A few weeks ago we announced the exciting collaboration between Nord Anglia Education and UNICEF for our Global Challenge, which is culminating in the UN Global Goals Summit in July. Our Global Challenge is now well under way, with students proposing their action plans for tackling Global Goals 2 and 3: Zero Hunger and Good Health and Well-being within our local community. These plans focus on sustainable changes to make a long-term impact.

In July, our Sustainable Development Action Plan will be presented to representatives of countries from around the world during the High Level Political Forum at the UN Global Goals Summit in the United Nations headquarters in New York. We have been through a rigorous process to select two students who will represent BIS HCMC as the BIS HCMC Ambassadors to the United Nations. Our Ambassadors will engage in MUN debate, present to the HLPF, and be able to converse with representatives from around the world; this really is the opportunity of a lifetime.

In order to select our Ambassadors we asked students to submit a video detailing what makes them the BIS HCMC Ambassador to the United Nations. We had 17 applications from across Years 10 to 12, each taking a different approach to answering this question. We asked them to focus on their commitment to community, MUN and global issues, and to tell us what it means to embody the BIS HCMC ethos and values. From here, we shortlisted 5 students to undertake a group discussion task around questions such as “To what extent do we, as an international school, have a positive or negative impact on our local and national community?”  and “What are the barriers faced by Vietnam in achieving the SDGs by 2030?”, and the candidates were interviewed by Mr Carl Mincher (Head of Secondary), Mr Ben Turner (Deputy Head Teacher), Ms Lauren Binnington (APS Global Campus Lead) and Mr Daniel Gamwell (MUN Coordinator).

Following this demanding process, we are proud to announce our BIS HCMC Ambassadors and ask you to join us in congratulating them. They have an important role to play in the UN Global Goals Summit, and we are already very proud of them.

Introducing...

Name: Rosa Heuveling Van Beek

Year group: Year 12

Joined BIS HCMC in: 2002

Community, MUN and Global Issues:

I demonstrate significant commitment to global issues by trying to encourage other students to become more engaged in current affairs by creating weekly news discussions and quizzes. The discussions are focused on crises that are ongoing (for example the Myanmar Rohingya crisis), which I believe is important as it allows for debate on human rights and our obligation as part of the international community to act on it. Furthermore as MUN president, (a club I have participated in since year 9), I try to centre debate around current affairs to ensure that delegates are engaged and aware of global issues. I have taken part in community events, such as visiting cancer wards in local hospitals, and trying to raise awareness for UN SDG 4 - Quality Education, as well as raising funds for a charity focusing on neonatal care.

BIS HCMC ethos and values:

BIS HCMC ethos and values can be partially determined by the qualities of the global citizen stated on the aide memoire. I have demonstrated that I care for the school community by actively partaking in learning support, helping the Year 11s prepare for their mocks by leading a presentation on how to approach them and always being willing to help my academic mentees outside of our set meeting times. I also have a love for learning which is naturally followed by enquiry and perseverance.

Name: Lisa Hagens

Year group: Year 10

Joined BIS HCMC in: 2004

Community, MUN and Global Issues:

I have been involved with Model United Nations for 3 years which has enabled me to understand that we live in a rapidly growing world where many challenges affect each and every state. Within a conference, every committee aims to tackle a range of global issues in order to promote peace. I have participated in Go Vap Orphanage trips where we visited children in order to provide emotional support as well as school supplies to ensure quality education; in addition to being involved with community campaigns such as baking to raise funds for the Nepal disaster in 2015. I am currently a member of a student-led community club called Project Impact; this year we have focused upon the Nhat Hong School of the visually impaired where we created a bake sale to raise educational funds and produced an exhibition in darkness to raise awareness and reduce stigma for the blind. Project Impact has also been involved with Love Kitchen to provide free meals which will combat poverty and hunger. Outside of school I have been involved with Penta, an organization accredited by the Clinton Foundation as well as Brown University which aims to provide prosthetics to people who aren’t able to afford them. Within their program we visited patients, watched how prosthetics were made and raised funds to pay for the prosthetics promoting good health and well-being. Being involved in all these activities has made extremely aware of global issues and how to help take action towards tackling the SDGs.

BIS HCMC ethos and values:

I started my journey taking action and contributing to BIS HCMC when I joined the Student Council from Year 5 until the end of Year 7. I’ve continued this embodiment by filling one out of the 4 spots in the sub-events committee, enabling me to contribute in all school events such as World Water and Mental Health Awareness Week. Additionally my involvement in MUN has further strengthened my role as a Global Citizen who aims to promote the values of BIS HCMC to: enquire, persevere and reflect upon my actions and promote sustainability.

Lauren Binnington, Secondary Global Campus Lead

Join the journey #sustainableBIS