Our students at GIN Conference 2017, in South Korea

From the 24th to the 26th of February 5 students from BIS attended the Global Issues Networking Conference at Chadwick International School, Songdo, South Korea.

Hosted by Chadwick students Yura and Erica as a CAS project the conference introduced BIS students to many new ideas and concepts in approaching the Global Issues that impact on the world today and in the future.  Hyeonseo Lee was the opening keynote speaker, her story of escape from North Korea and her work towards supporting a peaceful unification set the tone for the conference. Her book Girl with Seven Names is a moving account of not just her escape and her continued effort to help assist the people of North Korea to gain freedom from an oppressive dictator.
Jae Yeon led a workshop that raised the participants’ awareness for the issue of modern day slavery, a Service as Action initiative from her grade 9 Humanities class. Max presented an interactive discussion on Independence and the importance of Freedom, a human rights issue we sometimes take for granted. Soobin, Stefany and Naomi delivered the final BIS workshop advocating the Bali Life Foundation and the wonderful work this organization does with supporting street kids and single mothers. The girls and the GIN team also ran a Talent Show in the week preceding the conference which allowed them to raise awareness and all proceeds went directly to the found ation. Another highlight was Max’s impromptu guitar & vocal performance at the Saturday evening social event, also featuring a K-pop dance from Chadwick, a play and a song by CCS and an inspirational performance by Gede Robi Supriyanto, front man of Navicula. Other keynote presenters included Gary Bencheghib who is an alumni of BIS, founder of Make a Change Bali, now a filmmaker and environmental activist and Marian Marzynski, an award winning film maker and holocaust survivor.
The students networked with schools from Saudi Arabia, China and Manila, ate some wonderful Korean food and despite the very cold weather were able to visit the area of Songdo and take a trip into Seoul.
The students conducted themselves in the most positive manner throughout and gained compliments from teachers of Chadwick and chaperones from other schools. There will be a presentation from our GIN SOKO team at the next secondary assembly on Friday 24 March.