International Week’s keynote address was delivered by Ohio University alumnus and viral sensation Alex Sheen.
Alex Sheen made a promise to work toward the betterment of the world.
Sheen, an Ohio University alumnus and the creator of the social movement and nonprofit organization because I said I would, delivered the keynote address of International Week in Baker Center Theatre on Wednesday.
After asking members of the audience if they had ever wondered what it was like to go viral, he promised to tell them — because that was exactly what happened to him.
Inspired by the way in which his late father made and kept promises, Sheen unintentionally started a global movement. Now, he aims to change the world through promises.
At the funeral of his father, he passed out “Promise Cards.” He invited those in attendance to make a promise, write it down and follow through.
Next, Sheen took his message online. He offered to send blank cards to anyone, anywhere in the world and at no cost.
As the reach of his message surpassed the thousands and approached the millions, Sheen said his life was “fundamentally changed.”
Because I said I would has sparked service globally, with over 3.15 million cards distributed to 153 countries.
“It doesn’t matter what language you speak,” Sheen said. “We all understand the importance of a promise.”
Laura Gilbert, a sophomore studying Spanish and linguistics, said the speech brought her to tears.
“It did inspire me, but now I’m thinking, ‘Well, now what do I do?’ ” Gilbert said. “I think that’s the hardest thing.”
The movement led to promises made by Sheen himself. Among them, he promised to walk for 10 days across the state of Ohio in honor of three women who were held captive for 10 years, to volunteer at 52 nonprofit organizations in one year and to give children fighting cancer trips to Disneyland. He kept his word in every case.
“This world is made of the promises you make,” Sheen said.
The next step for Sheen is the creation of local chapters of his organization. Called Echo, these chapters would connect people to work toward progress in their own communities. Sheen said his intention is to see their growth globally, but he is starting at home. He even reached out to Bobcats in the audience to start a chapter here.
Hashim Pashtun, the president of International Student Union at OU, said because he lost his mother to cancer, he related to Sheen’s story.
“Of course his objective was not to make us cry, but crying is making us emotional,” Pashtun, a graduate student studying electrical engineering, said.
Pashtun said emotional connection leads to an increased commitment to fulfilling a promise.
Participants posted their own promises after the speech. One promised “to not let my anxiety get in the way of making my dreams come true.” Another said, “I will tell my parents how much I love them and how much they mean to me.”
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As the theme of International Week is “A Promise With No Boundaries,” Pashtun said the talk was a “perfect fit.”
“The boundary is not only physical, but it is a boundary of class, is a boundary of gender, is a boundary of color, is a boundary of belief,” Pashtun said.
But International Week is transcendent of that boundary, Pashtun said.
“We are connecting, and the promise can be outside these boundaries, too,” Pashtun said.
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