TEDxISD Youth 2026

As a 2026–2027 DP1 student at ISD, Rozi is passionate about learning, leadership, and creating meaningful change. She is actively involved in Student Council, Service Learning and Sustainability, Changemakers, and Media Club, where she brings ideas to life.

Her commitment to advocacy is reflected in initiatives such as fundraising for period-positive boxes in school bathrooms. She has also attended three Changemaker conferences and led workshops at two of them. Rozi embodies ISD’s four C’s: Creative, Caring, Curious, and Changemaker. Outside of school, she enjoys tennis, acting, and the arts. She believes meaningful conversations often begin with how we interpret the world around us.

In her TEDx talk, Rozi explores one of society’s most debated questions: What makes something art? Through thought-provoking examples of modern artworks often dismissed as “too simple,” she challenges conventional ideas of artistic value. Inspired by a book that reshaped her perspective, she invites the audience to look beyond first impressions and discover how art can spark dialogue, build community, and inspire new ways of thinking.

Finn Altizer is a Grade 10 student whose international upbringing has shaped his global perspective. Although American, he was born in South Korea and has spent the past 15 years living in countries around the world. During his four years at ISD, he has been actively involved in Student Council, Band, Frisbee, and Changemakers, serving as both Middle School President and High School Vice President.

As a member of the ISD Band, Finn has performed at events, including the Made in Debrecen Festival and the 2024 IB Global Conference. He has also won multiple championships with the ISD Frisbee team and the Hungarian U17 National Team. Through three Changemakers conferences, he discovered how small, intentional actions can create a meaningful impact.

In his TEDx talk, Finn explores how real change does not always begin with grand gestures. Instead, he shows how ordinary people can become changemakers simply by taking action and standing up for what they believe is right.

Music has been one of the biggest parts of Flóra’s life for as long as she can remember, and singing has become one of the most important ways she expresses herself. She has performed at both small and large events, including performances in other countries, and hopes to continue pursuing music in the future.

In her TEDx talk, The Art of Wrong Notes, Flóra explores an unexpected lesson she learned through jazz. In a world that often teaches us to avoid mistakes at all costs, jazz offers a different perspective: sometimes the most interesting moments happen when things don’t go according to plan. Drawing inspiration from improvisation, performance, and personal experience, she asks whether mistakes are really failures—or whether they might be the starting point for creativity, growth, and something entirely new.

Daniella is a Ukrainian-Hungarian DP1 student who enjoys reading, listening to music, learning languages, spending time with friends and family, and contributing to her school community.

Growing up in a multilingual and multicultural environment, Daniella developed a passion for exploring different cultures and understanding the world through diverse perspectives. Inspired by her family's experiences living through the Soviet Union and adapting to life across different countries, she became interested in how changing societies shape people's views on work and purpose.

In her TEDx talk, Daniella explores how advancing technology is transforming work ethic and career perspectives across generations. By comparing past and present attitudes, she invites the audience to reflect on how each generation has adapted to change and why every generation continues to play an important role in shaping the future.

Isti is a member of the first graduating cohort of the International School of Debrecen and is currently studying Economics and Business Economics at Erasmus University Rotterdam, majoring in Policy Economics. He is a board member of a youth European affairs organization in Rotterdam, one of Hungary’s EU Youth Delegates for the next cycle, and one of the co-organizers behind the very first TEDxISD Youth event. Outside of academics, he enjoys sports, coffee, and finding ways to connect people across borders.

In his TEDx talk, Isti explores what happens when students who built their identity around academic and personal achievement suddenly find themselves surrounded by equally driven, equally talented peers. Drawing on his own transition from ISD to life after, he asks a question many quietly avoid: when the environment changes, and the gap closes, what is left of the person you thought you were? It is a feeling most people recognize, but few talk about out loud.

Born and raised in Syria, Karim relocated to Hungary in 2012 amidst the Syrian civil war, later earning his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Debrecen. Today, he empowers others as a fitness and mindset coach while fostering cultural connection in Debrecen through his Middle Eastern food shop.

In his compelling TEDx talk, Karim explores how genuine forgiveness becomes the ultimate key to personal freedom. Through lessons on letting go of the past, relinquishing the desire for revenge, and leading with radical empathy, he reveals how sincere kindness can transform both individual lives and entire communities.

David Jahed is an international educator and Grade 4 homeroom teacher at International School of Debrecen. His journey has taken him from Iran to classrooms across Asia and Europe. With over 20 years of experience in education, he is passionate about inspiring young people to become curious, compassionate, and courageous learners. As someone who has repeatedly rebuilt his life across cultures and continents, David believes that education is one of the most powerful ways to shape a better future.

In his TEDx talk, Dreams Don't Need Permission, David explores how education can become an act of hope and a value that transforms not only what we know, but what we believe is possible. Inspired by his own journey across cultures and classrooms, he reflects on how learning has the power to challenge limitations, nurture resilience, and help people imagine futures beyond the circumstances they were born into.

Angela Fodor is an English Language Acquisition teacher at the International School of Debrecen, dedicated to helping students find their voice and thrive in a new language. Beyond the classroom, she runs an independent cat rescue from her home, caring for vulnerable cats and finding them loving families. Through school and youth camp visits, she combines her passion for teaching with animal welfare, inspiring young people to embrace responsible care and compassion.

In her TEDx talk, Angela explores how real changemaking does not require a grand title or large organization—it simply begins with the willingness to act. Through humorous and heartfelt stories from the frontlines of independent rescue, she challenges the audience to rethink the bystander effect and shows how helping just one vulnerable life can spark a powerful chain reaction of empathy and positive change.