'Postcard' from Roedean School, South Africa
On the 4th of November, 11 students from Dhirubhai Ambani International School joined the Round Square 'Postcard' zoom call, hosted by the Roedean School, South Africa. The theme of the Postcard was “Ubuntu: What is in a name?” An African concept, a philosophy and a way of living, this session aimed to scaffold Ubuntu - an expression of love and respect for all humankind, and an understanding that we all need one another. The diversity of the participating delegates helped to bring students from various parts of the world together and to discuss and share their cultures with each other.
The postcard call connected over 140 participants from 20 RS schools in Jordan, Peru, Chile, India, South Africa, Oman, and the USA. Participating delegates were asked to dress for the call in a way that is significant to their culture or bring to the call a culturally significant item to show and share. The students shared the meaning of their names with each other, also stating its origin.
The host school shared a presentation on African culture, and also explained how to pronounce certain letters in their native language, Afrikaans. In their breakout groups, the students discussed the traditional attire they wore as well as its cultural significance. They discussed the landmarks and tourist attractions in their respective countries and shared ancient superstitions and folk tales from their countries.
Reflecting upon the activity, a student said “It was an incredibly educational and enjoyable activity. Although we learn about other cultures through books and movies, it is not comparable to interacting with a person from such a diverse and rich cultural background.”
It was an enriching experience for the DAIS delegates as they learned about different perspectives and customs. They enjoyed corresponding with students from diverse backgrounds and learning about their lifestyle, all from the comfort of their own homes.
DAIS Student Delegates: Annika Cerejo, Advait Variyar, Avya Gupta, Suhani Choudhry, Keya Vinay, Naviya Gupta, Ojas Marathe, Rayna Shah, Sanay Shah and Shreya Ranganathan
DAIS Adult Delegates: Ms Smita Ullal
