As we find ourselves in an increasingly polarized world, we often forget to listen to the other side. Evan and Eitan share a story of how they were exposed to each others’ contrasting perspectives in a debate in their AP World History classroom. What began as a close-minded argument on the demise of Rome, resulted in an open-minded discussion and the creation of a friendship.
In the end, they advocate for the encouraging of that same opposition they had in their class for all classrooms across the world. They believe having students learn to accept and grasp other’s opinions will help to create a world that is more understanding and less polarized, with more hope of bridging the gap. Evan Hashemi is currently a Senior at North Broward Prep School. He has a passion for mathematics and physics, and hopes to be an engineer who creates products that help reduce waste all around the world. He is currently enrolled in the IB diploma program and hopes to finish with high marks.
Eitan Pessah is a senior at North Broward Preparatory School, born and raised in South Florida. He is an IB diploma candidate and heavily involved in the theatre department. Some of his other hobbies include reading, writing, and soccer. Eitan plans on majoring in both acting and pre-med when he goes to university. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at
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