Theme: The Power Within

The past couple of years have presented us with numerous challenges, prompting many of us to reflect on our own strength and resilience. As we navigate through a changing world, we reach into "The Power Within", exploring the transformative potential that lies within us, allowing us to tap into our inner strengths. This TEDx event delves into personal stories of overcoming innate challenges, triumphing over fears, stepping out of a comfort zone, self-empowerment, and living one’s passions. Students, experts, and guests share their journeys of harnessing little seeds into mighty trees, illustrating how the power within can lead to profound changes in personal life, career, relationships, and communities.

International College Beirut
Beirut, bliss street
Beirut, Beyrouth, 1107-2020
Lebanon

Ahmad Sayyed

Elementary School student

Ahmad Sayed is a grade 5 student, French section. He likes sports, especially basketball. For him, communication is essential for understanding each other. That's why he focuses in his talk on how to express yourself respectfully in disagreements.

Alexia maria Dermosessian

Secondary School Student

Alexia is passionate about reading, traveling, and exploring new experiences, always cherishing the memories she creates along the way. Her curiosity has always been drawn to biology and chemistry, especially their impact on everyday life. A tennis player with a drive for academic excellence, she has a deep passion for both medicine and psychology. Today, she’ll be sharing insights on how small actions can have a big impact.

Aly Bazzi

Secondary School Student

Aly maintains an active lifestyle that is reflected in his dedication to Muay Thai, volleyball, and his involvement in the school’s track and field team. He is currently studying Chinese and is also in the process of launching his own clothing brand. Ali envisions a future in either finance or medicine, with particular interest in orthopedics and neuroscience. In his talk, Aly shares a heartfelt message about the enduring power of love, memory, and presence—even in the face of forgetting.

Cyrine El Khatib

Secondary School Student

Cyrine is deeply passionate about sports, particularly football and track and field. She thrives on social interaction and has a keen interest in understanding the motivations behind people’s actions. This curiosity, coupled with her experiences as an athlete, has sparked a fascination with how various factors—such as motivation and behavior—impact performance and interactions in competitive environments. She will be arguing that procrastination isn’t rooted in laziness, but rather in fear and discomfort.

David Lanza

IBDP history teacher and TOK coordinator

David Lanza has been a teacher at the International College since 2021. In the Secondary School, he teaches IBDP History and Global Politics and also serves as the Theory of Knowledge subject coordinator. David comes from a multicultural background—with an Indian mother, an Italian father, while he himself was raised in the midwestern suburbs of the US. This blend of cultures shaped his worldview and fueled his passion for learning about the world. His talk revolves around how maps can actually inhibit our understanding of the world.

Ezel Mahmud

Elementary School Student

Ezel Mahmoud is in grade Five and he is a Lebanese swimming champion. His talk focuses on rising above the pain caused by bullying and maintaining resilience.

Haya Sayed

Middle School Student

Music has always been the heartbeat of Haya’s everyday life; whether she’s composing something new or simply letting her fingers dance across the keys, Haya believes that piano is more than an instrument. It’s her way of telling stories in a way that words could never capture. Through music, she has found comfort, creativity, and connection. Through her performance, she hopes to remind others how powerful it is to have something in life that speaks when you cannot.

Jad El Sayed

Elementary School Student

Jad Sayed is a grade five student. He loves basketball, and enjoys playing the guitar. His talk emphasizes the power of self-belief and perseverance in overcoming obstacles and achieving success.

Julia Toramanian

Secondary School Student

Julia is interested in pursuing a career in engineering. She loves reading, her favorite author is a japanese writer named Haruki Murakami. She likes sci-fi movies and series. By sharing her story with multiple nationalities, she hopes she can help others who have felt isolated like she did.

Karim Azhari

Elementary School Student

Karim Azhari is in Grade Five. He likes to sing, play, study and dive into conversations. His talk is about how the concept of evolution is needed on both individual and social levels.

Layan Abughazaleh

Elementary School Student

Layan Abughazaleh, is in grade five. She likes rock climbing, ice skating, contortion, and making art. Today’s talk will be about how she used “The Power of Yet” to keep going and never give up.

Marina Semaan

Middle School Student

Marina Semaan, a student from class 4ème C, is passionate about music, basketball, and movies—just a few of the many things that shape who she is. Today, she opens up about her journey of breaking free from the pressure to ‘fit in’ and how embracing her true self transformed her life for the better.

Mikaela Chalhoub

Middle School Student

Mikaela Chalhoub loves music, especially composing. She also dances ballet and writes books . She is an art-oriented person which is why most of her hobbies are art-influenced. In her talk, Mikaela points out that music doesn’t only motivate us and brings us all together but it is actually LIFE by itself.

Mohammad Abbas

Elementary School Student

Mohammad Abbas is a grade five student. His favorite hobbies are football and karting. Today's talk will be about the importance of never giving up.

Myriam Karam

Secondary School Student

Myriam is a dedicated athlete, competing internationally in alpine skiing for Lebanon and representing her school’s national team in swimming. Beyond sports, she finds solace in playing the piano, using music as a way to quiet her mind. A natural extrovert, she thrives on meeting new people and expanding her social circle. With unwavering determination, she pursues her academic goals, striving for admission to her dream university. Today, she shares a deeply personal story—one of resilience, strength, and survival. She recounts the battle no child should ever have to face: her fight against cancer.

Nay Moukalled

Elementary School Student

Nay Moukalled is in Grade 5A. She likes dancing a lot. In her talk, she focuses on the importance of setting boundaries in our lives. For her it is not about shutting others out but about fostering mutual respect and understanding.

Noor Shehade

Middle School Student

Noor loves all sports but swimming is her passion. She has been swimming since the age of three, and it has taught her the importance of hard work and perseverance. With support, she learned to never give up on her dreams. Today, she shares her journey of determination and success in the sport she loves.

Nour El Houda Shehadeh

Secondary School Student

Nour El Houda has a strong interest in all aspects of disaster management, including first aid, rappelling, and firefighting. Currently, she is an active member of both the first response and firefighting team. Driven by a deep respect for human life, she firmly believes that every individual is worth the effort it takes to save them. In addition to her passion for emergency response, she has a love for mathematics and is aspiring to pursue a career in medicine. She talks about the unsung champions of society who make a difference without seeking recognition or wearing an emblem of heroism.

Rami Tabbara

Secondary School Student

Rami is a naturally outgoing individual who thrives on meeting new people and forming connections. His deep passion for travel has fueled a fascination with aviation and airplanes, shaping his aspirations for the future. Whether pursuing a career as a pilot or exploring opportunities in finance, he is eager to chart his own path. In his talk, Rami will delve into the impact of social expectations on his journey, sharing how they led him from one extreme to another and, ultimately, guided him toward self-discovery.

Rhea Alameddine

Secondary School Student

Rhea is an adventurous and inquisitive individual who thrives on traveling and discovering new places, cultures, and experiences. The excitement of exploring the unknown, whether it's a new destination or a fresh idea, drives her curiosity. Always eager to learn, grow, and embrace new opportunities, she welcomes every adventure that comes her way. In her talk, she shares how she learned to stop hesitating and start trusting herself enough to take action.

Riwa Alameh

Secondary School Student

:She has always balanced a deep appreciation for independence with a strong sense of community. While she enjoys working autonomously—whether sketching, constructing models, or bringing her designs to life—she also finds fulfillment in collaborative environments. Her passion for problem-solving and creative decision-making thrives both in personal projects and group settings, such as her involvement in the architecture club, AGC, or moments spent with friends. In her talk, she will explore the idea that memories extend beyond physical spaces, shaping experiences in ways that transcend location.

Sami Zeidan

Secondary School Student

Sami is passionate about a variety of sports, including football, boxing, and chess. He deeply values honesty and prioritizes relationships that are grounded in trust and integrity. With a curious and open mindset, he enjoys exploring new hobbies and continuously developing his skills. Looking ahead, Sami aspires to pursue a career that enables him to make a meaningful and positive impact on others. In his upcoming talk, he will be discussing the challenges he faced during an academic transition, and how it affected him as a person.

Sara El Bardan

Elementary School Student

Sarah El Bardan is a grade five student. One of her favorite hobbies is skiing as it gives her a sense of freedom. Her talk today highlights the empowering mindset of asking, 'Why not?' instead of just questioning 'Why?'—encouraging us to embrace opportunities with boldness and curiosity.

Shalimar Sinno

Assisstant Head of the Ali Ghandour Center for Leadership

Shalimar's professional journey began with a BS in Landscape Design and Ecosystem Management, followed by a diploma in Agricultural Engineering. She then ventured into the NGO sector, where she discovered her passion for community work, leading her to pursue a Master’s in Rural Community Development. She has spent the last five years as the Assistant Head of the Ali Ghandour Center for Leadership, Diversity, and Civic Engagement at IC. Today’s speaker stands before us as someone who has experienced love, loss, and growth. Her journey embodies both determination and heart, and her story reminds us that true strength often resides not in loud triumphs, but in the quiet moments of acceptance.

Tala Flayhan

AUB student majoring in Architecture

Tala Flayhan is currently pursuing architecture in AUB. Tala is playing a chess match with life. With every move, she finds a piece of the puzzle that reveals what her life is trying to teach her. From working at a hair salon at the age of 14, to receiving a scholarship to IC-AGC and bravely leading a project about harassment, then receiving a full scholarship to AUB, she learned a lesson from every minor and major event that happened in those years. Tala will share her experience with sexual harassment as a step forward to break the silence about taboo subjects in our culture.

Walid Shourbaji

Secondary School Student

Walid serves as the class representative for grade 10 . A role that has allowed him to explore various systems of decision-making. When he came across the concept of Lottocracy, he saw its potential and adapted it into a more effective model. In his talk, he explains how Lottocracy deepened his understanding of collective decision-making. One quote he finds especially meaningful, taken from a discussion on The Wisdom of the Crowd, is: “Perhaps we have to listen to everyone, but not each other?”

Ward Moukalled

Middle School Student

Ward is interested in topics such as economics, politics and psychology. He finds these passions as a gateway for him to understand his actions and those around him. He had to move from a school he thought to be his second home to his current school, IC. Since then, the question of what pushed him to make that daring decision-along with many others, made him question the decision making process. These questions culminated into this theory-The Push that he will be explaining in his talk.

Ward Nasr

Secondary School Student

Ward enjoys connecting with others and finds joy in making people smile. She values meaningful interactions, spending quality time with those around her, and being in environments that foster personal growth and inner peace. Her talk centers on the theme of change—the one constant we can always rely on. While change often brings discomfort, many people struggle to embrace it. Ward explores how shifting our perspective and choosing to accept change, rather than resist it, can open the door to new opportunities and personal advancement.

Yasmina Bou Alia

Secondary School Student

Yasmina consistently challenges herself to push her limits, striving for personal growth and improvement both in her passions and academics. She finds joy in spending quality time with family and friends. She will be talking about her journey of combatting the pressure of social expectations shaped by her older sister’s achievements and reputation. Through moments of failure and self-doubt, she discovered her own identity, beyond comparison, and found the freedom to redefine success in her own way.

Ziad Jreijiri

Cofounder and CEO of Oreyeon

Ziad is the cofounder and CEO of Oreyeon, building A.I. for airports to optimize safety and operations. He has a background in Aerospace Vehicle Design. In his talk, he points out that in environments where support for new projects, innovative ideas, or inventions is scarce, and genuine interest is often lacking, the feeling of ownership plays a vital role in driving success. This is because when external encouragement is absent, personal commitment and a sense of responsibility toward a project become the key drivers that fuel progress and make things happen.