Excited to experience their first ever Round Square Conference, six delegates from Grade 6 embarked on their journey to Pathways World School, Gurgaon. The theme of the conference "Myriad Cultures, One Beautiful World", aligned perfectly with the Round Square IDEAL of Internationalism experienced by the delegates over a span of four busy days from 15th to 19th February 2024.
Day 0: The Adventure Begins! As the delegates reached airport, they were invariably reminded of yet another Round Square IDEAL - Environmentalism as they clicked their first ever Conference photograph, against the backdrop '#Go Green' sign at the Mumbai Airport. Euphoric to have landed in Delhi, they shared a buzzing bus ride as they interacted with delegates from Daly College Indore, swiftly forging new friendships! Chatter gave way to complete wonder as they entered the sprawling campus at Pathways World School, Gurgaon. Traditional marigold garlands and the beat of Indian dhol, DAIS delegation was overwhelmed with the warm welcome by the host school. High tea including many delicacies with paanipuri, one their many favourites immediately made the delegates feel at home amid a quick game of basketball on the sprawling basketball court. One game later, they were sitting in Samagam (the school’s auditorium) for an intriguing storytelling session with guest speaker Rituparna Ghosh. Ms. Ghosh is a delightful storyteller and she told them three interesting stories, leading the delegates through the twists and turns of the storytelling world, and impeccably relating each story with the conference topic. Through fun interactive sessions, delegates learnt lifelong lessons during her enticing session. It was an utterly amazing start to the new experience of representing DAIS in the Round Square Conference themed 'Internationalism - Myriad Cultures, One Beautiful World'.
Day 1: The Conference Has Begun! The following day commenced with the formal opening ceremony where delegates witnessed lighting of the ceremonial lamp, flag bearing march by participant schools and cultural performance by the host school. Next, they listened to the intriguing Keynote Speech by Dr. Pramath Sinha, who helped delegates analyse the Sanskrit phrase "Vasudeva Kutumbakam", to elaborate on the significance of how diverse cultures represent individual threads when woven together create one beautiful tapestry called the world.
Into their first Baraza session, the delegates used their critical thinking and transfer skills to decode the meaning of 'Internationalism' listening to multiple perspectives in their groups. They played many icebreaker games to get to know their peers in their barazas. Delegates experienced Haryanvi culture and overcame their fears on thrilling rides and obstacle adventure games at the Vishalgarh farms. They enjoyed the folk dances, a magic show, and puppet shows that introduced them to vibrant Haryanvi culture, a truly exhilarating experience for the DAIS delegates. As the day ended, the delegates were sure that they would be embracing the Round Square Ideal of "Adventure" along this journey!
Day 2: Cultural immersion On the second day of the trip, delegates started the day playing an exciting game of musical chairs, with a twist. Delegates who missed the chair had to share a fact about their culture with their team members. Enriched with new ideas on different cultures, it was the perfect setting for delegates as they dived into another inspiring session by Mr. Prateek Jalan, a Pathways alumnus. He interacted with the delegates to help them understand - Internationalism and Globalization. Next, in their baraza groups, they eagerly discussed their thoughts and questions, and engaged some exciting team-building activities, that embodied the Round Square IDEAL of "Democracy". Post lunch, delegates regrouped themselves to rehearse for their cultural gala event. Before the big night, the leaders of the baraza groups came together to frame the Conference statement, showcasing the IDEAL of "Leadership". It was finally time to get on stage for all the delegates schools. The audience was thrilled with the stellar performances by all delegates including DAIS who enthralled everyone popular songs in their cultural titled - 'Music over the decades'!
But the night was still young as they listened to an inspiring speech by Director of Pathways World School- Ms. Sonya Mehta on the theme of Internationalism. Dressed in their formal wears, delegates joined the Director's dinner, enjoying the vibrant ambience and delectable food of their choice. Multiple bonfires spread over the huge venue spread warmth and cheer and soon the delegates were grooving to exciting music with their new friends. The day was packed with fun and excitement.
Day 3: An Exhilarating Day On day 3, they headed into a world of ventriloquism, led by Mr. Santosh Kumar. They explored new skills in their hands-on workshops on various hobbies, including dance, theatre, pottery, visual art, and product design. Once the brunch buffet was devoured, the delegates rested before collaborating to frame the Conference Statement. Watching the movie The Croods with mouthwatering hot popcorn, the delegates resonated with the significance of trying out new things and thinking in new sin dire circumstances. Accompanied by their respective baraza group members, they were part of an extraordinary treasure hunt that led them to explore the sprawling Pathways campus. The fun-filled day was signed off with Maggi night, many sweet treats, and an energetic DJ Night. What a way to end this conference!
Day 4: Goodbye, Pathways World School, Gurgaon! After their last breakfast at their favourite spot in the Kasturi dining hall, the delegates felt that the trip seemed to have ended far too soon. As they flew back to Mumbai, they reflected on this life changing and unforgettable experiences, and all the new things they learnt about the intricacies of Round Square and its IDEALS. They promised to live the Round Square IDEALS to the very core.
Our Reflections:
Check out our video with our beautiful memories and reflections.