Dignity Magazine Volume 2

Page 1

DIGNITY

GLOBAL DIGNITY DAY REPORT

BSS VOLUME II

2013

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Global Dignity initiative was cofounded by HRH Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, Professor Pekka Himanan and John Hope Bryant in 2006 and is celebrated in 50 countries around the world. Beaconhouse School System (BSS) educates 241,000 students in 185 owned schools and over 600 network schools in 9 countries and has been an organisational partner of Global Dignity since 2011. In keeping with the Global Dignity Day visions and principles, on October 9, 2013, Beaconhouse School System (BSS) celebrated Global Dignity Day across system with great fervour and zeal. This year, a total of 101,780 students, teachers, staff and school heads participated in the celebrations along with another 13,862 participants from The Educators (our parallel school network), an increase of 20% as compared to last year’s participation. Involvement and contributions from participants in all countries demonstrated satisfaction and excitement in their support for Global Dignity Day celebrations. Many participants easily identified the connection between the theme of Dignity and various situations that affect their everyday lives. This report is on all the Global Dignity Day celebrations that took place across the BSS system.

Highlights Celebrations Student’s thoughts

Table of contents Bridging the Gap<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<.4 Reaching Across<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<..5 Sharing Joy<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<...6 Celebrating Dignity Beyond a Day<<<<<<<<<<<<...7 Imparting Values<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<.8 Right to Play<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<.9 A Publication to Remember <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<.10 Walks to Honour<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<....11 Celebrations Northern region<<<.<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<12-13 Central Region<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<...14-15 Commemorations by TNS...<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<..16 Southern Region<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<17-18 International <<<<<<<<<<<.<<<<<<<<<.19-20 The educators <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<.21 Student’s Thoughts Inner conscious <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<...22 Spirit<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<..23 Dignity<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<..24 A Visit to Alpina School <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<25

Bridging the Gap

T

o reduce barriers of class differences in education and furthering the concept of 'education for all', students of Defence Campus Karachi visited The Garage School in Neelum Colony (Karachi). A philanthropic project which started from a small garage with 14 students in 1999, it now caters to over 400 students in a small rented building. Their honourable mission is ‘saving lives through education’. The Garage School committed to providing education to under-privileged children around an area where there are multiple private schools for afluent children but none for the disadvantged. After the formalities of taking permission and coordinating with the school, we started gathering gifts and preparing activities for the children. Our aim was to spread the message that education knows no class differences. With this mission, the BSS students bought and collected over 200 books, stationery and food for the students along with some educational games. They also took used books from their own houses to share with the others. To make the visit more organised for the students of both schools, the school divided the activities into three groups: Group1: Hand print painting with primary students; Group 2: Book reading and playing Hangman based on Science subjects like Biology for Grade VII and VIII students; Group 3: Playing educational games like Scrabble and fun games like Twister The students of BSS brought all the stationery needed for these activities, and some presents for the students as a friendly gesture. The school coordinator, Ms Rizwan, gave us a welcoming speech and asked a few questions about the purpose of our visit. After that, the students were divided into groups and got busy with the planned activities. They hand-painted, read, ate, played and, above all, coordinated with each other. They talked and laughed together as if they were best friends! It was a sight to behold. But like all good things, it had to come to an end. One thing, we all learnt from this experience is that in order to eliminate these differences all we have to do is reach out and help.

Reaching across

I

n the present era, we are witnessing a turning point in civilisation related to human dignity and values, and we wanted to play our role by spreading the word of respect and dignity with our partner school in Taiwan. Mr Ted is the principal of Chung Shan Elementary, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China. He was enthusiastic to know about Global Dignity Day, our students had a Skype session with his students and we showed them the principles of GDD through artwork. Children spoke about the vision and exchanged their views. Our purpose was to work together for a better world and share the values of Dignity by persuasion and promote them without discrimination with the purpose of freedom, justice, safety, peace and abundance for all. “We have never participated in an international conversation about Dignity. Neither have we heard of any classes in Taiwan joining in an activity of Global Dignity Day like us. Thanks to our friends in Pakistan, we proudly celebrated the Sixth Annual Global Dignity Day with over 50 countries around the world. Before that day, I told my students some general information about Pakistan and Global Dignity Day. But they never thought that they would have a Skype meeting with children from Pakistan. Although none of them can understand English, they were really excited to hear you. With my interpretation, they knew that you were telling us about the five Dignity principles and showing us drawings based on Global Dignity. In a deeper meaning, you did show us that the children in your school were ready to be the citizens of the future and that we could join forces and work together for a better world. Thank you for inviting us to the Global Dignity session. I hope young global leaders and other role models can also participate Dignity Days and speak to the youth in Taiwan in the near future.�

Mr Ted Tu Principal Chung Shan Elementary, Taoyuan, Taiwan Republic of China

Sharing joy

T

o do good for someone increases their dignity. Respect, admiration, gratitude, love and care elevate one’s self-esteem and disrespect brings it down.

Believing that every human being has a right to lead a dignified life compels us to ensure that dignity is considered a basic human right that must be protected. If one’s dignity is protected from childhood, one forms the right image of oneself and of the world. However, if humiliation begins in childhood and people get used to it, their self-esteem is low and they learn not to value other people either.

To help instil dignity as a guiding principle in our young ones, Beaconhouse Canal Side Campus Early Years took the initiative to open its doors to students from Paras Grammar School to be part of the Global Dignity Day celebrations with us.

The day began with a warm welcome to the guest students from the Senior Mistress and teachers, followed by an assembly. KG students presented an Urdu skit to acknowledge the services of the support staff. Teachers and students from both schools expressed their thoughts and understanding of dignity through poster making activities, interviews and dignity souvenirs (head bands and badges) prepared in the classrooms. The guest students also visited the library and enjoyed listening to a story, and the librarian offered them storybooks as gifts.

The Art teacher guided the guest students through various art activities and presented them with play dough as a gift, whereas class teachers gave them pencil boxes. Our tiny tots shared their toys, space, play areas and all the other available resources with the guest students openheartedly throughout the day. The guests were served lunch and at the end of the day, they returned to their school happy and grateful for the opportunity to participate in the celebrations. The next day, the Canal Side Campus Principal received a thank you card from them.

In light of the positive response from the guest school, we intend to strengthen this partnership by sharing good practice with teachers there. From generation to generation, human dignity continues to be encroached upon and desperately needs protection. So we took this opportunity to celebrate Global Dignity Day not only to teach the virtue of dignity to our students, but also to remind the adults of its importance.

Celebrating Dignity Beyond a Day

A

s an extension of the Dignity Day celebrations, students of Class IV at BSS Bahawalpur visited the community-run Citizen’s Foundation School as part of their Social Studies curriculum. The children prepared goodie bags to be distributed amongst the students and many staff members and other students contributed generously. Our students were welcomed warmly and given a brief introduction to the school’s history. They were also told how education can help people live a dignified life and boost self-assurance. The visiting group was taken to classrooms, where they introduced themselves and told the students the purpose of their visit, which was to maintain healthy relations with others. They presented the students with the gifts they had brought for them. The objective of the visit was achieved when our students discussed their visit with the Principal, SM and CA. They realised that the students at CFS had different and more difficult circumstances to deal with, but were still focused on their education. The BSS students learned to respect the underprivileged students and have empathy with them. At the same time, they felt elevated when talking about the gifts they had given and the spirit of friendship that created between both groups.

Imparting Values

B

elieving in every single human being’s right to be respected, Gujranwala KG I campus celebrated Global Dignity Day on October 9, involving every single student in various activities.

The activities began on October 8, with Class IV students visiting an orphanage. These students had an insightful experience observing and learning about what life is like for many of the underprivileged children at the orphanages, and they extended a helping hand to them. They presented gifts to the children and cut a cake together. The students also spent some time playing cricket together conveying the message that they are all alike and deserve the same level of respect and dignity. Roshni Homes Beaconhouse Gujranwala

Right to Play

B

eaconhouse Garden Town has a continued relationship of trust and cooperation with the Jeevan Hana Trust School, Garden Town, Lahore. On the last day of the academic session in 2012, during the Book Week, our Student Council had visited the school to donate around 500 books they had collected and interacted with the students and staff of the school. Some of our students were so inspired that they volunteered to help the underprivileged students by conducting a reading programme for them. It was a worthwhile experience for all involved! Later, eight student volunteers along with their IT teacher Ms Tayyeba Hassan worked with around 20 Jeevan Hana students by sharing storybooks, worksheets, and computer know-how for two weeks during the summer holidays as a community development initiative. On October 9th, Beaconhouse Garden Town Primary planned a football match with Jeevan Hana students as part of Global Dignity Day celebrations. Mr Arif Hussain, the PE teacher, gave special coaching to the two football teams for two weeks before the match. On the match day, students from both schools gathered to cheer their teams. The two captains, Ahsan Asim (BGTL V-Violet) and Shahid Ashfaq (Jeevan Hana) lined up their players and introduced them to the Headmistress, Mrs Rukhsana Zafar, who kicked off the match. Both teams played brilliantly and entertained the audience with their skills. The BGTL team won the match with 6 goals against Jeevan Hana’s 3. The top scorers were Ahsan Asim and John William, with three goals each. Ms Farida Shahid, Principal Garden Town Campus, graced the occasion as Chief Guest and gave trophies to the winners and runners-up along with shields and certificates to all the players. ‚We tried hard but the BGTL team played better. We liked coming to this school and learning so much from Sir Arif,‛ said Shahid, the Jevan Hana team captain.

A Publication to Remember

Another effective way to educate our children on the various values of promoting positive behaviour will be through stories. The children had the opportunity to work with professional illustrators and contributed their creative drawings for the proposed children’s Dignity Storybook. Wisdom Book Club Malaysia under the leadership of Miss Sue Quek will be working hand in hand with Beaconhouse Malaysia to jointly publish a children storybook on the various ‘Dignity’ values. The uniqueness of this storybook is that the illustrations will be done by our pre-schoolers and the storylines will also be inspired by our children. Miss Sue Quek will be working closely with the children through their teachers to capture and translate the children’s understanding of the true meaning of ‘dignity’. This collaboration will involve children working with professional illustrators. It is indeed an exciting journey of creative learning for our children. This book will be launched by Miss Sue Quek and Puan Zarina Mobarak at the wrap-up of this project in April 2014. This is the first year that we are getting our pre-schoolers involved in this meaningful Global Dignity Project with the aim of inculcating the important dignity principles and values during their formative years. This project goes in line with our school system of advocating holistic education cum character building at our pre-schools.

Walks to Honour

The student body from different BSS branches, led by the school administration and the junior staff, participated in the Awareness Walks in their local vicinities . The artistic and thoughtprovoking posters added meaning to the walk. The students were raising the slogan ‚All for Dignity and Dignity for all‛ to educate the communities.

REGIONAL SUMMARIES NORTHERN REGION Cities

# of students

# of Teachers

# of staff

# of schools

2658

46

and heads Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Wah Cantt, Mirpur,

24,939

2114

Gujrat, Mandi Bahawaldin, Swat, Attock, Abbottabad, Peshwar, Mardan, Nowshera, and Jehlum.

Activity Summary: The much awaited Global Dignity Day was celebrated in the Northern Region on October 9, 2013. The primary objective of this day was to enrich both adults and children by reminding them of the essential values in life. Moreover, it was to aid the community to recognise how health, family and education are fundamental components of life, which should be dealt with honour, respect and love. It is only through identifying and implementing these basic values and needs that one’s dignity can shine through. This day endeavours to inculcate the spirit of respecting others and oneself, amongst every individual. The prevalent theme observed this day was ‚Earn respect by showing respect‛, which is pertinent to the survival and sanctity of every life on Earth. Global Dignity Day aims to shed light on how living a dignified life is the universal and intrinsic right of every individual. Beaconhouse School Systems’ young Global Leaders, with the help of other volunteers, organised a number of events and activities to inspire and inculcate fresh, positive and interconnected life-skills and values amongst others. The day commenced with the morning assembly followed by speeches, puppet shows, poem recitations, role plays and skits, which revolved around the message of dignity. Discussions and brainstorming activities were also conducted in classrooms, where the teachers emphasized the importance of respecting every human being, irrespective of racial, cultural, religious and social differences. In the Early Years, students made badges, head bands, posters and thank you cards that were presented to the members of the junior staff as gratitude for their loyal services. Many students performed role-plays and skits highlighting the five principles of dignity. Several Early Years teachers also worked collaboratively and put on a puppet show. The students from the Primary sections gave heart-warming speeches and performed dramas. Scores of students created colourful thank you cards and presented flowers to their family members, teachers, drivers, and nannies to thank them for the integral and dignified role they play in their lives. Various students wrote poems, letters and essays to share the message of dignity and displayed them around the school. Schools even held Poster Designing Competitions, with dignity as the main theme.

Dignity of Labour The highlight of this event was identifying the Dignity of Labour. The students replaced the junior staff for the day and carried out their duties. This helped students empathise with their lives, and understand that the value of dignity and respect exists in every line of work. A number of students from different schools prepared and served sandwiches and pizzas to the junior staff. The junior staff was also presented with gift cards and hampers during the morning assemblies. Some students even invited them to share their experiences and obstacles with everyone. Pilgrims of Peace Another fundamental practice on this day was how all the Global Leaders became Pilgrims of Peace. The students and staff wrote empowering messages on peace and dignity, which decorated the walls around the school. Students also put their hand-prints on a large board, in various bright colours to depict the concept of respect for all regardless of race, colour, gender and status. Overall, the numerous activities conducted on this day are a testament to the need for all individuals to take control of their lives. It was to help them break the societal, cultural, racial and economic shackles wound up around their lives, and witness life from a fresh perspective – a perspective where the value for a human life supersedes all barriers. It was to make children and adults understand that to live fully, they must develop a nurturing nature where they genuinely care about the respect and dignity of others. But most importantly, it was a means to present the participants with a platform where they could understand these essential values, implement them, and feel proud of their accomplishments.

CENTRAL REGION Cities

# of students

# of Teachers

# of staff

# of schools

1124

50

and heads Lahore, Okara, Sahiwal, Multan,Sheikupura,

32603

2349

Sargoda, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Jhang.

Dignity Day 2013 was observed with a great deal of enthusiasm and zeal across all schools in the Central Region. This day was celebrated in order to create awareness about the importance of dignity and respect for all members of society, irrespective of their social-economic status, caste, creed or religion. It was heartwarming to observe the enthusiasm and interest with which our students participated in the events commemorating the day. Students in many schools made cards and posters, while others expressed their views on the importance of dignity for all through essays, presentations, speeches, role plays and tableaux which were performed in morning assemblies across the Region. Many schools also recognized the efforts of the junior and support staff by distributing cards and friendship bands amongst them, while in other campuses, gift hampers were distributed amongst the support staff and a few students spent the day helping them in their various chores. The purpose of such activities was to highlight the hard work and efforts of the junior staff and to teach students that each and every individual deserves respect and dignity, irrespective of their socialeconomic status. Some schools in the Central Region also organized visits to the SOS village and the Rising Sun school for students with special needs, where BSS students distributed gifts and spent time with the children studying in these institutions. These activities emphasized the importance of all individuals in a society and helped nurture respect and acceptance for the disadvantaged. Another interesting event organized by Beaconhouse Garden Town Campus was the Dignity Walk. Participating students along with some teachers walked outside the school to create awareness about every individual’s right to lead a dignified life. The students left the school from Gate No 3, walked to the Kalma Crossing and stood at the corner in front of Masud Hospital with banners and posters.

A similar walk was organized by SG I as well, where pupils from 41-A-1 PECO Road Branch conducted a Dignity Walk and distributed handmade cards as a token of gratitude among the local community. The A Level students from Beaconhouse Defence Campus played their part by making documentaries and screening them on the A Level Floor for all the students to see. The documentaries portrayed the diverse faces of dignity in our society and many highlighted the dignity of labor. Palm Tree Campus Gujranwala Upper Primary students and staff members signed a pledge to ensure Dignity and respect for all on www.declaredignity.com. As an invitation to come together as an aware and concerned nation, the link for signing the ‘Declaration of Dignity’ on this website was sent to all branches of the campus, and of the 590 signatures currently on the declaration, more than 100 are from Pakistanis, most of them Beaconhouse students and teachers. Dr. Donna Hicks, the main organizer, sent an email expressing her gratitude for our commitment to the cause and the activities conducted on the day. An album of the Upper Primary events showcasing students’ written work and artwork was also uploaded and shared on Dr. Hicks’s Facebook page ‘Declare Dignity’. On the whole, all schools across the Central Region commemorated this day in multiple ways, underlining the need to promote a dignified existence not only for themselves but those around them as well. We hope that such activities will allow our students to become proactive and conscious global citizens who ensure a respectful and honorable life for all.

Commemorations by TNS Global Dignity Day is a very important day for those of us at TNS. It is a wonderful reminder of how important it is to respect yourself and others. The students took a keen interest in Global Dignity Day, and made it their own little project. Not only did they have different opportunities to share what they thought about dignity, but they were inspired to actually do something to convey the wonderful message of self-respect, human rights and treating others properly. They decided that the best way to convey this message was by singing a song and by acting out the lyrics. The song the class chose was ‘Brave’ by Sara Barielles. At the assembly on October 9, the students performed in front of their peers, teachers and parents. The students purpose to encourage their audience to re-think the way they see the people around them. In addition to their performance, the teachers also participated by creating an ideas board and asking students to share their views on dignity. The board was a great success, with staff putting up their opinions and advice on respect! The students of Class II led a productive discussion, taking everyone’s opinions and ideas on what dignity meant to them and how it worked out in their lives. They discussed different forms of discrimination on the basis of race, religion, body image and individual likes or dislikes. The students also created a Dignity Tree for others to see and be challenged by. Some students celebrated Global Dignity Day by preparing a special presentation for assembly at school. They performed an engaging skit, highlighting the importance of respecting people, based not on what they’re like on the outside, but on the quality of their heart and the strength of their character, and then encouraged the rest of the student body through poetry and prose. They were able to create awareness among their fellow students, and then spearhead an interactive, vibrant discussion in class, where they talked about the importance of respecting and accepting others in the wider society.

SOUTHERN REGION Cities

# of students

# of Teachers

# of staff

# of schools

1242

51

and heads Karachi, Hyderabad, Bahwalpur, Sadiqabad,

29,802

2356

Quetta, Steeltown, Rahim Yar Khan

Activity summary: Global Dignity day was celebrated at the Southern Region for the third consecutive year in October 9, 2013 with great zeal and enthusiasm. Over 33,000 students and other participants took part in the celebration in 51 schools.

DIGNITY CHAMPIONS The aim of the celebrations this year was to encourage students to become Dignity Champions and make a difference in society. Keeping the theme in mind, the event opened with speeches from School heads and then welcomed the students and teachers to share their views on the importance and meaning of dignity. Teachers participated in puppet shows that focused on feelings of empathy, however, the main portion of the event was dedicated to the dignity principles and defining dignity activities. Students shared the principles through role-plays, skits and dignity pledges. The members of the support staff were also interviewed by the students and were appreciated for their hard work with a thank you song, cards and gift hampers. The rest of the program incorporated activities focused on creating awareness and understanding on issues related to respect, dignity, cooperation and team work through a variety of classroom activities such as storytelling sessions and brainstorming sessions on dignity. The students also created a dignity tree where they shared their views and pledges. Various art activities were also held in classes such as making posters, thank you cards, badges, wristbands; designing symbols and writing slogans for dignity. Students performed various stage shows to instill a new, positive and interconnected sense of value in young people to guide them as they grow.

RAISING AWARENESS the students in Rahim Yar Khan Campus interacted with the local community in an effort to raise awareness about the universal right of every human being to lead a dignified life. They distributed specially designed fliers amongst the local community. In other campuses, students participated in a Peace Walks wearing hats, banners and badges of dignity slogans. One of the other highlight of the celebrations was a letter writing activity in which the students were asked to write a letter describing their thoughts on human dignity and how they plan to conduct themselves in a dignified way. DIGNITY TREE A dignity tree was created which consisted of students’ dignity pledges committing to a positive, realistic and dignified outlook on life. SHARING DIGNITY Schools and students invited guests from charitable organizations such as the SOS village, Dar-ul -Sukoon and Chippa Foundation to share what dignity meant to them and how everyone can do their part to make our society better. In the end, BSS students presented gift hampers to the visitors.

For students to realise the importance of leading a dignified life, a few of them were taken to KFC Khayaban-e-Rahat Branch on October 1. This KFC branch was chosen as the staff members there are unable to hear or speak. Students interacted with these staff members, communicating with them in sign language and asked questions as well, which were explained to them by the interpreter. Through this activity, the students realised an important thing: we can all lead a dignified life by earning for ourselves, looking for opportunities to follow rather than becoming a burden on others or considering life a burden because of an unfortunate disability.

INTERNATIONAL SUMMARIES

Countries

# of students

# of Teachers

# of staff

# of schools

295

13

and heads Malaysia, Oman, Bangladesh

3,561

450

Activity summary: Beaconhouse International Division branches took part in the Global Dignity Day events which were held in 13 branches. In total 4,305 students and faculty participated in the day’s festivities. Malaysia The festivities were officially begun by the school principal, who welcomed the students and shared the importance ad meaning of dignity and shared a presentation on Global Dignity Day. A Turkish folktale entitled ‘Guest of honour’ was presented as a script reading by the students sharing the true meaning of hospitality and to avoid being judgmental based upon physical appearance or status. This led to the performance of notable poems by the students.

“Not having dignity is unfair. There can be racism between cultures, nationalities and religions. We should not judge them with what we think.”

After the morning assemblies, the students returned to their classroom for activities. Teachers led in discussion on what is dignity, the dignity principles and shared their dignity stories. Students were asked to define dignity in their own words and also to share their dignity stories. Students opened up letters they had written to themselves and saw for themselves as to whether they had changed in anyway and whether they were able to achieve what they had decided on in 2012. Students also planned and wrote a play that addressed the theme of dignity and performed it for their peers. One of the plays mentioned the corruption farmers in Asian countries face due to illiteracy. The teachers asked the students to draw posters of their own personal concept of GDD. It was clear that everyone had developed his / her own idea of what the world meant. It was amazing how no two posters were alike.

Sharing Joyous Moments The wrap-up of the Dignity celebrations included visits to various homes by our students. We provided this opportunity for children to share and express their love, care and respect for others and at the same time help them to reflect on their own blessings. ‘Dignity’ Tree One of the preschools has invited their children to be involved in planting a ‘Dignity’ tree at their school. This tree represents our commitment to the dignity principles and vital values to live by for years to come. Finally to drive home the point of GDD, the students were asked to write a letter to themselves about the things that they will do ‘to live a life of dignity and to share a life of dignity’.

Oman The branch in Oman, participated in Global dignity day celebration with zeal. The celebrations started with morning assembly followed by various activities Students presented a skit based on the values of friendship by acting out Aesop’s Fable of Birds. The aim of this short skit was to promote friendship and appreciate the inherent differences amongst people. It also reinforced the concept of realizing that differences do exist amongst us, be it physical or behavioral differences, but it is of utmost importance to value and respect each other in spite of these difference and function as a cohesive unit. Logos Hope BSS Muscat celebrated Global Dignity Day by arranging for a trip to Logos Hope, a nonprofit organization based in Germany. The ships have become well-known for their floating book-fairs and have made over 1,400 port visits in over 160 countries and territories and have welcomed over 42-million visitors on board since 1970. BSS’s trip to Logos Hope was the perfect opportunity to inculcate a sense and concept of dignity in our young students. There are so many examples of successful professionals, who volunteer to work at this book fair and help spread a love for reading. These are people of dignity who deserve respect; hence BSS felt it was important that our students be exposed to such positive energy. Bangladesh BSS Dhaka celebrated the 6th Global Dignity day at their school premises on 9th of October, 2013. Activities conducted in classrooms where students brainstormed and discussed what dignity meant to them. In the end, the school principal gave a short speech on Global dignity day and its vision and handed out certificates of participation.

THE EDUCATORS

Cities and towns

# of students

# of Teachers

# of staff

# of schools

396

30

and heads Multan, Karachi, Faisalabad, Islamabad,

12,500

966

Chichawatni, Jaranwala, Phalia, Khurrianwala, Tandlianwala, Mandi Bahwuadin, Hujra, Shah Muqeen, and Tanda Mohammed Khan

Global Dignity Day is celebrated across the world on the third Wednesday of October to established and recognise the right of every human being to lead a dignified life. The Educators celebrated the day with enthusiasm & spread the word. Importance of Dignity Day was elaborated by different students through various activities. The day started with speeches on the importance of dignity. Speeches on different aspects of dignity, including the concept of Dignity, its importance and its objectives of celebrating. Awareness against discrimination (gender, nationality, language, religion, impairment, cast/creed etc) was spread. Students acknowledged the efforts of teachers and Junior staff and thanked them for their hard work. A role by the primary students was then performed on the dignity of the domestic staff. The teachers of the campus delivered some addresses on the mentioned topic to throw light on significance of "Global Dignity Day" for students. Students shared the definition of self-esteem. They also wrote promises and made resolutions for themselves on how they are going to behave or what they are going to do to improve themselves. Art activities included poster making creating friendship bands, badges, placards, head band, and cards emphasizing the importance of dignity.

Guest Speaker Dr Farzana Bari, a widely respected human rights activist and a professor at Quaid-e-Azam University, was invited to speak on issues such as crimes against women, particularly honour killings and the Hudood Ordinance, and to share her view of Dignity.

The Inner Conscious

D

ignity is the inner conscious within a person that helps them maintain their selfrespect, manners and appearance, as well as allowing them to respect their surroundings and society. When a person loses their respect by committing an act that is considered unethical. They lose their self-respect and become undignified. A person with no Dignity is not valued in society; almost as if they will not be respected by society if they do not respect themselves. This reminds me of the time when I was waiting for the bus on my way to school. I was at the bus stop waiting when I noticed a young boy beside me. His shirt was not tucked into his trousers, his hair was scruffy and on top of it all he was seemingly ill-tempered. I observed all of this as he was shouting at his mother over the phone. I immediately lost respect for him at that moment. Dignified people especially children, should not be disrespectful to their parents.

I believe it is human nature to respect everyone we see. If we see a stranger, we may not know who they are or what they do or where they are from, but there is always that barrier of respect unless, of course, it is tarnished by their actions. We do not just lose respect for someone for no reason, and if you apply this opinion to my situation, I lost a bit of respect for this young man over his appearance and the rest of it because of the way he was talking to his mother. Shortly after the bus arrived, almost fatefully we both realised we had forgotten our bus cards at home. I entered the bus and told the driver politely, ‚Sir, I forgot my bus card. Would you please let me on this time I will definitely remember my card tomorrow?‛ The bus driver gave me a faint smile along with a nod to signify that my request was accepted. When the other boy got in, however, he was confrontational and almost ordered the driver to let him on, without offering him the faintest bit of respect. And therein lies the rub.

Arslan Afzal (XI-C-Yellow) Palm Tree Campus Boys’ Branch, Gujranwala

Spirit

O

n October 9, the A Level students of FC Campus, Peshawar, decided to do a little more for Global Dignity Day than just making posters – which were beautiful, by the way.

‚What is Global Dignity Day?‛ you ask. It is a day to celebrate the universal right of every human being to lead a dignified life. What better way to work towards dignity than to indulge in a healthy discussion about it, and that is just what we did. Several AS and A2 students gathered in the library to take part in the panel discussion that had been organised in honour of the day with the aim of raising awareness among the youth. Under the guidance of A Level Headmistress Ms Samina Shinwari and Senior Mistress Ms Nusrat, we formed two groups representing Afghans and Pakistanis. The inspirations of our discussion were the Muhajir and Ansar in the times of the Holy Prophet PBUH. The importance of their genial actions towards each other and the lessons they hold should reflect in our actions in everyday life. Each group had a total time of 20 minutes to discuss, jot down points and come up with a suggestion to ensure dignity for every individual regardless of race, creed, religion or social status. As our discussion came to an end, each head representative spoke on behalf of their group. There was a common message in what they said, which was that we must strive to grant Dignity to all irrespective of skin colour, race, religion, status or nationality. Dignity is something every being has a right, which is why we did our part by countering any ignorance or discrimination against our fellow schoolmates. We may belong to different nations and backgrounds, but that is all the more reason to treat one another as nothing less than family. As best said in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: ‚All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and right. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.‛

Shandana Shah AS Levels FC Campus, Peshawar

Dignity It’s a Global Dignity day And you all have to do is stay Listen to what I say and that is to help each other everyday You should behave nice with others your sisters and brothers don’t forget your mother and father and bring the world together Everyone will have a heart of gold No one will be scolded Everyone will be told that no- one is alone and sold

Rameen Faisal, VI-B BSS F-11 Campus

A Visit to Alpina School

E

very year our school organizes special activities to emphasize the idea of dignity. This year

our plan included paying visit to different schools, panel discussion and walk bout dignity. Last year we went to ‘Bloomfield Hall’ school but this year we went to ‘Alpina School’ to give information about dignity day. We were warmly welcomed by the school’s headmistress. After introduction and small chit chat with headmistress, we were allowed to visit senior classes. We gave detailed information about dignity that according to universal human rights every person has the right to lead a dignified life. We also informed them of motives and targets of dignity day. We had several posters regarding dignity day that we gifted to head boy of the school. After returning from school, we organized a peaceful walk in the school in which our students of junior classes carried placards regarding dignity day and they also chanted the slogan of dignity day ,‛Dignity for all.‛ Aqib Sajjad Class Prefect IX C BSS Bahawalpur

Designed and developed by the Academics Department and Corporate Communications, Beaconhouse Group Head Office. All material included in the Dignity Magazine Vol II reflects actual events and details Global Dignity Day celebrations in the various Beaconhouse Regions and The Educators.

Edited by: Corporate Communications - Editing Section Compiled by: Academics Department - Learning Centre

Copyright Š 2013 - Beaconhouse. All rights reserved.

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