MARIA'S PUBLIC SCHOOL
UNDER MARIA'S PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATIONAL TRUST
A Senior Secondary School affiliated to Central Board of Secondary Education
Report on RSIC 2023: A Transformative Journey to Kenya
Theme - The New Africa
The Marian delegation along with Principal – Mausumi Mahanta
and RS Rep – Aparna Khanikar at the Karen Campus of
Brookhouse schools, Nairobi.
A warm welcome awaited us upon our arrival at Brook House School. Mesmerized by its beautiful campus, we felt at home from day one, thanks to their hospitality, helpfulness, and friendliness. Everything was meticulously organized, systematic, and executed, with punctuality being a notable aspect, emphasizing the value of time. The registration process on the first day was followed by an enjoyable exploration of the school campus, featuring various stalls and traditional African dance performances, including a captivating show by a popular Kenyan band in the evening.
Clear and frequent briefings ensured we never felt lost amidst the busy schedule. Accommodation in the hostel provided a unique opportunity for cultural exchange as we shared rooms with students from different countries. This experience promoted self-dependence, punctuality, and self-motivation among us.
Arrived at Nairobi, Kenya safely……
Pickup from airport by the Brookhouse students.
Delegates having a fun time at the Runda Campus of
Brookhouse schools:
A really energetic and fun african dance performance.
Memorable horse rides.
CULTURAL EVENING:
Opening Ceremony at Bomas of Kenya
The opening ceremony at Bomas of Kenya was a highlight, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Kenya. We were fascinated to see our school flag among the diverse representation of schools from around the world. The opening ceremony started with the Kenyan National Anthem followed by the inauguration of the 55th RSIC’23 by the Former First Lady Margaret Kenyatta. The performances by Brook House School students, including a rendition of the Hummingbird story, were deeply touching. The portrayal of the Matatu transportation system was a breathtaking performance that captured our hearts.
A Series Of Events From Opening Ceremony: -
Conference Days
Throughout the conference, each day was dedicated to the six ideals of Round Square. From Service Day, where we engaged in community service activities, to Adventure Day at Nairobi National Park, where we experienced the wildlife wonders of Kenya, every moment was filled with learning and adventure. Democracy Day provided opportunities for engaging discussions and panel sessions, allowing us to exchange views and perspectives with students from different countries. The most important part of the democracy Day was the Paneldiscussion by the internationally famed personalities like Waihiga Mwaura, Umra Omar, Michelle Muturi etc.The Baraza sessions were very intense where different topics like feminism, politics etc. were discussed.
DAY 1 – SERVICE
Service Day Activity-
Bihu Performance for the Cultural Evening
DAY 2– ADVENTURE
Animal spotting during the game drive at the national park.
Tent making competition among the Barraza groups.
Sharing tents for the night stay at the Nairobi national park.
DAY3 – DEMOCRACY
Baraza Session
Homestay Experience
The homestay organized by host families provided insight into Kenyan life and culture. It was a valuable opportunity to exchange cultural practices and form lasting friendships. The experience taught us to carry ourselves with confidence and empathy in a different country away from our comfort zone.
Closing Ceremony and Acknowledgments
The closing ceremony was a spectacular event, celebrating achievements and cultural diversity. We were delighted by the announcement of Preenan Prapti’s achievement in the Roy McComish Award. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Principal Ms.Mausumi Mahanta, RS Rep Ms. Aparna Khanikar, and all educators for their guidance and support throughout this journey. Our Special thanks to Nellie Ma’am for providing us the opportunity with this unforgettable experience.
CLOSING CEREMONY:
ALL THE BARAZA’S-
MAGICAL MASAI MARA
Our post-conference adventure took us on a captivating journey from Nairobi to the magnificent Masai Mara National Park, traversing the scenic landscapes of Kenya. Along the way, we paused to behold the awe-inspiring beauty of the Great Rift Valley, its vast expanse stretching out before us like a painter’s masterpiece, a testament to the earth’s geological wonders.
At the Zebra Plain Resort, our adventure took on a different but equally enchanting hue. Nestled amidst the untamed beauty of Masai Mara, the resort offered a luxurious yet immersive experience, allowing us to indulge in the comforts of modern amenities while still being enveloped by the wild.
From the moment we arrived, we were greeted by the warm hospitality of the staff and the breath-taking surroundings. The resort’s serene ambiance provided the perfect backdrop for our exploration of the park’s wonders.
Setting out on jeep safaris, we traversed the vast savannah, our eyes scanning the horizon in search of elusive wildlife. Each sighting, from the majestic lions basking in the sun to the graceful giraffes roaming the plains, filled us with a sense of wonder and awe.
Amidst our adventures, we took time to pause and appreciate the simple joys of life. Breakfasts and lunches were enjoyed surrounded by the sights and sounds of nature. Whether it was the chirping of birds or the distant roar of a lion, every moment served as a reminder of the beauty and majesty of the African wilderness.
Back at the resort, evenings were spent recounting the day’s adventures over delicious meals and refreshing drinks. As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a golden glow over the landscape, we marveled at the sheer splendour of our surroundings.
Armed with cameras and hearts brimming with wonder, we endeavoured to capture the essence of Masai Mara in every frame, immortalizing moments of serenity and splendour to cherish for years to come. Though our quest to witness The Great Wildebeest Migration remained unfulfilled, the sight of wildebeest grazing on the savannah served as a poignant reminder of nature’s resilience and beauty.
As our time in Masai Mara drew to a close, we bid farewell to the wilderness with a sense of gratitude and reverence, knowing that our journey had not only enriched our souls but also deepened our connection to the untamed beauty of our planet. And as we embarked on the journey back home our hearts were filled with memories that would forever remind us of the magic of Masai Mara.
At The entrance of Masai Mara
Animal spotting during game drive 🙂
Watch our RSIC’23 video from the link below
Overall, RSIC 2023 was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that we will cherish forever. It broadened our horizons, deepened our understanding of global issues, and strengthened our commitment to Round Square values.
Reported by-
The RSIC 2023 student delegates
Round Square Regional Conference
@Pathways World School, Gurgaon
(15th February – 19th February 2024)
Day 1– Team MPS travelled to Delhi on the 15th early morning and were picked up by the PWS bus along with the team from Singapore International School, Mumbai. We were greeted with marigold garlands and ‘tilak’. The girls were accommodated in ‘Indus’ and the boy in ‘Danube’. The hostels are all named after rivers around the world. After lunch we were given a tour of the school campus. Besides the sprawling campus with its swimming pool, horse riding area, couple of playgrounds, amphitheater etc, what caught our eye the most is their ‘petting zoo’. It had two friendly goats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hens, turkeys and white Pekin ducks. After the tour, we were served high tea in their main field. Storyteller Ms Rituparna Ghosh, enthralled us all with her vivacious and interactive style of storytelling.
Day 2 – Started with the opening ceremony, where Hriman Bawri was our flag bearer. There were 22 schools in total including PWS and four schools from outside the country (3 from Bangladesh and Bishop Druitt College from Australia). This was followed by a session by keynote speaker Mr Pramath Raj Sinha, and then the 1st Baraza session. Post lunch we were taken to ‘Vishalgarh Farms’. It’s a vast area with a lot of fun activities like zip-lining, camel ride, hurdle games, trampoline, joy rides, magic show, puppet show and continuous flow of snacks.
Day 3– Started the day with a morning walk around the campus and a quick visit to the petting zoo. Breakfast was followed by a session of musical chairs with a difference. Whoever didn’t get a seat, had to say something unique about their culture. This was followed by Keynote speaker Mr Prateek Jalan, an ex –student of PWS and then the 2nd Baraza session, lunch and then the cultural evening, where our students performed a Japanese Fisherman’s folk dance called ‘Sōran Bushi’.
We chose to do this dance because it was shared by one of our Round Square partner schools, The Keimei Gakuan School, Tokyo, Japan, as a part of a collaborative project on the exchange of dance forms between Japan and Assam. This was an initiative taken by our school in the Round Square International Conference 2019, held at Emerald Heights International School, Indore.
Our Soran Bushi dancers
Day 4– Breakfast was followed by a show by ventriloquist Mr Santosh Kumar, who amazed us all. After this the children went for their respective workshops. Post lunch it was movie and popcorn time. They were shown the movie ‘The Croods’. This was followed by a team building game, that is treasure hunt, followed by Maggie dinner and the DJ night. The children had a great time, chatting, dancing, exchanging phone numbers. They were already feeling sad that the conference was coming to an end.
Day 5 – The closing ceremony and goodbye time. Our flight was in the evening. Therefore, we took a short trip to a nearby mall before we were dropped off at the airport by the PWS bus.
Some feedback from our Marian delegates…..
“ This conference has opened my eyes. I got to meet many different people from different places and learnt about their culture. There were sessions like storytelling and ventriloquism which were all very good and interesting. The barazza sessions also taught us a lot about topics related to Internationalism and Globalization. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I am grateful to the school for providing us such opportunities.” -Hriman Bawri
“ It was really a matter of immense pleasure for me to attend this conference in PWS, GGN. I had pottery as my workshop and I really enjoyed doing it along with my other group mates from different schools. We had a lot of fun besides all the knowledge that we aquired”- Ishani Sarma
“The round square conference was a really nice experience for us. We learnt many different things. One of my favourite sessions, was the barazza session where we discussed about Internationalism and Globalization. I hope to go to more RS conferences in the near future.”-Sanskriti Borah
“Being a part of this conference was such an amazing experience.Everything was wonderful but one of my favourite sessions was the storytelling session. The stories were inspiring and delightful and the way Ms Rituparna Ghosh told each story, made it even more extraordinary.”-Priyadarshani Goswami
“I am so glad I got this opportunity to be a part of this conference. It was an amazing experience. One of my favourite sessions was the one by ventriloquist, Mr SantoshKumar. It was so funny and amazing how he made different sounds and made us feel that the puppets were actually talking.It was a lifetime experience for me and I look forward to more of these conferences.” –Shaelyn Haq Ali
“This conference has been an enriching and exciting experience for me. I met many people from different parts of the country and even abroad. The barazza sessions were interesting and my personal favourite was the cultural gala, where we got to see dances and songs from other countries and cultures. It was a truly amazing experience for me.” –Amaira Kashyap.
This was a memorable trip with a lot of exposure and learning for us all. Along with all the fun, it was a very enriching and lifetime experience, meeting, mingling and sharing views with so many different children from diverse backgrounds and cultures. We look forward to more of such opportunities. Going back enriched and with treasured memories.
Awareness programme on Earth Day (22nd April, 2024) theme (Planet vs.Plastics)- Community outreach
A group of five students of Maria’s Public school visited a vernacular medium school near our school where we focused and emphasised on the theme for this year’s Earth Day and did the needful with vertical gardens ( through demonstration) with an objective of re-using plastic.
We carried out our venture with an objective of sensatizing the students and the teachers along with others present (community outreach)
It was a very fruitful interaction and our students were acknowledged for their initiatives focusing on Environmental stewardship.
Round Square Regional Conference at Sunbeam Lahartara, Varanasi
The students of Maria’s Public School, Guwahati, participated in a five-day Round Square Regional Conference at Sunbeam School, Lahartara, Varanasi, held from August 17th to 21st, 2023, with the theme “Dream, Believe, Achieve.” Led by Mentor Teacher Urshita Bhuyan, the students engaged in diverse sessions and activities, gaining insights on leadership from keynote speakers. The conference culminated in a cultural function where the Marians showcased their school’s vision through a captivating blend of poetry and music. The international exposure provided valuable perspectives on leadership, shaping the students into future global citizens. They returned enriched and committed to implementing their newfound knowledge for personal growth.
The following are some pieces of feedback from the Marian delegates regarding their favourite performer(s)/speaker(s)-
‘One of the favourite performance was the Kathakali performance by Mr Dibyendu Tarafder. I have never seen a live Kathakali performance before so it was like a dream come true moment. Mr Dibyendu is the finest Kathakali dancer for me, his expressions were so good and his whole performance was truly enchanting. I am glad that I got this opportunity to be a part of the conference and watch his live performance.’ – Mihika Dutta (Class 9)
‘The conference was truly a wonderful experience for me. I enjoyed the session with Mr Pratish Nair. He is a very fun person and we did many interactive sessions with him, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I am glad to have met him and gotten the opportunity to learn more about his field.’ – Khristofer Kalita (Class 6)
‘The speakers made the conference really engaging and my favourite speaker amongst them all was Mr Kannan Gireesh, who gave strength not only to me but to all the students present there. He spoke so well, he won the hearts of all the children, including mine. I loved his stories and was absolutely heart touching.’ – Arpita Das (Class 6)
“My most favourite performance was the puppet show – Taming of the Wild. It was very funny but also had a deep hidden meaning behind it which made it even more interesting. I was and still am in absolute awe of the ones behind the curtains, I’m grateful for the opportunity of getting to meet them backstage and taking pictures with their props…it was an honour and I hope to see more such shows in later Round Square conferences that I’m looking forward to.” — Vedanshi Priyadarshini (class 6)
“From the many speakers and performers it would be awful to ask me to choose only one but if I had to, I would say that Mr. Tenzing Tsundae was my favourite. It was not only his undying patriotism for his motherland, that he had never once set foot in, but his methods of trying to attain freedom for it through expressive pieces of poetry which reaches people on a much higher level than mere violence or protest. His enthusiasm to teach the younger generations more about his country and his journey through activism was tearfully awe-spiring. It was an honour to have been a part of one of his poetry-readings.’ –– Anangshaa Hazarika (class 8)
Day wise snippets of the Conference
Day One: Sub Theme: To ‘Be’ or ‘Be Better’
Day Two: Sub Theme: Being ‘You’
Day Three: Sub Theme: Being ‘Us’
Day Four: Sub Theme: Being ‘Us’
Day Five: Sub Theme: Be the ‘Being’
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‘Take Less Be More’ –
RSIC 2022: Experiences & Learning Outcomes
Eager anticipation preceded the 56th Round Square International Conference, with 2 delegates from Maria’s Public School, Guwahati, Assam getting the opportunity to represent the school in this prestigious 7-day event, in the UK. This conference was divided into two parts: first, all 1500 delegates would stay at Oxford University, spread out in the colleges affiliated to the University ; next, they would visit one out of six schools across the UK. The MPS Delegation Team comprised of me, Harshita Chetia, by batchmate Masoom Tamanna, Mrs. Mausumi Mahanta, Principal, MPS and Dr. Biswajit De, Creative Director & Round Square Representative, MPS. We were assigned the Queen’s College for our stay in Oxford, UK and the Inspirational Box Hill School, Surrey, UK, for the next phase of the conference.
Our Journey to Oxford, UK & checking in at Queen’s College
Our first experiences of the trip commenced as soon as the we arrived at the Heathrow Terminal on 19th September 2022, where we were greeted by RSIC representatives who guided us to a coach. On reaching Oxford University, the delegations were shown to their assigned colleges and we checked into Queen’s college and were given time to acclimatise to the unfamiliar environment, explore the dorm rooms, read the instructions, and prepare for the following days of the conference.
Grand Welcome at Queen’s and the beautiful Student/Faculty Dorms
Experiencing Oxford & the Heritage Buildings and college campuses
Briefing & getting to know each other at Queen’s and forging new Partnerships with Schools
All ready for the Opening Ceremony
Staying in the Student Dorm of Queen’s was an experience in itself, as we were right next to the heritage buildings and college campuses, studded with ‘History at every Lanes and By-Lanes’ .The next day began with a lively and colourful opening ceremony, at New Theatre Oxford with performances from the six hosting schools, and an award ceremony to felicitate commendable Round Square service projects undertaken by the students. To introduce each of the 150+ schools present, students were asked to rise from their seats and call out a greeting from their own country or culture, in their respective languages and styles. Standing up in the packed audience and saying “Nomoskar – Assamese Style” to an applauding crowd was a special experience, indeed. The delegates were astounded at the number of countries being represented; this conference included students from over 39 different countries.
Plenary Session in Progress: Inspiring Speakers addressing the Delegations from 39 Schools
With our Partner School from Armenia – Shirakatsy Lyceum School
Exchanging Pin Badges with our new friends from all over the World
Throughout the conference, Baraza groups were an important form of learning and making new friends. The delegates got to witness a total of 10 different keynote speakers at the theatre, each of which was followed up with a discussion in the distributed Baraza groups, which had students from multiple schools. These unique speakers ranged from Ollie Thorn, a paralysed sportsperson to Climate Change enthusiasts like Lesego Serelong and Professor Sir Dieter Helm, to Ben Fogle, an individual who climbed Mount Everest to Emily Penn, a marine biologist, thus providing the delegates with a multitude of insights and lessons. Each speaker helped explain the RSIC 2022 theme of “Take Less & Be More,” discussing the different ways it applies to their lives, their connection with Round Square, and the way the Round Square IDEALS (Internationalism, Democracy, Environmentalism, Adventure, Leadership, Service) can be imbibed in one’s life. Baraza group discussions on these phenomenal speeches enabled insights and ideas from diverse cultures and lifestyles to be shared, as we were assigned our Student Partners and Pairs from Box Hill School, who immediately connected with us and became our best friends.
Of course, there was time for recreation with the delegates’ new friends. An ‘Alice in Wonderland’ themed treasure hunt across Oxford in the students’ respective Baraza groups provided a wonderful opportunity for team building and exploring one’s surroundings. Additionally, one of the nights an Irish dance (Ceilidh) took place in the Oxford Town Hall after dinner. There, the delegates greatly enjoyed the lively music and learned some Irish steps. Both these activities cemented the friendships already formed and helped to create new ones. One day we were taken to watch the wonderful Disney Musical – ‘Mary Poppins’, in London, which would remain etched in our minds, forever. The first half of the conference ended with cultural performances from the schools present. This included traditional dances, music, costumes and even plays which helped break certain stereotypes. Overall, every single performance received a standing ovation from the supportive audience, as this helped them experience a small part of different cultures across the world. Though the delegates were not ready to leave behind the wonderful Oxford campus, this was a perfect way to end the first leg of the trip.
Our times at the Inspirational Box Hill School and High Ashurst Outdoor Education Centre & Camp
Next, the delegations were split into different schools. We boarded a coach to journey to the magnificent Inspirational Box Hill School at Surrey. After arriving, the delegates were given a chance to observe their lodgings at a High Ashurst Outdoor Education Centre & Camp, set up on the Box Hill, and subsequently were welcomed to the school with an interesting keynote speech by the charming Principal of the School – Cory Lowde. A Baraza discussion and a tour around the school followed, escorted by our student pairs, both of which helped students to learn about different perspectives, opinions and cultures. To draw the lively day to a close, the check-in to our Tents at the Box Hill Camp happened. Here delegates took part in enjoyable (as well as environmentally friendly) activities: an evening briefing over dinner, a walk around the camp and tasting locally sourced packed food, to add to the charm of the ambience. This was a wonderful experience for the delegates, who enjoyed themselves with their new friends. We were assigned our lodging inside a Red-Indian style Wigwam, where we called it a night.
Hiking up the Box Hill
For the last two days of the conference, the delegates were fit into four different groups and embarked on an outdoor learning experience, performing the following on a rotational basis – a Survival & Adventure Activity, visit to Osborne house, hiking and trekking, a service visit and trip to an animal zoo cum sanctuary and exploring Historical places. The visit to the Box Hill Fort introduced us to historical artefacts, displaying the opulence of the British monarchy and architectural wonders, and sites where the great wars happened. The Trekking sports, though a bit tiring were met with enthusiasm from all students and teachers. We, the people from North East India were glad to be amidst Nature, amidst our own elements, atop the Box Hill. The service trip to the animal sanctuary was an eye-opening experience, with African White Rhinos and Snow Leopards rescued from unsafe environments. It was also our first encounter with the Spotted Penguins. The students aided the sanctuary in many ways: Attending a Briefing on Wild Life Trafficking and the threat it poses to Conservation. I think the person who was enjoying all the Wilderness Experiences the most was Biswajit Sir, as he was guiding us all the way, amidst the wilderness. Lastly, the hike to Box Hill itself was a picturesque experience as well as a rigorous and enjoyable physical activity, where we, the delegates worked to encourage and motivate each other to complete the Survival Tasks, at a Military Training Facility.
Lastly, the days ended with either a formal dinner or campfire and games (once again, on a rotational basis). The formal dinner was an exceptional opportunity to mingle with new people from different cultures. The campfire was a nostalgic incident, with delegates reflecting on their 7-day trip and saying goodbye to new friends made, munching on the traditional ‘Fish & Chips’ – of course, not without exchanging phone numbers and Instagram IDs to stay in touch!
If you are thinking that our experience in the UK were about to end – you are wrong. It was the wonderful opportunity that the school gave us to stay in London for two days and do a bit of Post-Conference Tour. The School had arranged for an entire flat for us right in the heart of the city, where we made our base and started exploring the city along with Mausumi Ma’am and Biswajit Sir. Though it were only a couple of days, we were able to visit the iconic Tower Bridge, the Westminster Abbey, the London Eye and the Jewel House at the Tower of London where the Koh-i-noor is kept. We were fortunate to witness the iconic – Change of Royal Guards near the Palace of London, which was another experience to remember. We shopped till we dropped at Oxford Street and other places within London, and even attended a Street Fair. Overall, RSIC 2022 was a phenomenal learning experience for us, and we came back energized to design new Action Plans for the School’s RS Activities.
My Advice to my Juniors: If you are getting selected for the Round Square International Conferences, don’t ever say NO! RSIC transforms lives. Thanks to Mrs. Nellie Ahmed, Honourable Founder & Managing Trustee, MPS for bringing Round Square to us and giving us the wonderful opportunities, over the past 5 years.
by Harshita Chetia, RSIC 2022 Participant & Member of the MPS RS Media Team
Here are some Videos to look at:
RSIC 2022 Preparation Video:
. Please CLICK HERE
RSIC 2022 – MPS Aftermovie:
. Please CLICK HERE
‘Climate Calls 101: A Conference on Conservation Education
and Sustainability’,
inspired by the Learning Guidelines of the Round Square Discovery Framework IUCN CEC (Commission of Education & Communication) & IUCN #NatureForAll
“The illiterate of the 21st century won’t be those who cannot read and write but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn”.
-Alvin Toffler, prominent American writer, futurist, and businessman.
Keeping up with the ethos of the given adage, the 5 day long journey in the form of “Climate Calls 101”, a Conference cum Camp on Conservation Education and Sustainability surely imbibed in us a treasure trove of knowledge about life as a whole, and the changing nature of the altruistic earth to be specific. It was a matter of immense pride for Maria’s Public School to host delegates from Vidya Devi Jindal School, Hisar and Delhi Public School, Raipur along with a group of students of its own from October 26 to 30, 2022, at the Pobitora Wild Life Sanctuary (Zizina Otis Resort), Assam, India. The welcome ceremony began with the barazza leaders dressed up in North Eastern traditional attires to welcome their respective ‘Barazza’ members heartily, at the Birkuchi Campus of the School.
The ‘Action Plans’ for the planning, execution & documentation of the conference were designed by Dr. Biswajit De, Creative Director & Round Square Representative of the MPS-RS Task Force inspired by the learning guidelines of the Round Square Discovery Framework and IUCN(International Union for Conservation of Nature) – CEC (Commission on Education & Communication) and IUCN #NatureForAll. The Conference was envisioned as the first culmination of two RS Collaborative Projects based on the Conservation of the One-Horned Rhino of Assam, which MPS designed in collaboration with St. Andrew’s School for Girls, South Africa and a few Indian RS Affiliated Schools. Soon after reaching the the Zizina Otis Resort, the ‘Marshmallow Challenge’ highlighted the importance of coordination and teamwork and worked as a perfect ice breaking session. The second day began with Bird-watching and was followed by an introductory session, graced by Mrs. Nellie Ahmed, Honourable Founder & Managing Trustee, MPS, Mrs. Mausumi Mahanta, Principal, MPS, teachers and student coordinators of the MPS – RS Council and distinguished invited dignitaries. The Conference was declared ‘open’ by Nellie Ma’am, who traced upon the pathways that the institution has taken, for its 5 years of Journey with Round Square. The Conference began with an inspiring Video Message by Mr. Sean Southey, Chair of IUCN CEC, where he addressed the school and congratulated the efforts of the students and teachers for creating a collaborating platform for Conservation Education & Communication. Our Plenary Speakers, Conservationist – Dr. Purnima Devi Barman Ma’am’s insightful and inspiring presentation and Wild Life Expert – Mr. Kaushik Bora’s insight on Rhino Conservation shed light upon the importance of conservation, the involvement of local communities and being aware of our surroundings while also showcasing the importance of the diversity and involvement of the ‘Youth and Community’ which can be unified by common goals and actions towards a sustainable world. The Wild Life Safari on the next day provided us with an opportunity to learn about various species of wildlife, flora and fauna. The first keynote speaker of the second day, Mr. Saikh Md. Sabah Al-Ahmed spoke about youth and leadership and inspired the crowd with his poetic words and verses which was quite the break we needed from the usual monotony of mundane topics, discussed in conferences. In a nutshell, we personally considered it an honor to be a part of this conservation camp as it not only marked our last event before we graduate from the school, but also because it provided us with the opportunity to interact with young leaders of our age and exchange our views and leaning which the standard education system wouldn’t have allowed us to explore. The Conference was ‘Experiential Learning’ realised to its fullest extent. Later in the afternoon, on the 2nd day, the students were again up for their 4th plenary session of the event by Dr. Biswajit De. He put forward a presentation on the Global Climate Crises, rising water levels, habitat loss around the world and how animals living in the polar regions are affected every second with us being completely oblivious. He stressed on the need for “Call for Action” immediately and to step out of our comfort zones to gather as much experience as possible to do our part of conservation, brainstorm collectively and come up with doable Action Plans. Mrs. Urshita Bhuyan, teaching faculty of Maria’s Public School, put up a very detailed and crisp presentation on ‘Leadership’, one of the highlighted Round Square ideals. The presentation focused on explaining and introducing the different types of leadership models to the delegates and understanding the various ways through which the students comprehend and define leadership, in their lives. The session witnessed an active participation by the students and their amazing concepts as well as ideas about what makes a “True Leader”. The other two plenary speakers of the conference were Dr. Mrinmoyee Baruah and Dr. Prof. Sheila Borah. Dr Baruah spoke at length about the ‘Deepsikha Foundation’ which basically focuses attention on cancer awareness by advancing screening and care to the remotest corner of many North-East Indian villages. She also emphasized on the relevance of youth participation in the current socio-political juxtaposition. While delivering a scintillating keynote speech Prof. Sheila Borah delved into the cultural and historical roots of Mayong, a village famous for black magic. This was followed by a quick walk to the Mayong Centre and Museum for interaction with the locals and Community Service, where food resources were distributed among the villagers, by the Teacher Coordinators of Service & Adventure – Mrs. Arnavi Chakravarty & Mrs. Aparna Khanikar, and the combined teams of students, from the 3 schools.
Later that day, Mr. Devashish Sharma (IAS), the current Deputy Commissioner of the Morigaon district of Assam delivered an engaging speech which left the audience yearning for more. He delved deep into the Educational Principles that connects Sociology, Political Science and Ethnographic Research with Conservation Education, and the importance of the youth to rise and take positions in the Govt. to tackle Local and Global Problems related to Climate Change. Besides the plenary sessions the participants also took part in various ‘Barazza’ presentations and adventure games organized by the coordinating Marian teachers. Each of these activities reinforced teamwork and friendship across diverse cultures and borders. The most impressive among these was the ‘Herbarium’ activity (conducted by GSA Sc3 Teacher Fellow – Mrs. Sushmita Chakraborty, which required all the participants to pick up fallen leaves or flowers and create a piece of Artwork without the use of any stationary except for glue. This activity reaffirmed the idea that ‘creativity is nothing but inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes and having fun, all at once’. Trisha Pandit, student of DPS, Raipur and the IUCN-WildRoots Youth Climate & Conservation Fellow inspired us by the brilliant execution of action plans related to sustainability & energy conservation, on the same day. The curtains came down on the conference on October 30th, 2022 with a befitting closing ceremony with performances by students from the guest as well as host schools. Mrs. Nellie Ahmed reminisced about the time when the school joined Round Square and how in a rapid ascent it received the status of a Global Member school, in a short span of time. The guest schools were impressed and overboard with praises for us and even observed that the conference was even better than the Round Square International Conferences, which gave us enough reasons to pull up our collars. MPS, as compared to some of the large RS Schools in the South Asia & Gulf Region, has made its mark with the quality of projects and programmes that we have been able to design and execute, over the past few years. To conclude – every journey has both sides, the boon and the bane, but our experiences depend on how we tackle and adapt. We definitely would not want to change any of it as it allowed us to overcome challenges and put on a brave face to conquer our fears. By the end of it all, we were convinced that there is nothing that cannot be done especially when you have a great team to work with. MPS gave us a Platform to explore the true ethos of Experiential Learning and Character Education, yet another time. The entire conference was planned and coordinated by the Executive Members of the MPS-RS Student Council: Harshita Chetia, Masoom Tamanna, Atreyi Vedant Talukdar, Mahita Saikia, Jannat Naz Sadique Rahman, Arpita Borah & Saniya Kakoti.
- A report by Saniya Kakoti and Jannat Naz Sadique Rahman, Round Square Chairs of MPS – RS Student Council (2022-23)
The INDIAN Collaborative Parner Schools:
MARIA’S PUBLIC SCHOOL, Guwahati, Assam
VIDYA DEVI JINDAL SCHOOL, Hisar, Haryana
DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL, RAIPUR, Chattisgarh
To download the Brochure in PDF format. Please CLICK HERE
MPS Delagetion participates in the
Round Square International Conference 2019
hosted by Emerald Heights School, Indore
Report by Mahita Saikia, Co-Chair: Internationalism, MPS RS Student Committee
Round Square International Conference 2019 was indeed a very extraordinary and exceptional experience for me. I am indeed very grateful to respected Nellie Ma’am and Biswajit Sir for providing me with this amazing opportunity. It was a great exposure to various phases of life and it helped me discovermanyyet hidden capabilities within myself. This has indeed been one of the most eventful occasions in recent times. The theme of the conference was ‘Sarvodaya-the world we wish to see’. Sarvodaya is a Sanskrit word meaning universal upliftment. It was held from 2nd to 8th of October 2019. This conference was a special one, mainly for Marians, as our school has officially become a global member of Round Square.
BARAZZA Sessions at RSIC 2019:
I was in a Barazza called Gulab, which is a Hindiequivalent for a rose. There were approximately 18 members in our Barazza, belonging to different cultural backgrounds coming together to make a change for the world we wish to see. There were students from Canada, Jordan, Kenya, Bangladesh, the United States, England, Australia and many more countries from across the world joining their hands together to make this Barazza a success. It was indeed a privilege for me to be a part of this amazing Barazza. We discussed about the keynote speakers, which was another wonderful experience, and what their contributionswere to the society for the world we wish to see. Despite the fact that we debated, discussed, and came up with various solutions concerning real world issues, we also had a very informal session, laughing and dancing together and enjoying every moment we spent in our Barazza. We also shared knowledge and facts about our cultures and the countries we belong to.
MULTICULTURAL EVENING
Every evening there would be a multicultural event arranged for the international delegates to present a cultural performance of their own. Various schools performed a cultural programme through which they all displayed cultural heritage of their own countries. This is an extraordinary way of getting to know and discover more about different countries. I performed a dance through which I depicted a message of development of our mother Earth, in regard to economic, social, environmental, or political. It gave a ray of hope that an individual has the fullest scope for development in all respects. But little did I know that I would be lauded with huge rounds of applaud and a lot of appreciation. I too enjoyed performing at such a platform where the audience was so encouraging and supporting. Immense thanks to Malati Ma’am, for helping me with the choreography.
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
One of the most memorable things in this conference were the speechesof the keynote speakers. It was indeed a very privileged moment for both us to get an opportunity to listen to such world personalities like Shashi Tharoor-The Wordsmith of Politics, Sophia – the Humanoid robot, The Noble Laureate-Kailash Satyarthi, Spiritual Guru and Life Couch-Guar Gopal Das, India’s Frist Blade Runner-Major DP Singh and Kiran Gandhi popularly known as Madame Gandhi. They were very motivating and influential. They inspired us to explore the conference theme ‘Sarvodaya’ in practical and meaningful ways.
Kailash Satyarthi
The First keynote speaker was the Noble Laureate-Kailash Satyarthi. He is an ardent child rights activist and has devoted his life to free children from all sorts of entanglement. He spoke about how we as students have the power to make ours as well as others’ childhood more effective and jolly through our compassion and creative ideas that arise in our young minds. He also inspired us to take the initiative to protect the rights of the less privileged children and provide them with the most extensive rights and awareness about their surroundings.
Dr. Shashi Tharoor
Dr.Shashi Tharoor, popularly addressed as The Wordsmithof Politics, delivered a very powerful yet intriguing speech about India’s Transition- from Midnight to Millennium and Beyond. He talked about the development and improvement of the country in all prospects and inspired us young minds to take different initiatives to make a change for the world we wish to see. But most importantly, he dealt with different educational systems around the world and how they have an impact on making our lives effective. He inspired the teachers to teach on how tothink, instead ofwhattothink? He stated that the mark of a good educated mind is what is in your head.
Sophia-The Humanoid Robot
The third keynote address was the most awaited for. All the delegates were required to gather in the auditorium after which all of us were divided into two groups. The first group consisted of the delegates who were in support of AI(Artificial Intelligence) and think that robots are our friends. The second group consisted of the delegates who think that AI is not friendly and that robots might take over the world someday. The two groups were seated on the galleries, which were on the either sides of the auditorium. Then we all sang the song ‘We Will Rock You’ by Queen and welcomed the third keynote speaker ‘Sophia-The Humanoid Robot’ in an old school manner. We were overwhelmed to see her for the very first time in our lives. She was asked several questions about herself and her views towards human characters. She answered quite humorously and logically, cracking some hilarious jokes in between. She was also questioned about how she could contribute to the environment and what was her take on global warming? She replied quite rationally saying that she would want to contribute to the environment by spreading awareness about how AI could help save the environment, talking about the things AI could incorporate in the environment to save its resources. Through her analytical answers, she was able to hold on to the interest of the audience and give aspiration to us young minds for contributing to the environment to fight climate change.
Madame Gandhi
Kiran Gandhi, popularly known as Madame Gandhi, is a drummer set on a mission to elevate and celebrate the female voice in a world where it is constantly quieted. She was the fourth keynote speaker who delivered a speech that emphasized on a topic which is very crucial yet sensitive, menstruation. She talked about the pathetic situation of young girls in different corners of the world suffering from various diseases just because they are not aware of the consequences caused when proper care is not takenduring the menstruating days. She talked about it in a very open and approachable manner, breaking through the uneasy environment that was created at the start of the topic. Through her approachable personality she encouraged us to take initiatives to abate such stigma and social difficulties faced by most women across the world.
Major DP Singh
The fifth keynote address was India’s Frist Blade Runner-Major DP Singh. Earlier that morning the conference delegates participated in a 3 km run for Cancer, which was led by Major DP Singh. It was indeed very motivating for us to see him run with a prosthetic limb, which set new standards of bravery and endurance for people like us. Later that day he delivered a powerful speech about conquering ourselves and being the boss of our lives. He encouraged us to push a little further, go out of our comfort zones and present a better version of ourselves. That’s how we would have the highest scope for improvement. He introduced to us an acronym for success: ASK, which stands for Attitude, Skill and Knowledge. If we could work upon these three basic key terms, then success will always be ours, he emphasized.
Swami Gaur Gopal Das
Swami Gaur Gopal Das was the sixth and the final keynote address of this conference and as the final keynote speaker, he really did steal all our hearts and captured our minds with rapt attention. He is a prominent Indian spiritual leader and has been spreading his words of wisdom within and beyond the boundaries of India, and is believed to be both influential and intellectual. Through his speech he interpreted that nobody on this planet can be judged by the same standard for each one of us holds different abilities, different talents, different capabilities and different skills. Each one of us has an amazing fire inside of us waiting to come out as a blazing inferno, and when that fire comes out, we have the potential to set the world on fire. And to bring that fire out, we need a matchstick, someone who totally believes in ourselves, be it our parents, siblings, teachers or mentors. He also demonstrated a very essential concept of our lives. We, as humans, have the tendency to feel inferior in most situations in our lives, trying to compare our abilities with others. He gave a demonstration by allowing balloons of different colors to fly off to the ceiling of the auditorium. He then explained that these balloons are not flying because they are blue, yellow, green or pink. They are flying high above because of what is filled inside them. They are able to fly high because of the helium gas inside them. He then explained that it doesn’t matter what we wear, how we look, or what we do. What matters the most is what we are filled with, what are our characteristics and how we can project a better version of our personality.
SITE – SEEING:
Mandu
The most beautiful places in the world are hidden, enigmatic and less known. It is as if the beauty wants to reveal itself to only those who can behold it, admire it and then cherish it. Mandu was one such places, which is the home for cultural, historical and architectural heritage that our ancestors seemed to have left behind. Delegates belonging to the Vayu and Prithvi Barazza groups were first taken to theJami Masjid, which was indeed a very extraordinary piece of architecture, a model of the Indo Persian architecture. The older buildings were built in Indian style and then on top, Afghan style domes have been added by Mughals. One of the most extraordinary things about this famous Masjid was that a sound of humming would repeat for about 20 seconds. Then we visited the Rani Roopmati Pavilion and Baz Bahadur’s Palace. It is believed that Rani Roopmati agreed to marry Baz Bahadur on the condition that she would live in a palace within sight of her beloved River Narmada. So the Rani Roopmati Pavilion was built on an elevated level from which we could see a picturesque view of the Narmada. Jahaz Mahal, also known as the Ship Palace, was another mind-blowing place we had the privilege to visit. It was a spectacular palace built in the shape of a voyage and is surrounded by three beautiful ponds on its sides. The Jahaz Mahal at Mandu is known for an elaborate rainwater storage tank, which not only used to harvest the rainwater but it also provided a soothing climate around the palace. At the same time it has a magnificent tomb of white marble known as Hoshang Shah’s tomb, which happens to be the first marble tomb in India. Mandu was indeed a very extraordinary place filled with information about history, culture and architectural marvels of the past.
Maheshwar
The visit to Maheshwar- the City of Shiva, was another amazing experience for the conference delegates. Maheshwar is a small town in Khargone district of Madhya Pradesh in India. The quaint little town on the north bank of the river Narmada is considered famous as Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar’scapital. Maheshwar was an important political and cultural centre in ancient India. Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar ruled the province of Malwa for 28 years and she set up her capital at the ancient city of Maheshwar on the banks of the Narmada River, built magnificent temples, divine bathingghats and established several industries. The mighty fort she built stands firm even today, overlooking a broad stretch of the Narmada. Maheshwar is not only famous for being an ancient city and as the capital of Holkars but also because of Maheshwari weaves. Devi Ahilya Bai was instrumental in starting the looms, which hashelped the livelihood of hundreds of weavers over the centuries. Even today the art of weaving Maheshwari sarees is still kept alive. Maheshwar was this beautiful place with ornate temples and other religious and historical monuments, which gives a very special feeling. One needs to experience it to believe it.
THE COMMUNITY SERVICE
The service activities were different for different Barazzas, while some Barazzas merged to provide service to various people, my Barazza, i.e. Gulab, merged with another Barazza named Rajnigandha. These two Barazzas were selected to interact with a bunch of mentally retarded children. It was indeed quite a difficult task but we didn’t fail in our attempt tomake them happy and enjoy the moment we spent together. Different students were engaged in different interactive activities. I and a couple of other students took the initiative to make the children jump and dance about to various songs. And eventually all the delegates along with the special children joined us, laughing and dancing about in the entire room. It was indeed very heart warming to see each child enjoy every moment we spent with them, making new friends and sharing new ideas. It was such a beautiful experience to see these little children blooming about like a bud, spreading happiness and joy to each one of us.
The conference all together was an outstanding experience. We all exchanged different ideas and knowledge about our cultures and most importantly learned a lot about the people and their communities of all different backgrounds from different parts of the world. We all made unforgettable memories that will always be close to our hearts and we’ll remember them for the rest of our lives. I am truly thankful to our teachers and parents for providing us with this remarkable opportunity where we all stepped out of our comfort zones and tried a whole lot of new things, made new friends and brought back new ideas with us.
During RSIC – 2019, Maria’s Public School was officially declared to be a Round Square Global Member School and the Official Flag was handed over to Mrs. Nellie Ahmed Tanweer, Honourable Founder & Managing Trustee, Mr. Biswajit De, Round Square Representative, Anuranan Bharadwaj, my Batchmate and to myself. We also received the King Constantine Medal which would be handed over to one Student, in the upcoming years, observing his/her excellent contribution in RS Activities.
Round Square Discovery Framework Workshop ABS Jordan –
27 & 28 April, 2018
During the recent 2018 Round Square (RS) Discovery Framework Workshop (RSDF) in Jordan, organized by Round Square and Amman Baccalaureate School, Jordan, 27th – 28th April, 2018, delegates from 6 countries had given their inputs into the development of a “further reading and structuring and resource breaking down of the 12 Discoveries mapped to each of the six RS IDEALS – (Internationalism, Democracy, Environmentalism, Adventure, Leadership and Service. The participating team from Maria’s Public School (MPS), Guwahati, Assam, India, comprised of Mrs. Nellie Ahmed Tanweer, Honourable Founder & Managing Trustee, MPS and Mr.Biswajit De, Creative Director & RS School Representative. MPS had the first exposure to the RSDF, being a RS Candidate School. The Discovery framework connects the spirit of the RS IDEALS with twelve Discoveries that students make on their learning journey (inquisitiveness, tenacity, courage, compassion, inventiveness, ability to solve problems, self-awareness, sense of responsibility, appreciation for diversity, commitment to sustainability, communication and team-working skills). The framework is designed to support the integration of these Discoveries into curriculum programming, and signpost to ways in which they can be given tangible value in an academic context…It’s essentially a friendly ‘Trojan Horse’.
“Using the Round Square Discovery Framework, a growing number of schools are finding new ways to embed character education into the curriculum, focusing on values rather than activities; the ‘being’ rather than the ‘doing’ “, said Round Square Chairman, Mr. Rod Fraser, who attended the Workshop and addressed the participants during interactive sessions. Present at the workshop was RS CEO, Ms Rachel Westgarth who explained the Discovery Framework Roadmap to the participants. She added to what Mr. Fraser had expressed, by saying – “A simple example would be service learning. Traditionally cast as an extra-curricular activity, a school’s community service programme might include volunteering, civic engagement, charity fundraising, perhaps an overseas service project. All are valuable learning experiences, but once you draw out the spirit of those activities, and look for inventiveness, empathy, compassion, the ability to solve problems, appreciation for diversity… it’s easier than to see how you might build the development of those qualities into your curriculum programming.” Co-Host of the Workshop, The Amman Baccalaureate School in Jordan is piloting the new Discovery Framework Strategies and will be the first school world-wide to host a synchronized visit with the IB for this protocol. As shared by the representatives of the school, work has already begun to integrate the RS Discovery Framework fully into all that ABS does at the school and, in particular, map it against their “Al Tarbiyeh” acronym, which represents their Guiding Statements for the Discovery Framework, the IB Learner Profile and the requirements of the new protocol.
Mrs. Nellie Ahmed Tanweer with the International Delegates in Jordan.
Round Square Representatives and officials from 6 countries participated in the 2018 Round Square (RS) Discovery Framework Workshop in Jordan. It was indeed an enterprising and a great learning experience for the MPS team to meet and interact with the delegates from countries like India, Pakistan, Oman, Australia, Vietnam and Turkey. Each participant from the RS Schools was given an opportunity to present their ideas for the Discovery Framework, keeping in mind the scopes of implementation in their respective schools. Mr. De from MPS had expressed his ideas based on the recognition of diversity in the classrooms and how adhering to the RS Ideal – Environmentalism is actually a responsibility of all students and faculties of MPS being a school which is located in one of the most prominent Bio-Geographical Hotspots of India. Across the Round Square network the Discovery Framework is being used in conjunction with a wide variety of curricula, including in-country national, National Boards, the IB, and curricula applied internationally from leading education jurisdictions such as England and Wales, Australia and the USA. In many cases the Round Square Discovery Framework is being used to create an overarching structure that links and makes sense of previously contrasting learner profiles, providing a structure within which a single teaching and learning approach can fulfill the needs of a variety of different curricula. It was indeed amazing to absorb the means and ways in which we can distill the true essence of the Framework, in the context of the curriculum which is followed at Maria’s Public School, Guwahati, Assam, India, and give the current system an opportunity to ‘stretch beyond our limits’ and implement new ideas.
“The outcomes of being a Round Square school extend beyond memorable experiences and into the creation of a deeper awareness and a way of being” – added Rachel Westgarth. She was handed over a special ‘Culture Box’ by Mrs. Nellie Ahmed Tanweer, containing Traditional Symbols and Items of Assam, India.
Mrs. Nellie Ahmed Tanweer gave the vote of thanks on behalf of all the participants by saying – ‘In embracing the RS Discovery Framework, a growing number of Round Square schools are discovering their own innovative and creative ways to blend character education with academic achievement, whether through embedding “soft skills” into the harder lines of curriculum planning or drawing out the learning from extra-curricular endeavors and bringing it into the classroom. At Maria’s we would like to imbibe the principles of the RSDF to a small group of teachers and students first, before we take forward the roadmaps and get ideas implemented on a larger scale. Plan, Implement and Recognize would be the Modus Operandi on which we will be concentrating on, as soon as we get back’.
`Al Tarbiyah` is an Arabic word that means development, increase, growth, and loftiness.
*Read the Full Report by CLICKING HERE!
Maria’s Public School, a Round Square Candidate School
Amidst much applause and cheer from students and teachers the Founder and Managing Trustee Mrs. Nellie Ahmed Tanweer announced that Maria’s Public School has been selected as a candidate school by the Round Square. This fabulous news was announced by the Founder in a special assembly on February 19, 2018 in the presence of the Principal, Vice Principal, teachers and students.
Founded in 1966 Round Square is a worldwide network of 180 innovative schools in 50 countries across six continents that share a passion for experimental learning and character education. The Round Square approach is built around six ideals of learning: Democracy, Service, Adventure, Environmentalism, Leadership and Internationalism. Membership of the Round Square network offers schools a framework for excellence and continuous improvement, along with structured opportunities to collaborate and share experiences with like-minded peers around the world.
- Election procedure for Chairs and Co-Chairs:
- Alpesh and Bhargabi have been nominated for chairs by the Honourable Founder & Managing Trustee and the Principal.
- As for the co-chairs, there will be two co-chairs per ideal, hence, 12 co-chairsfor 6 ideals.
- Nominations for co-chairs will be voluntary and are open to all, and will be done before the Bihu Holidays. All interested students can submit their names for the ideal they want to elect for.
- The names and ideals can be submitted to Biswajit De sir, either during the recessor through the student council whatsapp group.
- The process of choosing the co-chair will be done after Bihu. Students will have to deliver a three-minute speechon their ideal.
- Roles and Responsibilities of co-chairs and members:
- The Co-chairs are supposed to work onthe promotion and betterment of their ideals among the students and in the school.
- They have to create action plans and projectsthat the RS council can execute.
- All members are responsible for the holistic development of the school. This includes but is not limited to being cautious of essential services, like the maintenance of wash basins.
- Service in Action programme:
- MPS has been chosen, among 10 schools in the Gulf, for the ‘Service In Action programme’.
- 4-5 studentscan nominate themselves as Barazza Leaders (who will run the presentations on behalf of Maria’s). T
- There will be some kind of competition process to choose the Barazza Leader.
- Additional Informations:
- All nominees have to be prepared to be on their toes all the time.
- For Earth day, a massive Clean-Up Drive is being planned in the Amchang Forest Trail. Bhargabi to Coordinate.
| Action Items After The Meeting |
| 1. Interested students will submit their names and ideals for the position of co-chair. |
| 2. Interested Students will submit their names for Barazza Leaders |