Le Bilingue June 2015 by Student Journalism at Ecole Jeannine Manuel

IN THIS EDITION OF LE BILINGUE ÉCOLE JEANNINE MANUEL’S 60TH ANNIVERSARY – Chloe Caron….……………………………………………………..….p.4 LONDON, CULTURAL CAPITAL – Claudia Sinclair……………………………………………………..….p.7 ÉCOLE JEANNINE MANUEL OPENS ITS DOORS IN LONDON – Anh-Lise Gilbert…………………………………….……………..…p.10 INTERVIEW: M. ARIBIT, “TROIS LANGUES DANS LA BOUCHE” – Alice Bello...…..……………………………………………………... p.12

2015 SPRING COUTURE – Claudia Sinclair.…………… …………………………...……………p.15 HARVARD MODEL CONGRESS EUROPE – Louis Dunbar-Johnson.………………………………………...……p.17

POETRY BY HEART – Chloe Caron.………………...………… ……………………..……..p.19 NEW MOON, NEW YEAR –Claudia Sinclair.…………...………… …………………………….... p.20

BEHIND THE CURTAINS OF 24 HOUR PLAY – Jade Bienséant de Roose………………………...…………………p.22 GIVE MUSIC A SECOND CHANCE – Alice Bello…………………………………………………...………..p.25

A EUROPEAN WAR OF ATTRITION – Daniil Ukhorskiy ………………………………………………….......p.27

ÉCOLE JEANNINE MANUEL’S TH 60 ANNIVERSARY CHLOE CA RON

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Ecole Jeannine Manuel. Being both international and bilingual, the school now strives on, gaining achievement upon achievement with both the help of its community and its spirit. Upon the foundation of the school, being “bilingual” was not necessarily a popular idea; the founder of our school, Jeannine Manuel, herself Franco-American believed that being able to speak multiple languages would allow people to understand each other, not only in speech, but also in culture and in the more profound meaning of words. From learning to knowledge, knowledge to communication and communication to understanding; being bilingual is part of the essence of our school.

Founded by Jeannine Manuel in 1954, the school has evolved in various ways, however all along the journey of its development, Ecole Jeannine Manuel has kept the same objective, notably allowing students to thrive through education. Even though the school has continued to evolve both in method and approach, its international spirit has never faded. To commemorate the 60th anniversary of our school, Le Bilingue has chosen to interview several head teachers who are essential to our school, notably: Ms. Koncewicz, Ms. Brown, Ms. Burchill, Ms. Fauré and Ms. Zeboulon.

Together with the fact that the school is essentially bilingual, it is also international. Part of the school community, notably in the lycée, is composed of the IB. The choice to choose this curriculum is at the school’s core: it is international. The IB, being international, is used throughout the world, allowing the possibility for future education throughout the world. The IB, as stated by Ms. Brown:

However, why choose to be a bilingual school? It is widely known that English is a common language that facilitates communication and allows interaction throughout the world. Therefore, what better way than to bring this communication into the school’s core; allowing students to converse without limit, using knowledge of language not as an objective, but as a tool, a tool for success.

“encourages maturity in thinking”

Having a choice of subjects, the international baccalaureate allows a broad scope of learning where students have “more freedom to choose [their] direction”. Through this diversity, the IB in itself contributes to the international spirit of the school, a spirit also supported by the OIB and the French baccalaureate. Since its foundation, the school has developed over the years and is constantly changing to adapt to the needs of its students. In doing so it strives to be true to its origin project that is the essence of Ecole Jeannine Manuel. Some of the major changes lie in the essence of the school. It may be hard, today, to imaging how the school once was; however it is important to know how it has evolved. At first, the majority of the year groups were much smaller, hosting an average of 3 classes per year in comparison to our current 7 classes. Size was not the only change, but also technology which has improved by a significant amount these past few years. Over the years, new projects have been created to help students and improve the ever changing methods of learning. One of the major changes that the school has experienced is that of the change to 45 minute lessons. This allowed the introduction of office hours and workshops that constantly help pupils with their learning. Another key transformation has been that of the science department, which has been changed and readjusted to fit the school’s internationalism. Since its foundation, the school has also introduced various projects such as DEAR and the IGCSEs, all aiming to improve the learning environment. Major projects have also allowed the school to expand, notably the creation of the campus in Lille and the new campus in London. All of these changes have been to facilitate and expand our learning; to further facilitate learning, the school adapts itself based on scientific research on students around the world to find the best methods to teach children.

After many changes and striving to fulfill, the Ecole Jeannine Manuel’s objective, the school has now arrived at its 60th anniversary. Throughout these years, the international spirit has never died, only expanded and flourished. As cited by Ms Zeboulon, the school is international in its “DNA”, it is international “every hour, every minute” and it is not something we choose to be. It is something that our school is and “we live it” as said by Ms. Burchill. Furthermore, as confirmed by Ms. Brown, the school “definitely has an international spirit”, this can be seen in both the student and the teacher population that constitutes the 77 nationalities of the school. This internationalism is present throughout the school notably through the different curriculums (the OIB, the IB…), but also through the various lessons that are taught in different languages, for example history-geography that allows a range of different interpretations and cultures to emerge. Not only through internationalism, but also through its populace does the school achieve an interactive community where doors remain open to students who may communicate freely with teachers. Throughout the school, great trust is present between students and teachers, a valued bond that is necessary in any learning environment. The teachers also have their own favourite aspects of the school. One of the most valued characteristics of the school is its student population. The possibility to watch children mature and to interact with students is a valued experience to many teachers, “we cherish and we nourish the children”, says Ms. Brown. Another valued aspect is the freedom to “former un projet à son image”, as stated by Madame Fauré, this being possible through both the French baccalaureate and the IB.

The experience accumulated by working in the school is “99.9 % positive” (Ms. Fauré). For teachers, Ecole Jeannine Manuel is a place where “if you want to innovate, you can” (Ms. Brown), this allows a variety of engaging lessons where teachers can “teach what [they] love” and transmit their knowledge to the future generation, us. An additional advantage to working in the school has been the ability to see change and to see ideas become a reality, notably with the motto “make it happen” (Ms. Zeboulon). This ability to realize projects can be viewed through the mathematical program with the “chantier calcul” and the “concours Kangaroo” which has allowed students to widen their horizons in the mathematical world.

“conviction, engagement, réalisation” responds Ms. Zeboulon…

“Growth, Pleasure And satisfaction” states Ms Brown. After 60 years, Ecole Jeannine Manuel holds an essential place in our community. Many teachers hope for future success and happiness for the students who will utilise their talents and their skills to “be happy” (Ms Burchill) and “trust

The most memorable events underline the solidarity of the school. The D-Day commemoration in June 2011 may remain in some minds as “one of the most memorable events” for the school. Ecole Jeannine Manuel has held many other memorable events, notably the 1st graduation ceremony held this year, as well as other events that require the participation of students such as the fashion show and the talent show.

oneself, accept who you are, follow one’s road with determination and pleasure” (Ms Fauré). Support is omnipresent in our school community which thrives thanks to the participation of both students and teachers. On a final note to students:

“Faites que le rêve dévore votre vie, pas que la vie dévore votre rêve”

After having interviewed many teachers, we have gathered a collection of 3 words that sum up their experience at Ecole Jeannine Manuel.

(Ms Koncewicz, Saint Exupéry).

“A life experience” states Ms. Burchill…

“40 awesome years” affirms Ms. Fauré…

“enrichissante et énergique” answers Ms Koncewicz

LONDON, CULTURAL CAPITAL CLAUDIA SINCLAIR

London is a bustling city with endless sites to see and restaurants to enjoy. Here’s a quick review of a few of London’s treasured spots to try and visit next time you cross the Channel. Why London, of all places? Well, its link to our school is now more important than ever. London’s special link to our school

2. Sketch: A Michelin star restaurant in a

Ecole Jeannine Manuel London

unique setting that combines food, art and music. Drop by for afternoon tea to enjoy a rhubarb and raspberry cheesecake and Taiwan Oolong tea, or enjoy an exclusive lunch experience at The Glade where a handcrafted découpage forest surrounds you.

Opening in September 2015, Ecole Jeannine Manuel London is our third campus in the world now, following ours in Paris and the other in Lille. It is located in a beautiful area near Soho, The British Museum, and Lincoln’s Inn Fields. Feeling famished (or craving delicious food), I recommend:

1. The Good Life Eatery: Located in Chelsea, the restaurant’s simple setting with only 25 seats matches its simple menu that offers nutritious and tasty food. Healthy foods such as kale, quinoa, roasted sweet potato, goji berries and toasted walnuts are combined to create a delicious, energizing salad. If you’re looking for a wholesome drink to revitalise, the Pink Panther Superfood smoothie made up of fresh red berries, rice milk, avocado, baobab powder, oats and vanilla is sure to keep you feeling great.

Seating area at The Glade, Sketch, London

3. Chotto Matte: This restaurant offers Nikkei cuisine - an eccentric combination of Japanese and Peruvian food. Raw onion, limejuice and coriander are used abundantly to compliment the fish, chicken or smoked purple potato, but their crowning glory is the upstairs Robata Grill area where Japanese specialties such as hot pots and vegetables are served.

Fresh sushi at Chotto Matte, London

4. Scoop: Ice cream for dessert? Scoop

5. Boom Burger: Located on Portobello

uses no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives and serves everything from rich chocolate fondant to over fifteen intense fruit sorbets.

Road in Notting Hill, this tasty burger restaurant started by the creative idea of young, Jamaican-born British chef Josh, who uses spicy Caribbean flavours to make different and delicious burgers.

6. Kaffeine: For a quick refresh or laid back coffee break, New Zealand/Australian owned café Kaffeine offers rich and wellloved coffee. Located just a few minutes from Oxford Circus, it’s perfect to pop by for a great coffee and a sweet or savoury treat.

Sweet and savoury treats at Kaffeine, London

A unique movie experience

The Electric Cinema: Located in London’s carnival district Notting Hill, the Electric Cinema is one of the oldest movie theatres in the country and ensures a unique cinema experience with its velvet furniture and cashmere blankets. The Electric Diner has a speciality for sweet donuts.

Inside The Electric Cinema, London

An artsy afternoon

stationary, home ware and food.

1. Tate Modern: London’s Modern Art Rokit: This vintage clothing store started

Gallery is packed with exhibitions. Highlights are the EY Exhibition: Sonia Delaunay and the Nick Waplington/Alexander McQueen exhibition reveals the raw side of McQueen’s fashion through Waplington’s camera lens. Waplington captures the true essence of McQueen’s aesthetic and spirit in his widely acclaimed collection.

off as a market stall in Camden in 1986, but has since grown to four stores all over London. Their clothes are unique, environmentally friendly and allow you to select from trends over the decades.

2. Somorset House: A lovely place to spend the day no matter what the weather, Somorset house displays a range of multicultural, distinctive visual art. A collection of world globes at Portobello Market, London

And, of course, shopping. It can be difficult to know where to shop in a place like London, where advertisements and signs jumping out at you can make it difficult to carefully select what you’re looking for.

Rellik: Rellik, situated near Portobello Road, is an independently owned vintage boutique that sells clothing dating back to the 30s in relation with brands such as Vivienne Westwood and Comme des Garçons.

Portobello Market, London

Portobello Market: One of London’s most loved landmarks, there are over 1,000 dealers at Portobello Market selling unique goods. From their incredible wide range of antiques to food to fashion, you’re sure to find something you’ll love. Close up of colourful vintage pieces at Rellik, London

Westfield Stratford/London: In these shopping malls they have every clothing store you could imagine. From Adidas to American Apparel, to Mulberry to Michael Kors to Urban Outfitters, you are sure to find whatever you’re searching for. These malls are packed with stores selling books,

ÉCOLE JEANNINE MANUEL OPENS ITS DOORS IN LONDON ANH-LISE GILBERT

A great thank you to Mrs. Bosc and Mrs. Prévot for collaborating on this article.

In our school's 60th anniversary, change has been on the agenda. First with the change of name and as we enter into Spring 2015, celebrations are still ongoing: École Jeannine Manuel was proud to announce the inauguration of its new school in London.

Petit Journal mentioned the school's interest of having so few children in the beginning was to value the child's education; it will grow within the next three years. The school’s board is hoping to add 8th to 12th graders until then to reach the anticipated number of 1300 students, but unlike Ecole Jeannine Manuel Lille, boarding school seems to be out of the question. And who knows, perhaps one day students from Ecole Jeannine Manuel London will be able to transfer to Ecole Jeannine Manuel Paris and vice versa, depending mostly on the availability of each school.

Mrs. Manuel had been a fervent member of the Resistance during World War II and a war refugee in London, so the launch of another École Jeannine Manuel there seemed an obvious choice, and Bedford Square is to be its home. It will launch a program from pre-school to 7th grade in September 2015, already welcoming around 200 students.

The opening of this school is seen by many as one of the greatest opportunities to prepare students for college at an early school

Mme Zeboulon's recent appearance in Le school

stage. The admissions are very selective, opportunities to prepare students for college at an early stage. The admissions are very selective: only the best student profiles are accepted, even if the candidates are admittedly still very young. But like all the best schools in the world, everything comes at a price. From L’Étudiant who interviewed Céline Bezioua, Ecole Jeannine Manuel’s communications representative, London’s school fees would reach around 20 700 euros a year. She explains life in the capital is indeed more expensive than in any other city. Indeed, Mrs. Prévot taking care of the Ecole Jeannine Manuel London Project has confirmed the new school will be more expensive than in Paris, but still, “the demand is considerable given the number of French people living in London”, assures Mrs. Bezioua. Luckily, our school has decided to also apply its method of scholarships for certain students; again this seems to be another way of following the “college movement” to prepare students for the best! But students whether they are French, British or of a different nationality, will not be the only ones affected by the opening of the Ecole Jeannine Manuel in London. Indeed, recruiting excellent teachers has always been an important part to carry on our school’s international mission. It has been confirmed that French teachers will be of Frenchmother-tongue, either already living in Great Britain or coming from France. English teachers will be native English speakers from the UK, USA and all over the world, just like at Ecole Jeannine Manuel in Paris. Last but not least, the head department seems to envision a bright future for Ecole Jeannine Manuel’s opening in London, and as another great opportunity to pursue its mission abroad. So wait and see, London here we come!

INTERVIEW M. ARIBIT

TROIS LANGUES DANS MA BOUCHE ALICE BELLO

Très apprécié par ses élèves, Frédéric Aribit a sorti son premier roman au mois de janvier. En plein dans le milieu de la langue, une dont M. Aribit détient un léger accent qui laisse parfois ses élèves se demandant ce qu’il a bien pu dire, Trois langues dans ma bouche est une représentation exemplaire et intrigante du pays basque, de la vie et de la mort. Le Bilingue retrouve M. Aribit avec plusieurs questions sur la parution de son roman. AB : Qu’est ce qui vous a donné envie de raconter cette histoire en particulier? FA : Ça fait longtemps que je voulais raconter cette histoire, une histoire en tout cas autour de cette question des langues, autour de quelqu'un qui perd sa langue maternelle, d'enfance. Ensuite, des années plus tard, à l’âge adulte, il va se souvenir par morceaux, par bribes, de cette langue qui va revenir. Cette histoire touche mon histoire personnelle avec la langue basque, car il se trouve en plus que cette langue était aussi menacée de disparition à un moment. C'était donc une manière de se confronter au moment quand on commence à rentrer dans l’âge adulte, à la prise de conscience de la mort des gens qu'on a autour de soi.

Alice Bello: Avez-vous toujours voulu être professeur de français ? Quelle autre profession auriez-vous voulu faire sinon ? Frédéric Aribit : Je n'ai jamais voulu être professeur de français, mais les professions artistiques dont l'écriture et la musique m’intéressent beaucoup. Pour l'instant je suis très content d'être dans cet établissement, mais on verra bien. AB : Aviez-vous toujours voulu être écrivain ? FA : Ça fait très longtemps que j'écris. J'ai publié des nouvelles à droite à gauche, mais je n'ai jamais eu la chance d'avoir un roman édité par un grand éditeur. Le mois dernier, Trois langues dans ma bouche, le premier roman de M. Aribit, a fait sa parution. Ce roman raconte l’histoire d’un homme du pays basque qui, à âge adulte, redécouvre sa langue maternelle en revisitant les nombreux évènements marquants de son

AB : Vous venez vous-même du Pays basque et parlez le basque. Vous êtes-vous inspiré de votre propre vie dans la création du intéressant 10

personnage principal? FA : Je ne parle pas le basque... Je l'ai parlé quand j'étais petit, et c'est justement toute la question du livre, comment on se retrouve avec le souvenir d'une langue qu'on a connue et qu'on a oubliée. Je pense qu'ici à l'école bilingue, c'est quelque chose qui doit résonner chez beaucoup d'élèves, parce qu’ils viennent souvent d'un autre pays ou de pays lointain et sont ensuite plongés dans une autre culture, même c’est un peu particulier pour le pays basque. On a cette langue qui reste au fond de soi, qui est une langue qu'on a parlé avec ses parents ou avec ses grands-parents, ce qui me concerne. Un autre aspect intéressant de la langue basque est toute l'histoire politique des années 1980 à 2000, avec la sortie du franquisme en Espagne, avec les attentats qui y ont eu lieu pendant une vingtaine d'années. J’ai voulu raconter ce point de vue. AB : Si je ne me trompe pas, le nom du narrateur, le personnage principal, n’est jamais révélé. Y’a-t-il une raison particulière pour laquelle vous l’avez omis ? FA : J’ai eu beaucoup de scrupules à mettre des noms fictifs, donc j’ai décidé de ne pas lui en donner. En tout cas, j'ai essayé de me débrouiller entre le fictif et la réalité. Bien sûr, après qu’il soit sorti, on se fait la remarque : « tiens on aurait peut-être du faire autrement ». Sur le moment, je l'ai écrit à la première personne et j'avais envie d'assumer cette première personne. Dans ma tête c'était un roman, mais c'est forcement très proche de l'autobiographie. AB : Il y a un chapitre en particulier que j’ai beaucoup aimé où vous exprimez toutes les façons différentes dont votre personnage principal pourrait mourir. Est ce que la mort vous obsède ? FA : Au départ, je n'avais pas du tout écrit chapitre

chapitre-là, mais plutôt un chapitre qui faisait la collection de toutes les morts célèbres. Des gens très célèbres sont morts de manière complètement idiote, et c'est à mourir de rire. Barberousse s’est noyé sur le dos de son cheval dans une rivière après avoir essayé de la traverser avec son armée en ferraille, ce qui l’a empêché de nager. Diderot s'est étouffé avec une miette de pain, ce qui parait absurde quand on est un grand philosophe. Au départ, j'avais écrit un chapitre avec des traits de ce genre, puis j’ai réalisé que ce sont des choses qu’on voit partout de nos jours. Je n’en ai pas vu l'intérêt, don j'ai décidé d’écrire toutes ces morts-là. Dans un article qu’il a écrit dans le Figaro sur le roman, Frédéric Beigbeder commente ce chapitre en disant que vivre finalement, c'est échapper à plein de morts possibles qui pourraient nous arriver tous les jours. C'est comme si le personnage avait lui-même échappé à toutes les morts possibles, comme cette langue qui a failli mourir à un moment, mais qui finalement ne meurt pas. AB : La langue joue un rôle très important dans votre roman. Est ce que le fait de travailler dans une école internationale a influencé votre perception de la langue ? FA : Lorsque je vois la manière dont les élèves ici arrivent à jongler avec énormément de spontanéité, de rapidité entre deux, trois langues - certains même plus que trois langues - je suis sidéré. Cette gymnastique, cette souplesse, cette facilité que vous avez me stupéfie. Je suis justement et d'une génération, et d'une origine où on n’était pas capable de faire ça. C'est quelque chose qui m'intrigue énormément, de savoir dans quelle langue vous rêvez, dans quelle langue vous aimez, quelles langues vous sont plus intimes. Je vous regarde faire, donc ça me questionne encore...

AB : Depuis combien de temps travailliezvous sur ce projet ? FA : J’ai commencé juste après avoir publié un essai en 2012 sur le surréalisme. L’écriture m’a mis environ un an et demi.

cours, au secours! ». J'espère que ça n'a pas choqué trop de gens... J'ai de très bons retours de la part des élèves qui ont été formidables et qui sont même venus à la signature. J'ai beaucoup d'élèves qui m'envoient des mots pour me dire ce qu'ils ont pensé du livre. J'ai en plus des très bons retours des parents d'élèves avec lesquels j'en ai discuté. Les collègues sont super aussi, et ont beaucoup accompagné ce projet, c'est un vrai plaisir !

AB : Comment avez-vous trouvé le temps d’écrire, entre votre vie privée et votre vie professionnelle ? FA : J'ai une femme qui est très présente a la maison, ce qui me permet d’écrire le soir et pendant les vacances. De toutes les façons, quand on écrit, on est obligé de se donner du temps, car dans la vie quotidienne, on a toujours des bonnes raisons de faire autre chose, toujours mieux à faire. Si on veut faire quelque chose, il faut s'y mettre, on n'a pas le choix. AB : Que peut-on vous souhaiter avec la parution de votre roman ? FA : Que ça marche très bien ! Pour l'instant ca marche plutôt bien. J'ai beaucoup de presse et j'ai des bons retours, et pourvu que ça dure! AB : Avez-vous d’autres projets d’écriture en tête ? FA : Les suivants projets sont déjà lancés. On m'a proposé de participer à un livre collectif avec plusieurs écrivains où nous allons faire la réécriture des contes de Perrault pour laquelle on a carte blanche. Il y a onze contes et il y aura onze écrivains. Suite à ça, je suis en train d'écrire un nouvel essai sur André Breton, que je vais faire paraitre à l'automne prochaine. Le prochain roman arrive après et portera sur la musique. AB : La vraie question demeure : est ce que vos élèves et collègues ont lu votre roman ? FA : Oui, malheureusement pour certains... Ça m'amuse parce que je vois effectivement les élèves de lycée le lire, mais ce n'est pas un livre pour enfants. Pour certains ça me gène un peu quand je vois les élèves de collège qui l’ont à la main, je me dis « au se

Trois langues dans ma bouche, le premier roman de Frédéric Aribit, est disponible à l’Émile. Si vous souhaitez soutenir un des nos professeurs de l’École Jeannine Manuel tout en faisant la lecture d’un roman fascinant, n’hésitez pas à en faire l’achat !

2015 SPRING COUTURE CLAUDIA SINCLAIR

As the latest runway season for Autumn/Winter 2015/2016 has come to a close, it is time to review some of the extraordinary collections that made up the Spring 2015 Couture season, which took place from January 25-29. Tuesday 27 January: Chanel The Chanel Couture Spring Fashion Show can only be described as a garden, an Eden of Haute. The 300 flowers that decorated the set alone took 6 months to make. Each look revealed a new vibrant petal, ranging from orange, then yellow, pink, red and Yves Klein blue. Some looks were composed of long jackets leading down to a mini skirt, and another popular silhouette was a cropped jacket over slightly low-slung skirts, baring a lot of skin in the model’s mid-section. Lagerfeld had previously stated in a preview,

“The stomach is free. It’s the new cleavage.” The intricately crafted adornment of each piece brought magic to the runway. Laces, embroidered tweeds, plastered linens, and more brought discreet touches to the collection that would leave with an impact. The show ended with a breathtakingly elaborate wedding dress. Both romantic and modern, the gown was assembled with more than 3,000 components. Its shortsleeved top was entirely sequinembroidered, and the long train that understanding

appeared to be a bed of flowers had each petal was sewn on by hand. The pristine composition of materials consisted of curls,, rhinestones and pearls. The show ended with a breathtakingly elaborate wedding dress. Both romantic and modern, the gown was assembled with more than 3,000 components. Its shortsleeved top was entirely sequinembroidered, and the long train that appeared to be a bed of flowers had each petal was sewn on by hand. The pristine composition of materials consisted of chiffon, organza, iridescent white plastic curls, rhinestones and pearls. In all, the exquisite detailing such as the fringing, floral trims and unique suit proportions brought together a lavish collection that combined style and substance to create a truly extravagant and unforgettable show.

Saab paid homage to his native country saying it was the bucolic theme of home and the reoccurring image of his mother’s black silk dress printed with tulips that inspired his Spring Couture collection. He presented a stunning collection of graceful dresses with brilliantly executed draping and embellishment. One of my all time favourite designers, Saab continued to impress with beautifully adorned, sheer pieces which really stole the show. The flowy gowns, evoking a sense of running watercolour florals, were embroidered with lace detailing, covering enough for a modest look but also accentuating femininity, as did Valentino, by drawing attention to the neck and collarbones. Some styles had sheer panelling up to the neck, while others were cut to a low V-neck or fell to the shoulders. Made to look simple, although extremely difficult to engineer to perfection, the draping also showed off the shoulders and legs of the model in a classy way.

Bouchra Jarrar

Wednesday 28 January: Valentino and Elie Saab Valentino’s elegant looks were inspired by Russia and the theme of love. Their inspiration board showed quotes from Shakespeare, parts of Dante’s Inferno and the works of Marc Chagall. The styling was sweet and simple, with flushed cheeks and minimal makeup, no doubt a trend this spring. Subtle blouses were made unique in the synched detailing such around the collar. The collection was made bold through quilted pieces and leather detailing appliquéd to rough-hewn linen. Quilted red velvet and strappy black velvet were at the heart of the collection. The first look to go onto the runway, a black floor length dress immediately drew focus to the fitted bodice that resembled wings. Each look drawing attention to the neck and collarbones, Valentino’s Spring Couture collection emphasised a delicate, yet bold femininity. Greatly influenced by the 60’s in Beirut, lovely

HARVARD MODEL CONGRESS EUROPE LOUIS DUNBA R-JOHNSON

Madrid, Spain. Harvard Model Congress Europe (H.M.C.E.) is a United Nations and congress simulation organized by undergraduate students at Harvard for high school students to get a taste of what the world of diplomacy and international relations. More than just a simple taste, we got thrown into the lives of diplomats, lawyers and politicians for the most intense 72 hours of our lives! Upon arrival, excitement and an adrenaline filled the air. Likeminded people of the same age coming from a plethora of different backgrounds and cultures swarm in and introductions are quickly made. It is incredible how every individual brings their own, personal creative insight on a range of topics from obesity and healthcare, to nuclear energy and the environment and many more all under the name of the theme of the conference, “Every Voice Matters” When further asked for an opinion on unlucky circumstances in which people are restrained by economic, social and political situations, to which her answer was: “ Their voices have to matter, you have to be their voices until they can bring their own to the table”; which really set the tone for the atmosphere of the rest of the conference. Committees endorsed free speech and the sense that every opinion mattered in a way to find a compromise that would capture and respect all voices regardless of their status. We left our École Jeannine Manuel WORLD

students mask and took on the roles of representing the people of Ukraine, the children in Nigeria, the women in Syria and others also struggling to find their voice in our world. When it came to finding resolutions to restore relative international peace, we felt beyond our teenage years, and submerged in the world of a diplomatic congress. The conference kicked off with an inspiring speech by American politician Christine Quinn with the title of first female and first openly gay speaker of the New York City Council. Her lecture was exceptional, recounting all the struggles she went through to get her voice heard. A particularly poignant quote and phrase that was left overshadowing the conference, “You’re going to have to work past your wildest dreams to get your voice heard”. The Harvard body kindly steered the conference in a way that both allowed individual thinking, a constant challenge and support as well as being open to any questions we had about college. Along with this, the other students were a joy to work with- unlikely friendships were even made between the delegates of Israel and Palestine! Again, the truly wonderful and stimulating experience was really exceptional. This is all made departure day very hard- leaving behind the remains of one of the most well spent weekends of our lives!

Prior to the conference Eva Goldshlager (right), a 1ère IB student, was able to contact the U.S. State Department to ask them if they had any information that might be of use to her for HMCE, as she was to be part of the National Security Council in the conference and represented John Kerry. On her return, she received a letter from Antony Blinken, Deputy Secretary of the US, second in charge after Kerry who actually happened to be an École Jeannine Manuel alumni! He saluted Eva for her participation on such an event and accentuated the importance of cooperation and what was being achieved at the conference. Although the conference is over, the acquired knowledge and overall experience was too memorable to be forgotten! To next year!

CHLOE CA RON

Writing, reading and reciting poems is common in our school, notably in our English classes. For this year’s Poetry by Heart, Ecole Jeannine Manuel decided to host the event! described as a boost for their confidence.

Before the February holidays, students from both 3ème and 2nde classes participated in preliminaries to decide who would advance to the finals and confront 6 other schools in the “Poetry by Heart: France” contest. The finals took place on Saturday the 21st of March, where finalists read out their chosen poems; one from pre-1918 and another from post-1918. Each contestant chose to interpret the poem in which ever way they wanted: with despair, anger, energy... the range of possible emotions is wide. Poetry by Heart was originally an English concept, where schools from all over the country came together to hold the competition. Each school selects two finalists and two "back-up" finalists per year group, aged between 14 and 18. In our school, these were Morgane Ropion, Tess Aubert (3ème), Jina Lee and Louis Sergeant (2nde), all blind judged for the final competition . Although this competition was optional for 2nde students, it was obligatory for 3èmes, allowing them to present a poem in front of an audience and a jury. The finalists clearly expressed the positive experience they had gained from the event, which they fro

The poems, lengths ranging from a short stanza to an entire page, expressed various emotions. While listening to these recitations, the audience often reported having felt shivers as the tone used fit the poem perfectly.

While some may say that having to speak in front of a large audience is frightening, others believe it is a good opportunity; even if you stumble or forget your words, the essence of the competition was to show the beauty of poetry. Following the event's success, Ecole Jeannine Manuel seems ready to host this event again and hopefully with more schools and students involved.

NEW MOON, NEW YEAR CLAUDIA SINCLAIR

The Chinese New Year of the Ram, or Sheep, began on February 19th, 2015. This is said to be a year of promise and prosperity. Chinese New Year, also named “Spring Festival”, is a worldwide festival which is celebrated as the most important time of year throughout many Asian countries. Dating back over 4,000 years, it is alternatively known as the Lunar New Year, and is determined by the lunisolar Chinese calendar. This usually falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice, which occurs in the 11th month. According to legend, the beginning of Chinese New Year originates from the mythical beast called the Nian (also known as Year). This is the dragon/lion that parades around in cities all over the world around this time of year. The Nian would come every New Year to eat livestock, but especially children. The villagers began to put food outside their houses in order to protect themselves. Its weaknesses were loud noises and the colour red, hence the red paper and firecrackers that are found on almost every doorstep where a sizable Chinese population resides. Hence, the Nian was scared off and never returned. There are many interesting superstitions that come with the New Year. These include avoiding buying shoes around the holiday to ensure safe travel by sea, as the word in Cantonese is a homonym for “rough”, and eating candies to deliver a sweeter year. It is also said that opening your home's windows and the colour red LOVE

will bring good luck. Oranges and tangerines are also symbolic of good fortune, as they sound similar to the words “wealth” and “luck”. The bright orange colour also symbolizes gold. Peanuts represent the promise for a long life, lychee nuts strong family and peach blossoms for prosperity throughout life. Before the New Year, it is traditional to clean your house, symbolic of removing the old and welcoming the new. Cutting your hair and taking a bath are also regarded as symbolic for this "cleansing" at the end of the year. Afterwards, predominantly red and gold decorations will ornament houses and doors. The character “Fú”, meaning fortune or good luck, is printed on paper that is hung upside down. This is based on wordplay, as the words “upside down” (dào) is homophonous to “arrive”, therefore the phrase would render “Good luck arrives”. Duilian, a Chinese couplet, lanterns and paper crafts are other popular New Year decorations. This year, I was lucky enough to be able to travel to Taiwan for this special time of year. As well as being a traditionally important time to honour ancestors, it is the unity of family that is recognized to be at the heart of this holiday. However, Chinese New Year traditions can vary greatly across Asia. On February 18th, 2015, families all over Taiwan reunite to eat New Year’s Eve dinner together at home. This is considered to be the focal point of the CELEBRATION 18

Fish and dumplings are the most commonly served dishes – they signify prosperity. Other dishes, which may depend on personal preference, include rice, minced pork, Hainanese chicken and guabao. Afterwards, the shou sui takes place.

All of these festivities are done to celebrate rich Asian history associated with family and religion, as well as welcome Spring. My trip was made truly unforgettable by the liveliness and welcoming sense of community that could be traced to every street in Taiwan.

Family members will reminisce about the year and wish each other prosperity and good fortune by saying “Gong Xi Fa Cai”. Like Christmas in the West, gifts are also exchanged. Parents and grandparents give red envelopes containing money to the children. The amount of money must be symbolically even, as odd numbers also the number 4 are associated with death. Throughout the night, fireworks can be heard from all around. Firecrackers are usually strung on a long fused string and are known for their incredibly loud popping noise. The burning of firecrackers represents joy and is an essential aspect of the celebration. Chinese lanterns, symbolic of light and love, are released into the night sky.

BEHIND THE CURTANS OF THE

24 HOUR PLAY JADE BIENSÉANT DE ROOSE

This year, a new activity was proposed to students: the 24-hour play. Like its’ name indicates, it consists of putting on a show for an audience in the restriction of a day. These refreshing performances are a combination of dedicated work and fun which reflect on our modern society with humor, sometimes touching at sensitive subjects (death, consumerism…). They demand a lot of hard work and passion by the cast and crew who include writers, actors, directors, helpers… This hobby was founded by two premiere international students who love theatre: Anik Bernstein and Mathilde Bienséant de Roose. who were helped by Emma Gabola and Sarah Kesha. As I chatted down with them, they revealed to me where this idea came from:

“It actually came from my sister. She informed me that her college, amongst others, offered this activity and I thought it was a really cool idea! I decided to talk about it to Mathilde and Sarah and it all snowballed from there.” –Anik They also shared the process of creating a new CAS option.

“Well first, we had to propose the idea to Madame Koncewitz and make sure that she validated our request. After that, we needed a responsible adult to supervise this student-led activity and David Zeboulon kindly accepted” –Mathilde Anik continued:

“Then came the planning for the shows: we first set a date, making sure that it worked for as many people as possible, and then booked the theater room for the day of the performance, while making sure to inform the security people. However we weren’t able to be in school the whole time and so we arranged meeting places such as the cast home’s for the writers at night and for repetitions in the morning.” “Yes, we meet up a week before to discuss a general theme. The first play we ever did was in Novembre and it was experimental. We had a small cast and the spectacle only lasted 20 minutes and there was a lack of organization. Nevertheless, we learned from these minor mistakes and now the productions have increased in size and are better organized.” –Mathilde

Nevertheless, we learned from these minor mistakes and now the productions have increased in size and are better organized, “Mathilde replied. This year there have been three plays: one in November, one in January and one in March. I have seen and even participated in most of them. The first one was a dark themed story following the inner demons of a group of people faced with the death of a friend. The second one centered on the famous English serial killer: Jack the Ripper. Lastly, the most recent strayed from the darker subjects: a modern twist to three of our childhood’s fairytales (Beauty and the beast, Little red riding hood, and Snow white). I also got the chance to interview two important pillars of this group: Kyla Smith (2nde Int) and Emma Gabola (1re Int).

had done it at our old school and said she had a lot of fun staying up all night with her friends to create some very strange plays” –Kyla They also shared some tips with me on how to be a successful play-writer. Kyla informed:

“After 3 plays, I found what I think is the best formula to writing a play in such a short amount of time. You have to first build the plot or the characters (whichever is better for you to create the other with first), once you have done one the other comes fairly easily. Have an outline for the play in its entirety then make detailed accounts for what happens in each scene and only then convert it into a script format.” –Kyla Emma added:

I asked Emma to describe the 24 hour play in a few sentences and she said:

“It's a student run activity, where we write, stage and perform a play all in 24 hours! We usually decide on a theme in advance, so that our team of writers can have the script written as early as possible for the actors to memorize and the directors to stage.” –Emma

“As a writer, I personally cannot work without a strong plan, and some well fleshed out characters. If you know your characters well, and exactly what happens in each scene, the dialogue will come on it's own. As for an actor, I would just try to make sure that everything you do has purpose. Ask yourself what your character wants in the play in general, in each scene, in each line.” –Emma I also had the chance to speak with some new actors, both in Seconde International: Itzel Aguilera and Julie Baird-Smith.

Later Kyla affirmed:

“I wanted to participate in the 24 hour play because it came highly recommended to me by my sister. She love

“I heard about the 24 hour play through the CAS presentation at the beginning of the year” expressed Julie and Itzel stated that she knew about it “Mainly used to understand 21

discuss it there”. When I questioned about plans for the future, Anik replied:

“Unfortunately, my co-organisers and I will be very busy next year with our deadlines for the IB, but a lot of 1ere students have voiced their enthusiasm and told me who much they would like to join next year. So I am sure we will find people willing and capable to take over for us. We may still participate in ashow, but for the most part, we will be occupied with schoolwork. We do hope that a lot of people will join, and we are confident that this will be the case as we have seen the increase of popularity over time.” –Anik

The future is assured! If you are interested in participating in the next 24 hour play or are curious, you can contact the admins by email. “We also have a Facebook group and this is a great activity for those who love theatre or who want to gain more confidence. You discover yourself and learn new skills while having a great time! It is a a lot of pressure but really exciting” stated Mathilde. As a last question, I ask each member to describe the experience with a few words. Here are the results:

“Different, (a bit) stressful, fun” -Julie “Fun, tiring, entertaining” -Kyla

Emma added:

“Challenging, abnormal, unexpected” -Itzel

“I think that what we've learned since the beginning is that splitting the play into multiple acts or scenes makes it easier to organize. I think in the end its usually small technical issues like that that end up limiting us.” –Emma

“Rigorous, liberating, fun” -Anik “Pressure, exciting, discovery” -Mathilde

Some of the cast has already spoken of their return such as Kyla who told me that “I

would like to do it next year because not only is it a great source of CAS hours, but I also had a lot of fun and it has helped me build on my creative abilities” and Julie said that it “depended on the theme”.

“Adrenaline, exceptional, adapt” -Jade

Thank-you so much to all the members who were kind enough to respond to my questions. We hope that some of you will be interested to join or see the next show.

Itzel will probably be returning as well

“because its really nice to work intensely for an immediate, pleasing result. We did have a lot of fun in rehearsals and I found myself liking the hectic aspect of it.”

GIVE MUSIC A SECOND CHANCE ALICE BELLO

On a Sunday afternoon in Belgium, I found myself listening to Lukas Pairon, the founder of Music Fund. My presence in the suburbs of Brussels was an unexpected surprise, but thirty seconds into listening to Mr. Pairon suddenly made the whole event completely worthwhile. For the occasion of Music Fund’s 10-year anniversary, a conference was held for Mr. Pairon to recount the last decade of his international adventure. In 2005, Lukas Pairon founded Music Fund, a charity that collects instruments and trains music technicians in war-torn and developing countries. The project started in Belgium in 2004, though its first actual gift of instruments took place in the winter of 2005-2006. At this time, Mr. Pairon had collected a large amount of instruments, a sufficient amount for him to finally set out to deliver them to people in need.

drive to Palestine to personally deliver the instruments. As the instruments were distributed in music schools, a new problem arose. A lack of instruments in these countries would account for a lack of specialists capable of repairing and tuning these tools. This resulted in Music Fund expanding their horizons, creating several workshops in a number of music schools in Europe to train these technicians. Ten years later, Music Fund has implemented its program in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and in Maputo, capital of Mozambique. In Kinshasa, Music Fund has paired with a group of ex-criminals, who have renounced to their old way of life to explore the benefits of music.

The destination chosen wasn’t exactly the easiest to access, as the first shipment was scheduled to be sent to Palestine and Israel. Taking an enormous leap of faith and perhaps a slightly mad decision, Mr. Pairon and a team from Music Fund proceeded to rent a truck and LOVE

Although we may associate these musical instruments such as the piano, violin, and cello to classical music, Mr. Pairon was quick to assure us that Kinshasans have approached music in their own way, even going so far as to play a violin as if it were a cello.But isn’t that the beauty of music though? That with instruments that can be found in most of the world, every person approaches it in a unique manner, that in the end, results in the same end-product. In 2013, Mr. Pairon and Khamis Abu Shaaban, the administrator of Gaza’s music school, were making a list of all the pianos in Gaza, one of the first locations Music Fund gave to. Rumors had sprouted that a piano could be found in the Nawras Theatre. Their intuition led them to the Theatre, only to find not only a piano, but a three-quarter size concert grand piano amidst the rubble. The grand piano was quickly restored with the help of Claire Bertrand, a restorer who ended up changing the piano’s 88 keys and 230 strings. This incredible feat was documented in a documentary made by the BBC, the United Kingdom’s publicservice broadcaster. A certain sentence struck a chord with me -excuse the pun- when I watched the documentary. A young girl who resided in Gaza, perhaps just a few years younger than I, stated that “music might not build you a house, or may not give you your loved ones back, but it makes you feel better.” A truer sentence could not have been spoken. Although I haven’t the slightest idea of what the individuals playing Music Fund’s instruments in Gaza are going through, what we have in common is the universal bond of music. Our issues are different, but in the end both of us use music as an escape. Music Fund is providing

providing instruments to thousands of individuals in areas of conflict, and in doing so, giving them the possibility to flee the harm that surrounds them. Music Fund is open to all donations that can help their project spread, possibly in Madagascar within a few years. Donations can be made at musicfund.eu. In the words of Music Fund itself, give music a chance.

A EUROPEAN WAR OF ATTRITION DANIIL UK HO RSK IY

Fragile cease-fire gives relief to civilians, but the conflict in Ukraine is far from over.

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BRUSSELS – Officials from Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany agree to enforce a cease-fire in Eastern Ukraine. After months of fighting, civilian casualties are catastrophic as is damage to Ukrainian infrastructure. However, the West seems divided on further action to end the crisis in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Ukraine struggles with an economic meltdown, initiated by corruption and the loss of important industrial territories in eastern Ukraine as well as an extremely expensive war effort. The West is providing billions of dollars in loans and aid to help Petro Poroshenko in exchange for increasingly important demands such as economic

economic reform. Now, the international community waits in fear, certain that the Ukraine crisis is bound to erupt once more, endangering the delicate relations between Russia and the West. The question on how to act remains for the EU and US, whether with sanctions or militarily. Former presidential foreign policy advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski went on the record before the ceasefire saying that the only possible solution would be to send arms to aid Ukraine. He now believes that Russia will, despite avoiding direct military confrontation, pursue an aggressive policy toward Ukraine that will result in total economic collapse – and the waste of US aid money. Many others are speculating on what will become of Ukraine in the following months; although fighting is at an all-time low since the cease-fire, skirmishing continues around Mariupol, considered to

be the next target of the Russian-backed separatists. The flow of weaponry to the rebels has not stopped since the cease-fire, with NATO reporting “disturbing elements of air defence, command and control, resupply and equipment coming across a completely porous border”. Ole Solvang, senior researcher in the emergencies division of Human Rights Watch, has visited Ukraine several times to conduct research on human rights violations. He believes that a hasty conclusion to the Ukraine issue is unlikely, no matter the outcome. Another frozen conflict is possible, resembling Georgia or Moldova. Eastern Ukraine will become a self-declared pseudo-nation, locked in a struggle for independence from Ukraine. The consequence for Ukraine could be severe. Like Georgia, it will be restricted from joining the EU or NATO and if the government is unable to repair the faltering economy its people will suffer greatly.

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EDITOR IN CHIEF ANH-LISE GILBERT (2 ND S)

CONTRIBUTORS ALICE BELLO (2 ND S) JADE BIENSÉANT DE ROOSE (2 ND INT) CHLOE CARON (2 ND INT) LOUIS DUNBAR-JOHNSON (2 ND INT) ANH-LISE GILBERT (2 ND S) CLAUDIA SINCLAIR (2 ND INT)

SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR DANIIL UKHORSKIY (2 ND S)

COVER ANH-LISE GILBERT (2 ND S)