Recognising Remembrance Day at BIS HCMC

As Remembrance Day approached, this year on Saturday 11th November, we remembered the service and sacrifice of all those that have defended our freedom and protected our way of life and anyone who has been affected by conflict around the world.  It’s a deeply significant occasion and a time for us to reflect on the importance of remembrance, not just as a day marked on the calendar but as a fundamental aspect of world history.

Remembrance Day is more than just a day to honour the heroes and heroines who served and sacrificed in global conflicts throughout history. It’s an opportunity for us to remember and learn from the lessons of the past and it reminds us of the freedom and rights we cherish today. 

In our fast-paced world, taking the time to reflect on the past may seem like a luxury. However, it’s an essential exercise that helps us grow and evolve. By studying the events of history, we can gain insights into the consequences of actions, both positive and negative. This, in turn, allows us to make informed decisions and build a better future, and as educators helps us to empower our students to do the same.

A greater discussion of the importance and meaning of Remembrance Day can be found below and throughout the rest of this article:

What is Remembrance - Royal British Legion

Remembrance Day allows us to recognise and commemorate the courage, dedication, and sacrifice of countless individuals. We pay tribute to those who fought on the battlefields, those who worked on the home front, and those who continue to serve today in various capacities. It's a time to remember that service comes in many forms, and each one contributes to the well-being of our society.

Remembrance is not solely about battles and conflicts. It is a time to reflect on our humanity. It reminds us that even in the darkest of times, there are acts of kindness, courage, and compassion that shine through. It’s a day to honour the resilience and strength of the human spirit.

In teaching our students our core values of respect, care and reflection, we hold hope for a more peaceful future as our global citizens go out into the world. For this week’s Remembrance Assemblies in Secondary, we chose to commemorate the Korean War of 1950-1953 as this year marks the 70th Anniversary of this conflict.  We talked with all of our student community about this conflict through the lens of service with specific focus on key individuals who served others and made sacrifices during this war.  Through the commemoration and remembrance of this war, we discussed key themes of empathy, humanity and kindness. 

Our chamber choir of 20 students sang at the service, our Year 10 student, GyeolBi, played ‘The Last Post’ on the trumpet and Kai from Year 7 is read ‘In Flanders Fields’.

 

With several major conflicts currently happening in the world, your child may want to speak to you about this topic area.  This can be a difficult topic to engage in.  With this in mind, I would also like to share an article from UNICEF on how to talk to your children about conflict and war.

How-talk-your-children-about-conflict-and-war - UNICEF

As we observed Remembrance Day this year, we embraced the opportunity to remember, reflect, and learn. Remembrance day is a chance to pay our respects to those who have gone before us and to commit ourselves to building a world where the lessons of the past guide us toward a brighter future.  It is a chance to learn from humanity's mistakes and hopefully be more empathetic and compassionate in the future.

Thank you for being a part of our community, and may we all find meaning in the act of remembrance.

Lest we forget.