precisely this approach. From diplomacy to cellular biology, from freediving to nuclear systems research, from social commitment to journalism, the program creates a journey where the meaning of the journey changes depending on the perspective.
An event that looks to the local community
The fourth edition of TEDxBellinzona is part of the international network of TEDx events, local events organized independently under a TED license. This format brings the spirit of TED conferences to individual communities, creating opportunities for dialogue between people, skills, and disciplines.
TED, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, aims to identify and disseminate ideas that spark conversations, foster greater understanding, and contribute to meaningful change. Its work is grounded in curiosity and the pursuit of knowledge, with the aim of connecting people from diverse cultures and backgrounds.
The TEDx project takes these principles and adapts them to the local context. The "x" indicates an independently organized event under a TED license. It is through this network of initiatives that the model of conferences dedicated to ideas is developing in numerous communities around the world.
The appointment of September 12th
For TEDxBellinzona, the 2026 edition represents a new chapter in a project that aims to connect the Ticino region with broader themes and perspectives. On September 12th, at the Cattedrale delle Officine, the public will be invited to follow a journey that will span science, technology, sport, culture, and society.
The underlying theme will remain the journey, understood as movement but also as transformation. A journey in which the destination isn't necessarily the most important part: what matters, according to the organizers' perspective, is what you learn along the way and, above all, what you choose to share with others.
For information, updates, and program details, please visit the official TEDxBellinzona website: www.tedxbellinzona.ch.
The ticket sales open for the fourth edition of TEDxBellinzona 2026 will take place on the site www.tedxbellinzona.ch il August 12th 12:00.
The event is also present on social media with the Instagram profile @tedxbellinzona and the LinkedIn page TEDxBellinzona. A WhatsApp channel dedicated to updates and communications about the initiative is also available.
