As part of Nord Anglia Education’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.
Each year, the capstone event with UNICEF is when students from Years 10-12 visit New York for the NAE-UNICEF Student Summit.
Held this year from 11 to 17 July, student ambassadors at the Summit demonstrated how their schools have made progress in addressing the SDGs as part of Nord Anglia Education’s annual Global Challenge.
Hosted at Nord Anglia International School New York, the students joined workshops, seminars and debates and speaking opportunities at the UN’s High-level Political Forum. There, students also participated in a Model United Nations event, a trip to the UN Headquarters in New York City, and much more.
Our student representatives were Isabella, now a second year IBDP student and Mehr, a first year IBDP student.
Despite imagining what it would be like during the months leading up to the trip , nothing could have prepared me for the truly amazing experience that I had in New York as part of the Nord Anglia UNICEF trip. The trip introduced me to an exuberant new city, supportive Nord Anglia staff as well as adventurous students from Nord Anglia schools all across the world. From the inspiring UNICEF workshops to visits to the UN and the many talented and driven youth leaders that I met on the trip, it was an affair that engaged many young minds, including my own.
With our freshly enhanced ideas about the world around us in mind, The Nord Anglia Education Model United Nations conference was an amazing two days of the trip which put this into action and allowed us to interact on a professional level with other students as well as students from NYU. It was a well-rounded introduction MUN conference's on a whole and was very fun and interactive.
The trip was not all business however and there was a perfect balance between work and play. The exciting excursions allowed us to see New York as well as experience some staple tourist activities like Broadway shows and skyline views from the Empire State.
Truly the most memorable part of the trip was the people I met and the connections that I made with them. The global and interconnected nature of Nord Anglia schools was highlighted through this trip and this made it the most rewarding and unforgettable experience I have had through the school. I could not thank them enough for their hospitality and inspiration and I would encourage anyone lucky enough to be offered this life-changing experience to grab it and never let it go.
- Isabella, Year 13
The NAE UNICEF Student Summit is a great opportunity for people who are interested in debating and have an interest in learning why the UN exists and how they operate. I learnt a lot about government relations and why our governments operate the way they do. This allowed me to get a deeper understanding on the actions governments and the UN make. I felt really honoured being chosen by the school to represent our institution as it allowed me to make connections with students and the members of the UN. The debating element of this trip allowed me to build my confidence and get a deeper understanding of the country that was assigned to me. This trip also allowed me to express my views on the Sustainable Development Goals 4 and 16 on a platform as large as the UN news page.
- Mehr, Year 12
