Under the theme "The Missing Lessons", TEDxBelgrade brought audiences together at the Palace of Science – Miodrag Kostić Endowment for the second consecutive year on October 19. Six speakers explored the lessons we learn through experimentation, collaboration, and questioning what we know. As an institution connecting scientific research, education, and science communication, the Palace of Science continues to foster a culture of learning, dialogue, and knowledge exchange through this event.
The speakers included innovator and entrepreneur Mate Rimac; former astronaut Daniel Tani; communication skills coach Relja Dereta; Dragana Jevtić, founder of the Creative Mentorship organisation; choreographer and stage designer Dalija Aćin Thelander; and developmental and educational psychologist Aleksandar Baucal.
Opening the event, Nemanja Đorđević, Manager of the Palace of Science – Miodrag Kostić Endowment, highlighted how curiosity and knowledge intersect every day at the Palace of Science. Reflecting on the speakers’ diverse experiences, he said: “They may speak different languages, but they share one understanding: they look for answers where no one has yet thought to look.”
Mate Rimac shared his journey from an experiment in a garage to developing technologies for the global automotive industry, highlighting the role that self-directed learning and informal education played in his success.
Daniel Tani spoke about how seeing Earth from space changes our relationship with the planet, as well as the importance of perseverance and stepping outside our comfort zones when building a career. He emphasised that investment in technology and people should go hand in hand: artificial intelligence and robots facilitate research, while the human experience of living in space remains irreplaceable. His appearance was made possible through the U.S. Speaker Program of the U.S. Embassy in Serbia, as the United States marks the 250th anniversary of its independence.
Dereta explored how to make ideas understandable to others, Jevtić discussed mentorship as a space for learning through relationships and support, and Aćin Thelander examined how we experience the world through the body, the senses, and art. Baucal raised the question of what distinguishes knowledge from the ability to put it into practice.
With the support of partner A1 Serbia, the programme was also available online via a free livestream. A1 Serbia additionally organised a group viewing of the livestream for students in the Horizon Hall at the Palace of Science. In line with its #BoljiOnline platform, the partnership between A1 Serbia and the Palace of Science connected access to knowledge with the responsible use of technology and thoughtful choices about the content we give our attention to.
The Palace of Science enriched the programme with guided tours of its exhibitions and research centres, as well as Planetarium screenings, connecting the ideas shared on stage with first-hand experiences of science. The artistic programme featured Miloš Tomić’s film Musical Traumas and a performance by the DF Choir, led by Bojana Vunturišević. Tomić created this year’s visual identity and animation, while the talks were developed with dramaturgical support from Tijana Grumić.
TEDxBelgrade is an independently organised event held under licence from TED. By hosting the event, the Palace of Science – Miodrag Kostić Endowment continues to bring together researchers, creators, and audiences, creating space to explore the importance of science, learning, and the exchange of experiences.
See you next year at TEDxBelgrade 2027, at the Palace of Science – Miodrag Kostić Endowment!