Northbridge students summit the world at New York conference

By Jiwoo Yum & Adrijaa Paul

The two representatives of our school, Adrijaa (Grade 11) and Jiu (Grade 12) took part in multiple workshops, team building activities, and outings over the course of 4 days. They also consistently had the chance to interact with like-minded representatives from the other Nord Anglia schools in an exchange and sharing of ideas through back and forth, engaging dialogue as they explored the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through a new lens.

On the 2nd day of their arrival, a career fair was held at the UNICEF headquarters for the student representatives to meet the professionals working for the UN and UNICEF! Representatives went around the different professionals, all working for their respective SDGs, and got a chance to listen to the different ways UNICEF and the UN were working to improve the situation globally for each of the goals. Students were able to receive a direct look into the most pressing problems or barriers between us and our Global Goals Deadline of 2030, as well as an insight into the career path of those who wish to work with such organizations.

Our representatives also got to listen to Nord Anglia Education staff working directly under UNICEF and how Nord Anglia has contributed to the Global Goals. Students were further encouraged to act on improving these issues in their own communities through ways such as the Nord Anglia Social Impact Grant. With information presented to the students, they got a chance to look at the inner workings of these systems and develop their ideas for change in the future.

On the last two days, to consolidate and manifest all their ideas and accumulated knowledge into solutions, students were brought together in small, mixed groups to brainstorm feasible, sustainable plans to meet any one of the SDGs in their own schools or communities. It was emphasized to the student representatives that this could be anything, from making their schools accessible to the disabled, to ensuring good nutrition for the children in the rural areas of their respective communities.

Working under the deadline of just 2 days, students were able to present and share their ideas with each other, and the director of Nord Anglia Education, Andrew Fitzmaurice, giving their ideas a chance to become the reality of change within our global community!

All in all, the UNICEF Summit was a greatly enjoyable and rewarding experience that is called the “Summit of a Lifetime” for all the student representatives that get the chance to attend it!