Aurora Zhang shares the story of leading a 20-day renovation of a campus dining hall. When her team proposed an easier partial fix, she chose the harder, full renovation instead. With time running out and risks rising, she learned that the right choice isn’t…

Claire used to think gratitude was a simple exchange—you help me, I thank you. But through her grandfather and a plain cotton coat, she learned that true gratitude is not a transaction. It is about truly seeing one another. Her talk invites us to pause before…

Beier left a dream job in the U.S. and faced a painful career drop. Through a volunteer named Tina, she learned that no act of care is too small—and that meaning is found in ordinary moments that make others feel seen. Beijing Hospitality Institute Faculty…

Growing up between Beijing and Henan, Wang Jinbao felt he belonged nowhere—too “Henan” for Beijing, too “Beijing” for Henan. His mixed accent became a source of shame. Through stamp collecting, he discovered that flaws can make something valuable. His talk…

Is sharing a meal ever just eating? Restaurateur Suzana Barros doesn't think so. From a Portuguese painting of two lovers lost in conversation over dinner, to her childhood table set every night by candlelight, to the first-date jitters and quiet business…

This speaker shares his experiences with the world’s most popular board game—chess—with a little twist. By bridging principles of quantum mechanics with the game he loves, Surya will explore how Quantum Chess reshaped his approach to uncertainty, decision…

For TEDx Avicenna Cinere School, themed “UNSEEN,” AVChestra presents one of the most iconic songs from the musical film The Sound of Music, “Do-Re-Mi."

Rather than simply reproducing the original arrangement, this performance reflects the spirit of exploration…

"What's the difference between a cardiac surgeon and God?" Professor José Fragata opens with the punchline: "God does not think he is a cardiac surgeon." It's the first laugh in a talk built on forty years and nearly 4,000 operations on hearts no bigger than…

This talk explores the beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors that enable people to become proactive creators of opportunities rather than passive observers of circumstances. The talk challenges the traditional idea that entrepreneurship begins with an idea, capital…

This speaker examines the power of focused social interactions in shifting your perspectives, allowing you to see concepts differently in a way that can greatly improve your ability to do authentic research. Daniel Alland is an entrepreneur currently in his…

Dan Whitlam opens his talk with a line written for someone who doesn't exist yet, then spends the next few minutes being unusually honest about what he's learned about love the hard way — how the way we were held as children becomes the blueprint for how…

Through choir, a solo singing competition, and internship applications, Polina learned that confidence comes after action. Her lesson: don’t wait to feel ready—and never give up. Polina Bibchenko is an outstanding graduate of Beijing Hospitality Institute…

There's a fountain on Miguel Júdice's family estate in Coimbra that thousands of people visit every year to celebrate eternal love — and he opens his talk by explaining why. It's the true story of his ancestors, Prince Pedro and Inês de Castro: a 14th-century…

Lethal autonomous weapon systems operate without a 'human in the loop', so who can we hold to account if they are ever used to kill humans? Dr. Stephanie Hare, co-presenter of the BBC television programme AI Decoded, demonstrates how technology is not neutral…

There's more health advice available than ever before — and no easy...

Grammy-winning musician Jacob Collier has a name for the feeling that moves through a great piece of music: the wiggle. Watch him break down the idea into its three parts — melody, rhythm and harmony — with nothing but his own voice, a grand piano and Louis…

For years, Sheldon Bailey was visible on set but invisible on screen—serving as the body double for NBA superstars like LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal while chasing his own dreams of greatness. Through injury, rejection, and life in the shadows, he learned…

Cognitive scientist Maya Shankar and author Simone Stolzoff have each spent years studying how people navigate uncertainty (and why it often feels so difficult). In this conversation, they discuss why your discomfort with not having the answers might be holding…

What if the date on your peanut butter isn’t about safety—but about confusion? Student researcher and nonprofit leader Zoe Nicols uncovers how misunderstood food labeling drives unnecessary waste, costs families money, and worsens food insecurity. Backed…

When was the last time you just ... played? Creative health scienti...