Talk analysis - Ludovic Duguépéroux, rescue sailor
On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of TEDxParis, Ludovic Duguépéroux offers us a dive into the unknown on the stage of the Grand Rex.
Ludovic Duguépéroux, a rescue sailor on board the Aquarius for SOS Méditerranée, gives a poignant account of his experience and his life on board.
Telling their story
Ludovic Duguépéroux's talk is a rare TED Talk. Through his story, difficult to bear and without detours, he casts a new light on these men and women who flee war and die trying to reach Europe. For several years now, the story has been known, all the media have been telling it. But Ludovic, by telling us his personal experiences, with images and many concrete details, makes us take his place. We are on board the Aquarius. So these men and women now have names and faces. By living the events vicariously, we become aware of the scale of the crisis.
Bringing events to life
And to bring these events to life for the audience, on stage, Ludovic Duguépéroux's commitment is total. He lives his speech to the full. This incarnation reinforces the power of his words. The anger in his voice is there. When he almost goes overboard, he leans his body forward. When a politician calls him out on his inability to understand the crisis in all its complexity, his disbelief is immediately evident on his face. His non-verbal and para-verbal language emphasises his message.
The speaker fades into the background in favour of the power of the story
At the end of his speech, the audience at the Grand Rex rose to applaud, many with tears in their eyes. The audience was not so much applauding the performance as the strength of the message shared. This TED Talk shakes things up and makes you think because the story told makes you put on the clothes of a sailor on the Aquarius for a few moments. So of course Ludovic Duguépéroux's speech is masterful, but it is masterful because it brings to light a disturbing truth.
Brightness, a historical partner of TEDxParis since its creation.
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