BSB Shunyi Youth
x = independently organized TED event

Theme: Unity and Belonging

January 10, 2025
9:00am - 3:30pm CST
(UTC +8hrs)
Beijing, Beijing
China
This event is invite-only.

Themed "Unity and Belonging," the event explores the powerful ways in which individuals with different backgrounds can come together to create a sense of connection and shared purpose. Through inspiring talks, personal stories, artistic performances, and innovative ideas, our speakers will delve into how fostering unity and cultivating belonging in our schools, neighbourhoods, and society leads to stronger, more resilient communities. This event aims to spark meaningful conversations and encourage youth to reflect on their role in creating environments where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives.

Participating Schools:
- Leman International School, Chengdu
- The British International School Shanghai, Puxi, Shanghai
- Nord Anglia International School Shanghai, Pudong, Shanghai
- Beijing Royal School (北京王府学校)
- The British School of Beijing, Shunyi (Host)

The British School of Beijing, Shunyi
9 Anhua St, Shunyi District
Theatre
Beijing, Beijing, 100103
China
Event type:
Youth (What is this?)
See more ­T­E­Dx­B­S­B ­Shunyi ­Youth events

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check event website for more information.

Abraham Zheng

Student
Beijing Royal School (Grade 12) - A room for freedom, a room for creativity - Do modern schools kill students’ creativity? How did we get here and how can we manage the impact of modern schooling requirements on creativity? I’ll explore the pros and cons of what ‘student freedom’ means and how we hope schools will adapt to help students.

Adrian Yu

Student
The British International School Shanghai, Puxi Campus (Year 10) - The alchemy of community: transforming potential to reality - Sharing my journey in a band emphasizing perseverance and collaboration. Also emphasizing the personal and professional benefits and developing essential skills of being in a community and valuing it.

Ailin She

Student
Beijing Royal School (Grade 11) - Turn your cringe into courage - Bad experiences are not terrible. What is awful is that we keep reminding ourselves about what happened. However, we should learn strategies to let go of our awkward memories and develop self-compassion to turn pain into strength.

Alistair El-Kaffash Chesaru

Student
The British School of Beijing, Shunyi (Year 7) - The Journey from Primary to Secondary School - Compared to Primary Schol, in Secondary you have a lot more freedom but also more responsibility. But this new independence comes at a cost. Let’s put it this way, primary is like steady-income and Secondary is commission based.

Angelina Zhu

Student
Angelina Zhu (flute) is a student in Year 12 at the British School of Beijing, Shunyi. Together with Kaki Li (piano) she will perform 'Nocturne' by Herman Beeftink.

Arnold Sun

Student
The British International School Shanghai, Puxi Campus (Year 8) - Breaking free from the pressure of perfection - How does the pressure of perfection shut people away from seeing their true self? In primary school, I felt the pressure of being perfect at school due to grades, as all my mates were on scholarships. This affected me and made me want to quit and isolate myself.

Ashtat Alexis-Olubuyide

Student
The British School of Beijing, Shunyi (Year 7) – A Journey Back to Myself - I lost myself. I believed I wasn’t good enough. It took time, but I finally realised I was letting other people's opinions define me and shape who I am. I started to rebuild. I learned to just be me, to finally love myself again and I came back stronger than ever before.

Asmi Majumdar

Student
The British International School Shanghai, Puxi Campus (Year 10) - The veiled chains: escaping the fear of judgement within teenagers - My talk is about how there are different types of feelings related to different kinds of judgements. The most important thing is to remember that it is more courageous to actually let go of the walls that we build around our hearts.

Aubrey Caudill

Student
Aubrey Caudill is a student in Year 11 at the British School of Beijing, Shunyi. Together with Gabriella Wilson and Reagan Caudill she will perform an original contemporary dance entitled "Puzzle Pieces."

Braxton Wai

Student
The British International School Shanghai, Puxi Campus (Year 12) - The ripple effect of kindness in building unity and belonging - Small acts of kindness can create a sense of belonging. The effects of the butterfly effect and how that can bring people together. Includes talking about what belonging is and how it links with unity, how kindness can make someone feel belonged.

Charlie Macaulay

Student
The British International School Shanghai, Puxi Campus (Year 8) - Why do I wake up at 3am to support a country I've never lived in? - This talk is about my journey as a third culture child while exploring the power of national identity and patriotism. The talks ultimate aim is to discover the level of affection towards a nation as a third culture child.

Chumeng Xu

Student
Beijing Royal School (Grade 11) - Enzymes of Unity - Enzymes in biological reactions are a great metaphor that can help us understand how to catalyze unity in our community and the world at large. Analyzing enzyme properties can helps us develop strategies, skills and understanding in becoming agents of change.

Eashan Bodhale

Student
Nord Anglia International School Shanghai, Pudong (Year 9) - What did I learn from the people around me? - My experiences show what I learned from people around me. Through their actions, words, and lessons, they have taught me resilience, confidence, and curiosity. These influences show me how people impact each other’s lives.

Ethan Wu

Student
Beijing Royal School (Grade 10) - Reclaim the beauty of life stolen by social media - In this talk I share my journey of combating social media’s hazards, explore the reasons behind its harmful effects through the lens of evolutionary psychology, and propose practical solutions for reclaiming a healthier, more fulfilling life.

Gabriella Wilson

Student
Gabriella Wilson is a student in Year 11 at the British School of Beijing, Shunyi. Together with Aubrey Caudill and Reagan Caudill she will perform an original contemporary dance entitled "Puzzle Pieces."

Gong (Eason) Jue

Student
The British School of Beijing, Shunyi (Year 11) - The Power of Resilience - Resilience is the power to grow through what you go through. It’s the strength to stay firm and the wisdom to stay flexible. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned from my journey, it’s that resilience isn’t just about surviving—it’s about thriving.

Grace Peng

Student
Leman International School (Year 11) - Fitting in and standing out - Moments in my life when I wanted to fit in when I stood out, and stand out when I fit in. Experiencing both at the same time, positively and negatively, as well as how I got out of the tiresome cycle of imbalance.

Haokang Prince Hu

Student
The British School of Beijing, Shunyi (Year 11) - A great leap of faith to our future - We are gathered here in this unique hour for a common purpose: we seek both enlightenment and faith for the future. Our future. The future of humanity. Our humanity in space. Is it a future that each one of us today would not dare to foresee?

Jai Coffey

Master of Ceremonies
Jai Coffey is a student in Year 10 at the British School of Beijing, Shunyi. "What’s the point in doing anything when AI can do it for us?", his first talk, was presented at the TEDxBSB Shunyi Youth event in 2024.

Kaki Li

Student
Kaki Li (piano) is a student in Year 12 at the British School of Beijing, Shunyi. Together with Angelina Zhu (flute) she will perform 'Nocturne' by Herman Beeftink.

Keira Cusack

Student
The British School of Beijing, Shunyi (Year 8) - Why make friends if they're all going to leave? - My experiences with friends leaving and having to make new friends. What I learned in the process about the importance of cherishing the moments you have with your friends. Why make friends if they are all just going to eventually leave?

Maximilian Walenkamp

Student
The British School of Beijing, Shunyi (Year 8) - Caught between economic success and residents’ happiness - What happens when your favourite bakery in Amsterdam disappears and is replaced by a trendy churro shop serving tourists? I reflect on the impact of tourism and economic growth and how they can sometimes come at the cost of local culture and community.

Melis Temucin

Student
The British International School Shanghai, Puxi Campus (Year 12) - How Our Friends Shape Who We Are - This speech highlights the deep connections we form with both family and friends and their role in defining who we are. It emphasizes how friendships, like family bonds, shape our character, influence our behaviors, and provide us with love and support.

Michelle Xinyue Mi

Student
Nord Anglia International School Shanghai, Pudong (Year 10) - Can we live a balanced life in the internet era? - My experiences of the significant impact of electronic devices on the people around me, including myself. This talk will include my solutions to balancing the virtual world and reality. Are there any other ways to live our lives?

Miu Miu Wang

Student
The British School of Beijing, Shunyi (Year 8) - The Transformative Personal Impact of Social Media - Have you ever been told to get off social media? Have you ever been told about the negative sides of social media and how it might affect you? But I’m going to tell you how social media might positively change your life.

Moneshka Shibdoyal

Student
The British International School Shanghai, Puxi Campus (Year 10) - Speaking in colours: code- switching for acceptance - My talk will focus on the concept of code-switching as a social survival tool. I’ll share my challenges with maintaining authenticity while seeking acceptance in various cultural contexts, fostering a sense of belonging.

Muzi Lei

Student
Muzi Lei (Dudu) is a student in Year 9 at the British School of Beijing, Shunyi. She will perform the Indian classical dance Bharatnatyam.

Nina Li Mihovilovic

Student
Nord Anglia International School Shanghai, Pudong (Year 12) - How does the sense of belonging affect one’s self-identity? - My self-identification through the exploration of nationality, talents and social interactions gradually changed my perception of the sense of belonging. Do we define ourselves through the sense of belonging? Or can we define ourselves through other things?

Olivia Wanatowski

Student
Leman International School (Year 12) - A table represents more than just a meal - The talk focuses how food, as a universal language, has taught me to embrace my unique identity and find belonging. I’ll explore the tradition of gathering at the table for meals as a constant thread of connection across my own multicultural life.

Pauline Osterman

Student
The British School of Beijing, Shunyi (Year 11) - The importance of forgiveness - Forgiveness is just a word, but what does it truly mean and how does it affect you? This talk will explore my journey in answering these questions and the impact they had on my life. With forgiveness comes the freedom to love yourself once again.

Pedro Alacron

Student
Leman International School (Year 12) - Architecture and redefining multiculturalism in our generation - This talk utilizes the analogy of global architectonic styles to advance the idea that our generation can and should propel unity through the embracing of multiculturalism, encouraging relationships that challenge one's comfort zones.

Ray Aigbekaen

Student
Nord Anglia International School Shanghai, Pudong (Year 9) - How soccer taught me to adapt when nothing goes as planned - This speech explores how a soccer game taught me the importance of adapting when things don’t go as planned. It highlights the value of flexibility in overcoming life’s unexpected challenges. Adaptation, I learned, is key to moving forward and succeeding.

Reagan Caudill

Student
Reagan Caudill is a student in Year 10 at the British School of Beijing, Shunyi. Together with Gabriella Wilson and Aubrey Caudill she will perform an original contemporary dance entitled "Puzzle Pieces."

Ruoyin Hao

Student
The British School of Beijing, Shunyi (Year 11) - Making points into lines, lines into planes - My experiences have taught me to see the world with simple joy and purity. This perspective pulled me back from the abyss of perfectionism, utilitarian thinking, and endless vanity and allowed me to see and approach art in a new, more authentic, way.

Soo Ah (Ila) Uhm

Student
Leman International School (Year 11) - Our identity is more than the sum of its parts - My experience as a child from a multi-cultural family in finding a sense of belonging within the people around me regardless of our nationalities and our differences. This process in my life was crucial to changing my perception of culture and embracing my identity.

String ensemble - Mozart Divertimento

Student
The British School of Beijing, Shunyi - Ho Yi Allison Pan (violin, Year 7) - TaeQ Yoon (Luke) (violin, Year 12) - Yu Jian Yang (Gordon) (cello, Year 8) - Xuan Ni Yin (Sophia) (cello, Year 9) - Taegyeom Kim (Tim) (Violin, Year 10) - Armance Marie Elise Weulersse (viola, Year 9) - Seungyoun Han (violin, music teacher) - Daren Burns (double bass, music teacher)

Svea Andreasson

Student
The British International School Shanghai, Puxi Campus (Year 10) - The positives and negatives of fitting into society - Everyone wants to fit in but sometimes this leads to confusion about who you really are. My talk is about being unique in a world where everyone tried to be the same. Why it's important to have “flaws” and how no one is perfect.

Swan Sun

Student
The British International School Shanghai, Puxi Campus (Year 10) - A winding path of discovery and acceptance - A speech about our shared journey to find belonging throughout life and my personal struggles in searching for it. Despite these obstacles, people and communities have guided me towards self-acceptance and helped me discover and accept unity.

Toby Ho Wan Ngai

Student
Nord Anglia International School Shanghai, Pudong (Year 9) - How does Chinese Calligraphy impact my life? - Chinese Calligraphy is a very interesting art form that influenced me deeply. I will talk about how I was introduced to this traditional brush work and share anecdotes about what entices me to pick up this hairy pen every day.

Yasmin El-Kaffash Chesaru

Student
The British School of Beijing, Shunyi (Year 10) - Awards, belonging and motivation - There will always be rewards in our lives and there will always be people who don't win. We need to learn that “yes”, rewards are nice to get, but they are not all that matters. Rewards don’t determine everything and anything about us as human beings.

Yi Ning (Cathy) Chen

Student
Leman International School (Year 8) - My Challenging Journey - This talk is about my personal journey between different schools and cities, the challenges I have faced and how I came to understand that belonging reaches farther than any distance.

Yi Wen (Evelyn) Fu

Student
The British School of Beijing, Shunyi (Year 11) - My tale of two cities - What is the actual significance of stepping out of our comfort zone and exposing ourselves to society’s judgmental call? I might not have an answer yet. However, through my tale of two cities, between Beijing and Chengdu, somehow, I did understand what and why.

Zimo Zheng

Student
Beijing Royal School (Grade 11) - Fighting climate change with your hands - How we use your mobile phones to reduce the negative environmental impact through simple actions like using e-tickets and digital receipts, switching to e-books and streaming services, reducing car usage with transit apps, and cutting commuting with video conferencing.

Organizing team

Voicu Mihnea
Simandan

Arad, Romania
Organizer

Guo En
Phan

Beijing, China
Co-organizer
  • Julia Annelie Broca Kliewer
    Team member
  • Yuexin Xiao
    Team member