Nine Grade 7 students attended the Global Issues Network Day (GIN) conference this week at the International School of the Hague (ISH). GIN Day brings students from across the Netherlands who are eager and passionate about both local and global issues.

 

The conference aims to empower students to collaborate and show attitudes of collective responsibility in creating solutions of our shared global objectives. The conference is student-led, and integrates topics such as climate change, activism, design thinking, community building, diversity and acceptance.

 

This year’s theme was "Creating Unity and Pursuing Opportunity: designed to bring people together, and use our platforms, knowledge, and voices to strive for positive change. There were several student-led and facilitated workshops to be part of including: hearing the stories from Ukrainian ballet dancers, a visit to Pluk!, learning to repair, recycle and repurpose old clothes, sharing thoughts and experiences at the Gender and Sexuality Alliance, and much more. Our students, as well as other participants were encouraged to embrace critical thinking and challenge societal norms to invite new ideas for sustainable living and culture.

 

The conference focuses on igniting a spirit of changemaking, leadership and collaboration to take dedicated action. Here are a couple of thoughts from students:

 

“I’m really interested in helping the environment and I want to see what other schools are doing” - Gabi

 

“I want to gather more ideas about what schools can do to be sustainable” - Lina

 

“I came to the conference because I want to know how to become a change maker” - Samantha

 

“I want to learn how to make the world better” - Pippa