17 May, 2023

BIS Hanoi Year 10 Student takes home prestigious award at the International Philosophy Olympiad in Greece

BIS Hanoi Student takes home prestigious award at the International Philosophy Olympiad in Greece - BIS Hanoi Student takes home prestigious award at the International Philosophy Olympiad in Greece

The IPO’s annual essay writing competition aims to promote philosophical education and encourage intellectual exchanges between students from around the world. The competition itself is designed to challenge even the brightest philosophical minds.

Last weekend, Gia Khanh travelled to Ancient Olympia in Greece (considered by many to be the birthplace of Philosophy) to take part in the 31st IPO. This year’s competition brought together 103 students from 49 different countries, including those from Europe, North America, South America and South-East Asia.

Competing students had just four hours to write their essay, choosing from one of four different topics provided. Each essay was then submitted anonymously and evaluated by 8 individual teachers, before being considered by the IPO steering committee. This year, the steering committee was composed of professors from Greek institutions and professors from Center of Hellenic Studies, Harvard University.

We are proud to share that Gia Khanh was one of 24 students awarded an ‘Honorable Mention’ for her essay. The award is in recognition of her writing’s relevance to the topic, philosophical understanding, persuasive power of argumentation, coherence, and originality.

BIS Hanoi Student takes home prestigious award at the International Philosophy Olympiad in Greece - BIS Hanoi Student takes home prestigious award at the International Philosophy Olympiad in Greece

Gia Khanh received her award at a special ceremony at the historic International Olympic Academy, where she was congratulated by the Chairman of IPO and the Mayor of Western Greece.

Gia Khanh said of her experience: “It was truly an unforgettable experience for me to meet some of the brightest people, so kind and caring yet so inspiringly full of ambitions. I was also grateful to be enriched with intensive lectures and academic discourse, as well as to have an amazing opportunity to visit Ancient Olympia, which is often considered the birthplace of Philosophy.”

"Winning a prize at the International Philosophy Olympiad in Greece is a testament to Gia Khanh’s dedication and hard work. She should be incredibly proud of herself for achieving such a feat, and we are thrilled to have a talented and accomplished student like her representing our school on a global stage. Keep up the excellent work, and continue to strive for greatness in all that you do!", shared Mr Chris Newman, Head of Secondary.

Gia Khanh’s achievement is especially impressive as the preparation for this competition coincided with her Maths IGCSE exams.

“We would like to take this chance to thank Gia Khanh’s friends and especially those members of BIS Teachers who supported and encouraged her all along to take on a brand-new academic challenge with philosophy, in context of busy weeks end Apr-early May with Gia Khanh preparing for both ICGSE Maths and IPO”, said Ms Binh Bui, Gia Khanh’s parent.

A huge congratulations to Gia Khanh for her achievements, as well as thank her peers and those members of staff who supported and encouraged her. It is always inspiring to see BIS Hanoi students flourishing on a global stage.