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Unleashing Passion and Harnessing Energy: Jim Spear at TEDxVictoriaHarbour

1,915 views · Published 26 August 2013 · 18:32 · Indexed 21 September 2026

Channel: TEDx Talks · 2013 · Nonprofits & Activism

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Too often the merits of those around us are left at the wayside. Interns, for example, are often regarded as short-term assistants and rarely strategic influencers. Instead of hiring interns to push papers, is there a way to embrace the fact that true innovation comes from diversity, and fresh minds?

American expats Jim and his wife Liang Tang have been working and living in China for well over two decades but it wasn't until they acquired a peasant's home in the Mutianyu Great Wall Village in 2005 and turned it into a year-round retreat that their greatest adventure in China began. Spear has designed and built over 30 homes for clients from around the world, some of which have been featured in Architectural Digest. In an effort to help his local community, the couple founded The Schoolhouse at Mutianyu Great Wall, an award-winning for­profit sustainable tourism enterprise which has grown to include three restaurants, an art glass studio, a gallery, a unique resort comprised of rental homes dispersed across two villages, and an eco­retreat created from a re­purposed glazed tile factory.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

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