Eight delegates represented both the Regent’s Pattaya
and Bangkok campuses at the International Round Square Conference in
Melbourne at the end of September. The delegation consisted of five students
and three staff, who spent the week being hosted by the Ivanhoe Grammar
School, in what was an extremely active and thought provoking programme. The
theme for the conference was MP05 (www.MP05.org), Meeting Place 2005.
Delegates were challenged to discuss the growing issues of cultural
differences and intolerances, and how understanding these can be addressed
through the increasing development in technologies.
Regent’s
students and staff at MP05 in Melbourne.
The three speakers at the conference spoke with great
passion on their different experiences and what it meant to them to be an
Australian. A lawyer described how he had fought for fairer treatment of
asylum seekers and the controversial role of Australia’s detention
centres. The second spoke of his role in an aboriginal community school as
the headmaster, attempting to inspire the children to be proud of their
heritage and to be both “smart and strong”, with equal opportunity to
higher education and potential as future leaders. The third set of speakers
was a panel of four. Each one had sought asylum in Australia, each a success
story despite the hardships they had endured.
King
Constantine of Greece with Regent’s students and staff.
It was great to hear the many different views and to
learn so much about Australia as a truly multicultural nation. There were
heated debates; each of the 60 Round Square schools are represented at this
conference, covering all six continents. Many issues were uncovered that
were similar, both across different cultures but also at different scales.
The student leaders from the Ivanhoe School issued final statements at the
closing ceremony and each delegation was encouraged to return back to their
countries and school communities to further the discussion.
King
Constantine of Greece with Regent’s students.
Present at the conference were Prince Andrew, the duke of
York, King Constantine of Greece and His son Prince Nicholas.
Other highlights of the week included an adventure day
and a service day. Adventure activities that could be undertaken included:
surfing, rock climbing, scenic flights, bush art and kayaking. The service
day comprised of environmental and social projects within the Melbourne
area.
Much
interest was generated around the Regent’s School service booth.
The week ended with a service fair where each of the 60
Round Square schools was encouraged to display the service work undertaken
within their school community in the last academic year. This was an
excellent opportunity for the Regent’s to inform the other schools of
their three main service projects: Tsunami Relief, AIDS awareness and the
Hill Tribe service project. Much interest was generated around the service
booth and a large number of other Round Square schools enquired about the
possibilities of joining in with the Regent’s on their service projects.
The
Regent’s won a wooden plaque for service in Round Square.
At the end of the afternoon prizes were awarded for the
schools who had impressed most at the service fair, with the Regent’s
taking first prize, a beautifully hand carved wooden platypus. Great
recognition for all the service work the Regent’s students have
participated in over the last year.
The Regent’s School is firmly established as a role model of Round
Square IDEALS (Internationalism, Democracy, Environmental awareness.
Adventure, Leadership and Service). (www. regents.ac.th)
