SXSW Sydney will be a focal point for innovators, not only from Sydney, but all of Australia, the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. It is the first time that this Texan festival and conference has been held in Sydney. Woven Threads is proud to be included as part of Sydney's divers and thriving creative community.
PANEL TOPIC: Voices of Change for the Next Generation
Founder of Social Good Platform, Woven Threads, Michi Marosszeky will lead an engaging discussion with social entrepreneur and founder of Australia's leading food rescue charity, OzHarvest, Ronni Kahn AO, Indigenous rights activist, Thomas Mayo and non-binary host, model and influencer, Christian Wilkins.
Michi will be asking how can the influential voices of today effectively create impact and drive change in the world for tomorrow concidering that Gen Z is the largest generation to have ever existed, comprising almost 30% of the world’s population.
Moderator, Michi Marosszeky, Creator and Director of Woven Threads
Cinematographer Michi Marosszeky turned director always has her lens focused firmly on the positive. Whether it be her own story confronting cancer, Third Time Lucky, or some burning social issue as in Stories from Afar, the first series in the Woven Threads catalogue, stories of refugees in our multicultural, Australia. Michi unflinchingly cuts to the core but instead of fear or resentment she finds hope, gratitude and laughter.
Ronni Kahn AO, CEO and Founder, OzHarvest
Ronni Kahn AO is a South-African born Australian social entrepreneur who founded the food rescue charity OzHarvest. She is a passionate advocate and activist, renowned for disrupting the food waste landscape in Australia.
Ronni saw huge volumes of food going to waste every day and soon realised she was part of the problem. Knowing that millions of people were going hungry, she knew this was something that had to be fixed. Ronni’s simple solution of taking her own surplus food to local charities quickly took off and in 2004, OzHarvest was born.
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Thomas Mayo, First Nations Author, Finding The Heart of The Nation, Dear Son, Freedom Day
Thomas Mayor is a Torres Strait Islander man born on Larrakia country in Darwin and one of the first ever Torres Strait Islander authors to have a book published for the general trade.
Thomas became a union official for the Maritime Union of Australia in his early thirties and found his voice on the wharves. As he gained the skills of negotiation and organising in the union movement, he applied those skills to advancing the rights of Indigenous peoples, becoming a signatory to the Uluru Statement from the Heart and a tireless campaigner. Following the Uluru Convention, Thomas was entrusted to carry the sacred canvas of the Uluru Statement from the Heart.. Thomas is the author of Finding The Heart of The Nation, Dear Son and the children’s hardiegrant.com/au/publishing/bookfinder/author/thomas-mayor
Christian Wilkins, Influencer
As the son of one of Australia’s most recognised entertainment identities, Christian has pop culture in his blood and realised at a young age that live performance and all things entertainment and fashion is where his passion lies. Christian continues to make a name for himself as one of the most accomplished and entertaining MC’s in Australia and a powerful voice for the LGBTQIA+ community.