BSB Ambassadors at the NAE-UNICEF Summit 2019

Last month, our Student Ambassador Luca Coban was selected to represented BSB Shunyi in this year’s NAE-UNICEF Student Summit from 11-17 July, 2019.

Premium international schools group Nord Anglia Education (NAE) offers a transformational education to our BSB students, which focuses not only on ensuring academic success but also on inspiring students to positively impact their individual communities and the world at large. As part of NAE’s collaboration with UNICEF, students across the globe have been raising awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through projects at their schools. The SDGs are a collection of 17 goals set by the United Nations regarding social and economic development issues.

This is the 3^rd year that BSB Shunyi students have participated in the NAE-UNICEF Student Summit to demonstrate how BSB has made progress in addressing the SDGs as part of NAE’s annual Global Challenge.

Hosted at Nord Anglia International School New York (NAIS NY), students join workshops, seminars and debates, including speaking opportunities at the UN’s High-level Political Forum (HLPF). There was also a Model United Nations (MUN) event, a trip to the UN Headquarters in New York City, and much more.

“We have been thrilled to have Nord Anglia students around the world learning about the SDGs and taking positive actions in their schools and communities year over year.  The Nord Anglia Student Summit in July is an excellent opportunity for students to share their ideas and efforts to leaders at the United Nations during the annual HLPF, where different stakeholders meet to share ideas and assess progress on the Global Goals. This year is the most ambitious yet, where students will be participating in various sessions and events at the HLPF as well as showcasing their creativity on what the SDGs mean to them through art and activism,” said Shannon O’Shea, Team Leader: Public Partner Advocacy and Visibility Section, UNICEF.

In the MUN event, students acted as representative of different nations and debate resolutions. This year, our BSB Shunyi student Luca Coban was selected as 1 of the 3 NAE students who will act as Deputy MUN Chairs alongside our 3 main MUN Chairs from New York University. Having participated in MUN events since Year 7, Luca was very excited and honoured to be selected.

For the HLPF, 8 articulate student panelists have been chosen to speak onstage to audiences at this United Nations side event. They were part of 2 panels sharing how they were taking steps to make the world a better place through the SDGs. These panelists have been chosen as a joint decision between NAE, UNICEF and the World’s Largest Lesson.  At the start of the HLPF event, 1 Nord Anglia student has been specifically asked to launch a piano donated by Sing for Hope to UNICEF to tie the arts and the global goals together.

Also, during the HLPF, winners from Nord Anglia’s Global Campus Visual Arts competition were showcased as a part of an Arts Exhibition at the United Nations. This allowed our students to promote what NAE is doing to tackle the SDGs and to network with government and UN officials as they admired our students’ artwork. 

Last but not least, 2 NAE students have been asked to present at the ECOSOC Chamber at the United Nations as a part of governments’ voluntary national reviews. This was held in the iconic General Assembly Hall.

Following the HLPF, a glamorous Gala dinner was held at The Juilliard School to allow students to celebrate their accomplishments during the week. Awards were also given out to students for their efforts during the MUN.

Luca and other students also attended workshops hosted by UNICEF representative in charge of helping to raise awareness of the global goals. They discussed several ways students could help raise awareness in our schools and what projects we would like to take on. You will find out more when these are actually carried out at BSB Shunyi this coming academic year.

Luca also has the opportunity to go up the One World Trade Center, went on the Staten Island Ferry to view the statue of Liberty up close, ride the New York subway and experience the culture and history of New York City in general.