This text was adapted from Vienna International School
In November 2019, Vienna International School (VIS) celebrated two important events: the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and joining many schools around the world to engage in Global Action Day.
Since 2017, VIS has been part of the important mission to take action to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Therefrom, the school has been committed to provide education for sustainable development to the students in their journey to become responsible global citizens who adopt their lifestyles and way of thinking towards building a sustainable planet.
Through education for sustainable development, Vienna International School teaches students about the world and encourages them to become active participants in their communities. VIS believes that learning about the UN goals helps students develop insights into issues around the world and understand the unique challenges facing communities all over the world, and later figure out how they can contribute towards making the world a better place. By learning about the Sustainable Development Goals, it is VIS’ belief that students and teachers will be inspired to take action and make positive changes in big and small ways. At VIS, they already see the effects thereof daily – from high school students raising awareness about climate change to first graders conserving water or planting lavender to encourage pollination. VIS finds that students in any grade level can learn about the SDGs in age-appropriate ways through classroom activities and later apply the learning in ways they find meaningful.
The VIS Global Action Day was a special event for raising awareness and inspiring action towards making a better environment for all. The event was a celebration of the learning that took place across the school about the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in the area of the school’s environment. When coming to the school in the morning, the community was welcomed with a very special treat. The Ambassador of Slovenia (Mag. Ksenija Skrilec) and her staff hosted the European Honey Breakfast, an event to raise awareness about the importance of a healthy breakfast for children. As part of the event, staff, students, and parents received an apple, honey sandwiches, and delicious potica – the traditional Slovenian cake while listening to the talented Primary School Orchestra.
Throughout the school day, the students took part in The World’s Largest Lesson and took time to inquire about each of the SDGs to build their knowledge of the goal, the related issues associated with it, and ways they could take action in their own lives to help achieve that goal. Following the Global Action Day, the Grade 5 students staged a series of dramatic climate action shows, to create a variety of riveting theatrical scenes raising collective awareness of how climate change will impact our world and inspire an urgent call to action.
Congratulations to the Green Teams of students, teachers, and parents for putting together this big event to take the school community on a journey from awareness to consciousness about the SDGs and for their endless endeavors towards a more peaceful, healthy and equitable world.
