"Work! I don't work, I explore!" said Charles Elashi, the director of the NASA propulsion laboratory. Such energy characterized TEDx Beirut, a day-long gathering where thinkers, activists, scientists, and artists shared fascinating ideas and inspiring personal stories with over 1,000 attendees.

The second annual TEDx Beirut, held at the UNESCO palace on November 17, roughly doubled last year's event and featured 20 speakers. The gathering, organized by Patricia Zougheib of Lebanon, was sponsored by the non-profit TED,  which supports an ongoing series of events devoted to "Ideas worth spreading." Dating back to 1984 California, TED's initial focus on technology, entertainment, and design has since expanded considerably and now sponsors events around the world.

"All we need is _______," was TEDx Beirut's prompt, and the attendees were left to complete the phrase. The blank space proved a potent fuel for the day, filled in with hundreds of ideas as attendees drew inspiration from speakers and each other.

Impressive feats of innovation were on full display. NASA's Elashi explained how the very human qualities of motivation and passion allow inventions, like the Mars Curiosity rover, to literally push back the horizon of technical ingenuity. Aquatic scientist Imad Saoud explained how something as simple as saltwater might be used to build proteins and feed more people. To engineer Salim Zwein, the future looks especially bright with the promise of using Thorium as an alternative energy source.

Imagination does not limit itself to science, and TEDx Beirut featured speakers whose creative expression inspires and informs. Sareen Akarjalian a programmer-by-day but cartoonist-by-night, discussed her web-comic, "Ink-on-the-Side," which makes people laugh while providing pointed social commentary. Spoken-word poet Jana Bou Reslan praised the value of expression, explaining how he uses poetry to give youth a creative and nonviolent venue to voice concerns.

Stirring personal stories emphasized the power of the individual to effect change. Esraa Haidar delivered an empowering presentation, explaining how her personal experience with the veil led her to launch a popular blog that challenges discrimination and tackles social issues. Loryne Atoui, designer and founder of a breast cancer awareness and support NGO "One Wig Stand,"  reflected on the incredible strength we have to face adversity. Lebanese mountain-climber Peter Mourcade extolled on the value of determination, and how it helped him scale some of the highest peaks in the world.

Turning to education, Marjorie Henningsen advocated for a revolutionary appreciation of school as integral to life, not part of preparing for it. Especially relevant to Beirut was Suzanne Talhouk's talk, which probed Lebanon's multi-linguistic character and hypothesized about the future of the Arabic language. Notably, the event featured simultaneous translations and brought together people from around the world.

The 'E' in TED comes from "entertainment," and TEDx Beirut featured a dramatic performance by Walkabout Drum Circle, a program teaching drumming styles from around the world to students while fostering their personal capabilities. The attendees were also regaled by the harmonies of Lebanese a capella group "Vocal Point."

The creativity and passion of Lebanon's scientists, activists, and artists isn't news to anyone, but the convergence of so much energy and positivity in one place was nonetheless a powerful symbol of optimism for the future. Thousands of Flickr photos and Facebook posts from the event captured moments frozen in time of an event that lasted only one day, but, wonderfully, that day itself was merely a glimpse of the streams of ingenuity and enthusiasm that run through Lebanese society every day.