"If not us, then who will?” was the question asked to participants at the Global Issues Seminar held at Bali International School last weekend. Over 150 local high school students and teachers and representatives from NGOs participated in the event which provided an opportunity for national high school students and teachers to get together to learn, share and discuss using service learning projects to address global issues.
The event was aimed to inspire participants to plan and implement service learning projects that address global issues, emphasizing that if this generation of students to no make a change, then who will?
Keynote speakers included Yuyun Ismawati, who earlier this year received international recognition by receiving the Goldman Environmental Prize for her work in developing community-based sanitation management programmes, and well-known Balinese environmentalist I Made Suarnatha.
A number of workshops were held during the day. Olivier Pouillon, well-known for being instrumental in developing the island’s waste management over the past 15 years, held a workshop looking at globalisation and tourism and its role in increasing the island’s waste issues.
Regional consultants for organizational development and change management, Birgit Kerstan and Mark Heyward, held a workshop that guided students through an exercise in ranking the importance of various global issues and then developing an action plan to address them.
I Wayan Cakra and his team from the internationally awarded, community-based Temesi Waste Facility in Gianyar provided students with a step by step guide in composting and how this can reduce the impact of climate change. Students were also surprised to find out how waste can be turned into a profitable enterprise.
Workshops were also held by Bali International School teachers Peter Muir and Linda Atmaja. These workshops guided teachers though a number of practical lesson plans and activities focused on the sustainable use of resources and the interconnectedness of global issues. The teachers and university lecturers who attended were provided with a number of resources that they could use and share upon return to their schools.
An NGO exhibition was also a part of the event. The exhibition gave NGO’s the opportunity to not only showcase their work, but to also allow students and teachers to discuss the possibility of schools linking with NGOs to work collaboratively on projects.
According to Peter Muir, Bali International School’s Global Citizenship Programme coordinator and seminar organiser, holding such events is important to not only raise awareness and understanding of global issues, but also develop ways that they can be addressed in local schools. “There are a number of issues that exist in the world that if left unchanged, the future of the earth and humankind as we know it is at risk. Schools can act as a vital link in addressing these issues.
“By addressing global issues within school curriculum, we can develop a new generation of global citizens, individuals who are concerned for the health and well-being of their neighbours and the environments they live in” said Peter.
