It sometimes happens, though not at all frequently, that a setting is so extraordinary, foreign and exotic that it will steal the show and threaten to make one forget primary themes. Jordan is such a setting. It is a country so exciting that we could be forgiven for forgetting, for a little while, that the point is not really the country but the Conference itself and that a setting is merely background to highlight the main message. The Conference, then, is the highlight. Internationalism was a somewhat abstract concept for me; being a delegate at the Round Square conference in Jordan at the beginning of October became a lesson in applied internationalism. I learned that internationalism is so much more than just traveling thousands of miles to a foreign country. It is more than the pleasure of mingling with students of different nationalities. Internationalism is more than getting Facebook requests from students in South Korea, Dubai or Jordan. Internationalism means to discover that peace, universally desired, holds different meaning for different people and that there exists widely differing visions on how to achieve peace. It means arguing with students from 80 Round Square schools, but ultimately finding common ground in our belief in an education based on such pillars as democracy and leadership. It means getting a renewed hope in dialogues between countries, and an understanding that we are indeed part of a global village. – David Elbaz ’15
Travelling to Jordan for the Round Square Conference was an extremely eye opening experience. While it was incredible to see people ride donkeys and camels on the side of a busy highway, or walk through Petra, one of the Seven Wonders of the World the true eye opener was that for once us “North-Americans” felt like a small minority. On the first night of our conference, we heard a speech about the Palestine-Israel conflict that was very clearly pro-Palestine. Because of my background the speech made me feel slightly uncomfortable, and I quickly realized that there are so many different ways to view an issue and attaining peace isn’t as easy as I’d thought. From then on, we discussed many other prominent issues in the Middle East, such as Syrian Refugees, ISIS and the Israel vs. Hamas conflict. – Jessie Lackstein ’15
Al salamu alaikum, Peace be With You was the theme for this Conference. Guest Speaker Shabana Basij-Rasikh and her mission truly encompassed this theme. She was a notable guest speaker that had an amazing impact on us. At the age of six, the Taliban invaded her town restricting her from receiving any schooling. The consequences in Afghanistan for a woman to attend school or walk alone outside without male escort is death. Luckily in 2002, Shabana was given the opportunity to attend a proper high school in the USA. She then went on the Middlebury College as a student and went on to co-found the only boarding school for girls in Afghanistan. Shabana felt the responsibility to found a girl school in her own country as a way to give back after being given so much opportunity in her own life. She did not want to say that she was empowering the girls who attend her school as she see’s that word as condescending but simply educate them in hopes of a more prosperous future for the next female generation in Afghanistan. Today, SOLA, is free for the 42 Afghani girls who attend her school. – Nora Althani ’15
One story from this conference I’d like to share is that of one of the bravest men I’ve ever met, Sariah Samake, an 18 year old grade 10 student. While most of you may associate being older than your grade with failure, Sariah’s story is a little more complex. Living in Syria, he was kidnapped three times in three years: by Syrian rebels, the Syrian government, and ISIS. Each respective time, he had to endure unbearable psychological torture, yet he never compromised the truth, even under gunpoint, with death staring him in the face. To me, that’s what makes these trips worthwhile: the incredible people you meet. Whether it’s someone like Sariah who can tell life-changing stories firsthand, or simply someone who you talk to once, each individual offers a unique perspective of the world and society we live in, challenging our dogmatism and offering exposure to the amazing world around us. – Spencer Albert ’15
A ce point ci, mes camarades ont dit tout qui est profond. Cette conférence était la même chose pour moi, mais je veux parler de quelque chose différente ; Petra. Un poste de commerce d’antiquité, Petra était ciselé dans la pierre par les Nabateans Anciens. Notre randonnée nous à pris jusqu’au sommet d’une montagne déserte, et sur la piste nous avons vues des constructions qui ont donnés un nouveau sens au mot « Épique ». Après un vue spectaculaire en haut du montagne, nous avons retournés à l’Autobus par âne et chameau. Petra est une destination absolument fantastique et il faut y aller pour vraiment savourer Jordanie. – Maxim Makarov ’15
De la part de Jessie, Nora, Max, David, Spencer et moi, nous voudrions remercier Mme Shadley, M. Shannon et Mme Garber, qui nous a accompagnés pendant ce voyage extraordinaire et inoubliable. Sans eux, nous n’aurions jamais eu cette chance d’explorer la beauté inspirante du Moyen-Orient et d’apprendre la diversité des cultures et les défis qui viennent avec. De plus, nous avons beaucoup apprécié l’accueil chaleureux de tous les élèves de King’s Academy et un grand merci à tous les autres élèves autour du monde, qui ont participé à cette conférence mémorable. Al Salamu Alaikum. Peace be with you. Merci. – Sabrina Chan ’15