Earlier this year at TED Active, 60+ TEDx licensees from all over the world

came together a day early to share their TEDx experiences and connect with
each other. The day started with an interactive workshop at a special desert
location and finished with an evening TEDx reception. We quickly saw that when
you get a group of TEDx organizers together, even the bus ride to and from the
desert was abuzz with energy.  
 
During TED Active, TEDx organizers from Asia organized a dinner to focus on
regional collaboration. One of the ideas we discussed was a rotating gathering of
organizers to experience each other's TEDx events and cities and create a
similar kind of cross-fertilization as we were experiencing at TED Active.  
 
Later, thinking about the dramatic setting of a TEDx at the Great Wall of China,
we thought it was a unique opportunity to get the regional gatherings started.

Despite a short timeframe, in the TEDx spirit of quickly prototyping ideas,

we got a critical mass of 12 regional organizers (including TEDxBeijing,
TEDxGreatWall, TEDxShanghai, TEDxGuangzhou, TEDxYUE,
TEDxTaipei, and TEDxTokyo), plus Lara Stein (on a multi-event tour
including TEDxTokyo and TEDxSydney) and a special guest from Kenya,
Maasai Elder William Tumate Ole Siara.
  
 

And just like at TED Active, things immediately got into high gear on the
bus ride out to the Great Wall and never really stopped. We stayed
together in the lovely Great Wall Courtyard with communal rooms for
twelve on each side and Richard immediately launched a pillow fight.
  
 
After a big lunch at a village restaurant we went for the first of our many
visits up onto the wall. The combination of the location and the immense
scale of the structure itself, winding across mountain ridges as far you can
see (impossible to adequately describe in words or even pictures), invites
contemplation. So we took a period to think about our visions for TEDx,
writing and drawing a map to share with the group, followed by a lovely
champagne toast at sunset  .  
 
There was also a lot of focus of AFT/AFI (Action Following TED Talks /
Action Following Inspiration) as many organizers are very interested in
helping the incredible inspiration generated at TEDx events translate into
local action. Conversations continued around the fire back at the courtyard
until late into the night.

 
 
The next day at TEDxGreatWall we learned more of the intriguing history
of the wall from William Lindesay, OBE, the official spokesperson for the
Great Wall, who has dedicated his life to its preservation. We learned that
of the mind-boggling 8,800+ kilometers only some 43 kilometers are in
good condition. That evening we could not resist an evening visit to
experience the wall at night. And much later that evening, impromptu
plans to sleep on the wall developed, with 10+ of us rallying for a not to be
missed experience.  
 
  
The next day was one of my favorite experiences, hiking a fascinating
section of the wall and finishing with a high speed zip line ride over the
lake.

 
 
As we headed back to Beijing, our sleep deprived but deeply satisfied
group not only continued to interact, but a subset who were not flying out
right away was not ready to separate yet. We arranged to continue the
adventure together, starting with a late lunch at a very cool restaurant and
art complex created by Irsi Hsu's relative, 1949 The Hidden City. Detailing
the rest of the evening would take an entire new entry.  
For the final day, a smaller group had the pleasure of experiencing Richard
Hsu's Beijing, a special tour of his favorite places, which became a moving
design session. The larger group then reconvened for our final time
together before flying out, exploring Beijing 798, a huge creative industries
complex, on a beautiful spring day. It couldn't have a nicer way to wrap out
our time together.
 

 
 
Overall, we came away feeling that it was such a rich experience on so
many levels that we definitely want to continue gathering organizers
around various TEDx events in the region. And we wholeheartedly
recommend other organizers do so in your region.  
 
Todd Porter  
Curator, TEDxTokyo

(Other Organizer Comments)

Jason Hsu, TEDxTaipei

It was really nice meeting you all. There are many memorable moments--the slumber
party on the great wall, the sunset, the map, the champagne, the shao-ling martial arts,
the conversations, the never-ending Bob Marley song that's stuck in my head, the
dormitory and the fact we can check emails through wi-fi at Great Wall is crazy.

We are back in Taipei and fully charged. We will send you all an invite to our event in
July and hopefully you can all make it.
let's keep the energy going and conversations flowing and look forward to seeing you
again very soon.

Richard Hsu, TEDxShanghai

my take-away impressions from TEDx Organizers Gathering at the Great Wall
- great gathering of minds, powerful that a few of us to have gotten close, a special
group of old and new friends with similar drives, motivations, dreams, a chosen family of
sort and dependable supporting system being formed
- talks + nature is a great formula, the forces of the place is magical and forever
memorable
- truly distant outside voices and thinkers really awakes our senses and makes us re-
think about ourselves, our lifes, our value system (I so enjoyed time and conversations
with William Tumate Ole Siara)
- intense, positive social intentions
- we bid each other goodbye over 8 different times, I have not experienced a group of
grown men and women who did not want to part / separate, we kept findings ways to
meet up

what inspired me:

- strong hearts, minds, energy and determinations of many
- desires to do good in China, for China
- the TED spirit

Action Following Talks / AFT:

- TEDx and TED must not give direct pressure for actions, but those of us who feel
strongly that the energy, enthusiasm and talents that grow to the end of conferences will
be sadly wasted if we do not try to encourage participation, support systems to some
good worthy ideas
- ideas worth sharing, ideas worth embracing

strong deep memories felt (separately will try to post a companion photo collage):
- first toast on the Wall
- jumping with William
- sitting around lunch expressing our favorite TED talks
- mapping down our missions and dreams
- haikus at sunset
- “no women, no cry” around the campfire
- Apple moments – Iris, Ina, Lara
- energy around the fireplace
- waking up at 4.07am on the Great Wall
- the peacefulness of everyone on the morning Wall, each in their own zone, very silent
- moment the sun came up, from behind part of the Wall
- William carrying the wood for the old woman
- Jason’s refusing the purchase of the photo book
- conversations and exchanges on the long bus ride
- Beijing design tour
- 798 art tour
- one more goodbye

thank you all, for these moments. I hope to stay in close touch.
very best,

James Flanagan & Samantha Wright, TEDxBeijing

Hi everyone,
It was great meeting and spending time with all of you. This is what we would love to see
available online for TEDx organizers from around the world as key-takeaways from the
event.

Why should I attend a TEDx organizers gathering?

1. To build a community of regional organizers. Meeting and spending time together is
critical for developing a meaningful network of regional TEDx organizers.
2. To share region-specific knowledge. Bringing people together in one place over
several days is helpful for fleshing out shared experience and extracting region-
specific takeaways.

What is the value of developing a region-specific TEDx network?

1. Providing a system of mutual support.
2. Facilitating the sharing of region specific knowledge. “No need to reinvent the wheel.”
3. Enhancing the TEDx brand localization in the region.
4. Creating a network of TEDx events to further the impact of each one. In other words,
leveraging each event as a local platform for all others.

Key Takeaways from TEDx Great Wall gathering:

It was a good idea to hold a TEDx organizers conference around another
conference. This is because it offers an opportunity to have everyone look at the
same event and reflect. It provides a tangible reference point for discussions
about best and worst practices. This is important when thinking about localizing
the TED brand to the region.

It was a good idea to find an inspiring location. This facilitated meaningful reflection,
offering an opportunity for busy individuals to take a step back and think about big
questions and creative solutions.