UN Day: Pledging Ourselves to a Better Future
UN Day is a global event marking the anniversary of the date when the UN Charter first entered into force - October 24, 1945.
Celebrating this day across the College reflects our commitment to fostering intercultural understanding as well as underscoring our support for the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), both of which are critical for empowering our students to make a difference in the wider world.
On this day students were invited to wear clothes reflecting their national cultures. In addition, students took on the challenge of engaging with UN SDGs #14 and #15 – Life Below Water and Life on Land - by focusing on endangered species during class, underscoring the need for all nations to work together to protect the Earth’s biodiversity.
Senior School students paired up with Junior School and DUCKS students to select, discuss, and research an endangered animal. They created a fact sheet about that animal and mapped out the challenges facing their protection. They then worked together to deliver a short presentation of their findings to the rest of the class.
As a final gesture students created images of their chosen animals and wrote down a pledge for concrete action which will contribute to the protection and conservation of that species. These pledges will be posted on the wall of the main lobby of our Junior School building, serving as long-term daily inspiration for the need for concrete action.
Pairing different year groups challenges students to engage with issues in a completely different way.
"It was great being able to have students from different year groups working together,” says Director of Global Citizenship Anthony Reich. “Senior School students always reflect on how special it is to return to Junior School and DUCKS after a few years. The energy of mixing up the year groups is always wonderful. It challenges them to engage with issues in a completely different way, to see different perspectives, and to learn how to act responsibly as a community towards a key global issue."
Year 11 student Mimi P was paired with Year 5 students for the day. “I found it particularly insightful learning about the issue of endangered animals, and most especially learning about it whilst working with younger students,” she relates. “The collaboration with the Year 5s was enjoyable and thought-provoking hearing what they had to say! Overall I found the event incredibly purposeful.”
