TEDxYouth@TEVITOL

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

• Arzu Kihtir

  Arzu Kihtir is a Professor of Communication Sociology at Istanbul University, Faculty of Communication. She graduated first in her class from the Faculty of Communication in 1992, completed her master’s degree in European Union studies in 1997, and earned her PhD in the same field in 2003. She became an associate professor in 2006 and was appointed professor in 2012. She teaches and conducts research in sociology, communication sociology, media and democracy, cultural studies, and social movements.

• Hacı Haydar Salık

  Born in 1984, Hacı Haydar Salık completed his undergraduate education in Labor Economics and Industrial Relations at Karadeniz Technical University and subsequently earned a second bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Doğuş University. He later obtained a Master’s degree in Applied Psychology from Istanbul Gelişim University. Since 2002, Salık has held mid-level and senior management positions in the training and human resources departments of both public and private sector organizations, including the Ministry of National Education, Kazancı Holding, Aksa Elektrik, and Doğanlar Holding. His professional experience spans multiple sectors such as education, energy, automotive, retail, and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG). With extensive expertise in Human Resources Management, organizational development, and training, Salık currently serves as a Human Resources Director, while also providing consultancy services as well as individual and group therapy.

• İlyas Çağlayan

  İlyas Çağlayan was born in Istanbul on December 22, 1983. He is a graduate of Istanbul University and Adnan Menderes University. He is married and the father of one child. Since founding the “Şifa Niyetine Theatre Workshop” in Bayrampaşa in 2014, he has trained nearly five thousand students and has received the “Children’s Theatre of the Year” award many times. Çağlayan has worked as a culture and arts writer and editor at Paşavizyon Newspaper. He currently serves as the culture and arts coordinator for the Bayrampaşa Municipality and as the general director of Kidden Art Art Workshops. He has taken part in various productions as an actor, director, and writer, and won an international award with the short film Saklı Düşler (Hidden Dreams). For Çağlayan, who considers Nejat Uygur his mentor, theatre is both a source of life and a legacy handed down from masters.

• Selen Okay Akçalı

  Selen Okay Akçalı is a civil society volunteer and technology entrepreneur specializing in gender equality. She is the Chair of the Board of Yanındayız Association, the first organization in Türkiye dedicated to engaging men in the struggle for gender equality. An Industrial Engineer by training, Akçalı worked in marketing and sales within the telecommunications and retail sectors for 12 years before shifting her focus to women’s roles in professional life. She is a founding member of the Women on Board Association, where she served as Secretary General and Executive Director, and led several EU-funded projects. In 2023, she became the Chair of the Board of Yanındayız Association. She has completed the Vital Voices, ecoDa, and IVLP programs. Akçalı is also a co-founder of Agenti, a venture aimed at increasing youth employment. She serves on the boards of KalDer and SES Association and is a member of IWF Türkiye and the ARYA Women Investment Platform. She is married and the mother of two daughters.

• Serhat Duyar

  Born in İzmit in 1981, Serhat Duyar is a graduate of the Department of Economics at Anadolu University. He completed his master’s degree at Yalova University with a thesis titled “Barriers Encountered in the Process of Establishing and Developing Startups in Turkey” and also participated in entrepreneurship and finance programs at Bahçeşehir University in Italy. Duyar began his professional career in 1999 and assumed the role of General Manager at Duyarhan Tekstil, which he founded in 2003, leading the company for 16 years as the main supplier of prominent brands in the industry. Between 2020 and 2022, he served as a General Manager in the private sector, taking responsibility in areas such as sales, marketing, and franchising. With over 22 years of experience, Duyar is an Accredited SME Consultant who provides consultancy and mentorship in the field of entrepreneurship. He currently serves as the Director of Growth and Development at the Languagehood Project, is a Board Member at BI DataWorks, and works as an entrepreneurship consultant at Bilişim Vadisi.

• Tümay Aldemir

  Tümay Aldemir is a visual arts graduate and experienced art educator who has spent over fifteen years exploring the deeper relationship between color, emotion, and the human psyche. She believes color is not just visual, but a shared language of mind, body, and spirit. Through her workshops, Tümay guides people to understand their own emotional “color palette,” helping them face their shadows, recognize their inner light, and live with greater self-awareness. Her work combines artistic practice with psychological insight, turning color into a tool for personal transformation.