Global citizenship and sustainable living are two big concepts that are gaining traction in our increasingly globalized and interconnected world.
Organisations worldwide are beginning to reflect more deeply on the social and environmental impact of their actions on a global stage and look for solutions that can lead to a more sustainable future for all. In order to solve global problems, it is important to first understand how these issues filter down and connect to local and community issues – once connections can be found then it is possible to consider how making small changes in our own lives can lead to a much larger sum of change; therefore, helping to solve the larger problems impacting the world.
One of UISG’s core values is that of being ‘globally aware’. This awareness is, in essence, what global citizenship is about. It is a mindset where people see themselves as part of a global community and feel responsible for taking care of the people and environment within it. At UISG, we are proud of our diverse community and the opportunities provided to our students to learn about other cultures and explore diverse perspectives. These opportunities help them to develop thinking outside of their immediate environment and help them to consider alternative and new possibilities. Through service and action, our students identify ways to positively impact our community and develop critical thinking skills to solve problems.
On 10th – 11th May, the school had a special visit from a key global citizenship and sustainability expert, Mr. d’Arcy Lunn, who advocates for small and sustainable actions for change – or ‘teaspoons of change’ as he calls them. During his visit, d’Arcy spent time with teachers and students to help them understand the types of action they could take, which would most benefit the local and global community.
D’Arcy has been inspiring schools, governments, and organisations for the past 15 years, and has given hundreds of presentations and workshops to thousands of people worldwide. His non-profit organisation, Teaspoons of Change, provides an understanding of how the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can be integrated into vision, culture and daily practices, starting with small but significant changes. Further to this, d’Arcy has worked on the ground in development with UNICEF in South Sudan, Uganda, Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan and with donor countries. He has worked as a communications and youth facilitator with the WHO, the Gates Foundation and JUMP on the eradication of polio; created a project on simplicity and sustainability and built two tiny homes; initiated a polio program for schools (Polio Points) and completed a Master’s in Peace Studies in Japan with the Rotary Peace Fellowship. D’Arcy is also currently employed by the Dulwich College group of schools as the Head of Sustainability and Global Citizenship.
The two days of d’Arcy’s visit were highly inspiring, with many opportunities for the school community to learn in various ways. D’Arcy provided keynote presentations, workshops and one-to-one personalised guidance to students, teachers, and school administration teams. This has been particularly valuable for our students who are currently engaged in action through the PYP Exhibition, and Community and Service projects. With d’Arcy’s guidance, the students were able to make more sense of authentic connections to sustainable practices so that their chosen community action could be more impactful – leading to deeper reflection on global awareness.
The teaching team has also been greatly inspired by reviewing the curriculum and making meaningful changes for next year. We are thankful for d’Arcy’s time at our school, and the seeds of change he left behind. Mr. d’Arcy is a humble humanitarian — a man with pride and no prejudices.
Jonathan Harris
Assistant Head of Primary
IB PYP Coordinator
