TEDx brings inspiration to Saskatoon

When it comes to improving the lives of people across the globe, Lisa Greig says death plays an important role.

“Most people give me this strange look of ‘how is somebody so death obsessed and where does this come from?'” Greig said.

The Saskatoon social worker and owner of Silver Linings Events took to the stage at Persephone Theatre Saturday as part of the first TEDx Saskatoon event.

Greig’s work focuses on learning how to improve our lives by embracing our own mortality and turning the tide on the taboo nature of the subject.

“We avoid it. We put it in the corner, keep it in the dark and keep it this very scary thing when in fact it’s inevitable, it’s a part of us and the more than we talk about it, embrace it, let it into the light, the less scary that it truly is,” she said.

Greig has also hosted Death Cafes which are designed to create an open and comforting environment in which to discuss death, dying and grief.

Greig said sharing her thoughts at a TED Talk event has always been her dream.

She is one of 13 local presenters taking part in the day-long sold out speaking event designed to allow people to shared their ideas on how to improve both local and international communities in areas ranging from education and the environment to human rights and yoga.

Other speakers include mathematician Stavros Stavrou, food security advocate Andi Sharma and wildlife photographer Hamilton Greenwood.

All the presentations will be recorded and the videos will be uploaded online along with all of the other TED Talks conference videos.

With files from News Talk’s David Kirton