A Timeless Moment
7, 771 kilometres separate Newcastle and Hangzhou; the Ma & Morley Scholars had travelled a long way for this moment. The day began with a guided tour of Alibaba, past walls that were alive with technology, and rooms with history weaved into the carpet. To walk through Alibaba was to experience the future. Anticipation swelled, Alibaba was awe inspiring, but the pinnacle of the day was moments away. The scholars would meet Jack Ma. Words had not evaded them the entire trip, yet they sat in nervous
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silence awaiting Jack’s arrival. Whispers of Jack’s arrival swept through the room and the scholars held their breath and sat taller in their chairs. A raucous applause broke the silence as Jack Ma entered the room. The group exhaled as one. Time seemed to slow, it was somehow both hazy and crystal clear. As four scholars addressed the room, the group was all smiles, brimming with pride. Decades of history connected these scholars to this one man. Their stories interweaving and expressed through a shared vision for a more just, peaceful, and sustainable society.
