Round Square

Day 1: The Conference Has Begun! The following day commenced with the formal opening ceremony where delegates witnessed lighting of the ceremonial lamp, flag bearing march by participant schools and cultural performance by the host school. Next, they listened to the intriguing Keynote Speech by Dr. Pramath Sinha, who helped delegates analyse the Sanskrit phrase "Vasudeva Kutumbakam", to elaborate on the significance of how diverse cultures represent individual threads when woven together create one beautiful tapestry called the world.

Into their first Baraza session, the delegates used their critical thinking and transfer skills to decode the meaning of 'Internationalism' listening to multiple perspectives in their groups. They played many icebreaker games to get to know their peers in their barazas. Delegates experienced Haryanvi culture and overcame their fears on thrilling rides and obstacle adventure games at the Vishalgarh farms. They enjoyed the folk dances, a magic show, and puppet shows that introduced them to vibrant Haryanvi culture, a truly exhilarating experience for the DAIS delegates. As the day ended, the delegates were sure that they would be embracing the Round Square Ideal of "Adventure" along this journey!

Day 2: Cultural immersion On the second day of the trip, delegates started the day playing an exciting game of musical chairs, with a twist. Delegates who missed the chair had to share a fact about their culture with their team members. Enriched with new ideas on different cultures, it was the perfect setting for delegates as they dived into another inspiring session by Mr. Prateek Jalan, a Pathways alumnus. He interacted with the delegates to help them understand - Internationalism and Globalization. Next, in their baraza groups, they eagerly discussed their thoughts and questions, and engaged some exciting team-building activities, that embodied the Round Square IDEAL of "Democracy". Post lunch, delegates regrouped themselves to rehearse for their cultural gala event. Before the big night, the leaders of the baraza groups came together to frame the Conference statement, showcasing the IDEAL of "Leadership". It was finally time to get on stage for all the delegates schools. The audience was thrilled with the stellar performances by all delegates including DAIS who enthralled everyone popular songs in their cultural titled - 'Music over the decades'!

But the night was still young as they listened to an inspiring speech by Director of Pathways World School- Ms. Sonya Mehta on the theme of Internationalism. Dressed in their formal wears, delegates joined the Director's dinner, enjoying the vibrant ambience and delectable food of their choice. Multiple bonfires spread over the huge venue spread warmth and cheer and soon the delegates were grooving to exciting music with their new friends. The day was packed with fun and excitement.

Day 3: An Exhilarating Day On day 3, they headed into a world of ventriloquism, led by Mr. Santosh Kumar. They explored new skills in their hands-on workshops on various hobbies, including dance, theatre, pottery, visual art, and product design. Once the brunch buffet was devoured, the delegates rested before collaborating to frame the Conference Statement. Watching the movie The Croods with mouthwatering hot popcorn, the delegates resonated with the significance of trying out new things and thinking in new sin dire circumstances. Accompanied by their respective baraza group members, they were part of an extraordinary treasure hunt that led them to explore the sprawling Pathways campus. The fun-filled day was signed off with Maggi night, many sweet treats, and an energetic DJ Night. What a way to end this conference!

Day 4: Goodbye, Pathways World School, Gurgaon! After their last breakfast at their favourite spot in the Kasturi dining hall, the delegates felt that the trip seemed to have ended far too soon. As they flew back to Mumbai, they reflected on this life changing and unforgettable experiences, and all the new things they learnt about the intricacies of Round Square and its IDEALS. They promised to live the Round Square IDEALS to the very core.

Day 1: The delegates gathered at Mumbai Airport, early in the morning for a week ahead of learning, fun, and realising the true meaning of the six Round Square IDEALS – Internationalism, Democracy, Environmentalism, Adventure, Leadership and Service. They were off, along with 27 schools from across the country, including a few from overseas, to take part in the five-day Conference. After a 2-hour drive from the Chandigarh airport, they reached Sanawar, a place which could fulfill an environmentalist's utopian fantasies. Ice breaking activities and a spectacular welcome with the Abhinandan ceremony were a perfect end to the day.

Day 2: On the second day the delegates walked towards the wide canopy of trees for bird watching while some assembled in the lush green grass of the Peace stead. After a delicious breakfast at the Central Dining Hall, they proceeded to the Opening ceremony at the mesmerising Chapel. They learnt about the Wildlife program in the first Keynote address by Karthick Satyanarayana, CEO of Wildlife SOS, an inspiring organization that protects and preserves wildlife.

The students then participated in their first Baraza session, where they discussed creative solutions to ensure a sustainable environment.

The latter half of the day was spent in planting several trees and clearing dried pine needles to prevent future forest fires. The students then went to the Warrior's Grove, where Ms. Rituparna Ghosh, founder of www.yourstorybag.com/ narrated amazing stories, one written by Satyajit Ray and one written by herself, originating from her home state of Jharkhand.

Day 3: The delegates were divided into the Baraza groups for a day filled with adventure and activities. As the students reached their destination, Mahobag, they were escorted by Maj. Priya Jhingan Retd. to the poly farms. The flowers in Mahobag makes it one of the richest villages in Asia, as the carnations and Gipses grown are sold for extremely high prices in the markets.

The students then undertook an arduous rope course. They had a lot of fun and tested their endurance as they relied on their physical capabilities to complete the courses. Major Priya Jhingan Retd. gave an inspirational speech on sustainable happiness and the importance of gratitude. Meanwhile in Dharokidhar, the delegates ziplined while some were on a rickety rope course testing their powers of balance. Mr. Kochar encouraged students to meditate in the calming sound of flowing water. He stressed on the importance of seeking balance in life by recognizing that internal peace is what manifests as our outer peace.

The evening promised to be entertaining and exciting as it was the evening of multicultural performances by the various schools. The DAIS delegates made their way to the Peace stead to perform their cultural skit with a focus on sustainable living.

Day 4: The final day began with a gathering at the Chapel for an interesting keynote speech given by Lieutenant Kamal Daver. He spoke about many distinct aspects of the environment. The students were then divided into their Baraza groups where they participated in varied activities such as painting birdhouses, card making, poster making, pottery and many more. What followed soon was The Closing Ceremony, with an address by Mr. Samarth Pathak, a representative of the UNODC. He suggested how the young generation would change the future with their insightful learning and innovative solutions to sustainable living.

The delegates gathered for Carnival Night, to mark new friendships and learnings gained from the Conference – made a night to remember with delicious snacks and fun games. It was the perfect end to the perfect week.

Our Reflections:

The conference used the power of collective action, providing participants invaluable insights into self-assurance, sustainable happiness, and the importance of environmental conservation. I participated in tree planting initiatives, fire prevention efforts, and the support of wildlife preservation and thoroughly enjoyed the activities. The conference highlighted that nature could sustain our essential needs, but it is not equipped to cater to our desires. This experience has helped me emerge a more independent and responsible citizen of the world, dedicated to the protection, preservation, and progression of sustainable happiness. - Kanav Jain 

This conference was entertaining, wonderful yet an eye-opening experience where I learnt multiple vital life lessons. The place could fulfil anybody's utopian fantasies with its pristine, greenery. I learnt how to adjust to new surroundings by adapting to the life in a dormitory becoming self-confident and learning self-sustainability. - Arnav Gupta

One of the highlights of the conference was the opportunity to forge friendships with peers hailing from different states and countries. Through these newfound connections, I delved into their cultures, traditions, and ways of life, expanding my horizons, and fostering a global perspective. Undoubtedly, this experience was enriching in every sense, leaving an indelible mark on my memory. The knowledge gained, the qualities developed, and the bonds formed will resonate with me for years to come. - Aashi Ramchandani 

This experience exposed us to the reality of the world. It showed us the power of change in the hands of like-minded people with a common mission- a healthy, secure, pollution and discrimination free world, with every part of the environment having the right to life. The changes we make, be it in society, the environment or even at home, if oriented by a positive reason is never too small because all revolutionary movements branch from the thoughts of one. - Neil Gaur 

The Conference on Sustainability was a thought-provoking event that left me with a renewed sense of urgency and determination to address the environmental challenges we face. We had a particularly great time at the multicultural evening where our team portrayed paper, plastic and cloth while discussing the pros and cons of each. The conference served as a catalyst for action, igniting a fire within me to make a meaningful difference in the world. - Tia Vasa  

 

Sanawar is the opposite of Mumbai with its scenic beauty, cold temperatures, and uneven grounds - but this trip has probably been the best, most fun and one from which I took back a lot of lessons including becoming a Leader to promote Environmentalism, practice Sustainability, and various personal values. I was even moved to tears with some of horrors humans inflict on nature, but also learnt that little actions can make a huge difference in the world. - Kanishk Kalia 

DAIS Student Delegates: Aashi Ramchandani, Arnav Gupta, Kanav Jain, Kanishk Kalia, Neil Gaur, Tia Vasa.

DAIS Adult Delegate: Ms. Toral Ghelani

On day one the delegates took an early morning flight from Mumbai and reached Dehradun by afternoon. They then headed to the hotel Boulevard and after having a quick lunch they proceeded to The Doon School. A renowned boarding school for boys, the campus is spread over an area of 73 acres. After a tour of the vast school campus, all the delegates assembled in the multi-purpose hall. Miss Anez Katre (ANK) spoke to all the delegates about the six IDEALS of Round Square (Internationalism, Democracy, Environment, Adventure, Leadership, and Service) and highlighted the significance of Leadership. This was followed by an interactive ice-breaking session in which the delegates got introduced to other delegates from various schools.

The group-based activities helped the delegates make new friends and understand the importance of teamwork. After another short briefing by Miss Anez, all the schools left for their hotels, where they all got ready for the Head Master’s dinner which was hosted at The Doon School. They returned to the hotel after an exhausting day and rested well for the upcoming day.

On day 2, the delegates woke up early, had breakfast and then left with their bags for The Doon School. From there all the schools left for Maldevta farms, the venue for the Leadership Programme, situated on the outskirts of Dehradun.

Surrounded by mountains on all sides with birds chirping to the gushing sounds from the river Saung - The Maldevta Farms was a perfect venue the delegates would cherish for a lifetime. Tents were allotted with each tent comprising of three student delegates each from a different school.

The delegates were divided into 4 groups namely - The Black Panthers, The Wolf Pack, The Vikings, and AIMS. Each team was then assigned two activities for the day. The outdoor activities included - Rock Climbing, Exploring Sulphur Caves, Slithering, and a Leadership Session. Each of these Outdoor activities helped enrich them in several ways. Rock climbing - it taught them that a good leader must be able to motivate and inspire his group, encourage a never give up attitude and work along with his team mates to achieve their goal together. Exploring the sulphur caves that were bat and frog infested, helped the delegates explore the Round Square IDEAL - Adventure enables the delegates overcome their phobias. Slithering activity helped delegates overcome acrophobia - a fear of heights

The Leadership session conducted by Ms. Anez Khatri emphasized the importance of teamwork. The delegates played games in which each team had to build a perfect square using rope, but the whole team was blind folded. After these activities they assembled in the main field where Mr. Ramesh Prasad Badoni, the Keynote Speaker of that day spoke to them about climate change and ways to prevent it. After that, the delegates witnessed two different plays - ‘Lachma’ (लछमा) and ‘Ek Hai Pruthvi, Ek Thi Gaura’ (एक है पृथ्वी, एक थी गौरा), which highlighted current affairs in the country. After dinner, the delegates went for an adventurous Night Trek on a nearby hill.

Day 3 - The next day the delegates woke up early in the morning, for a group photograph wearing T- shirts given by the host school. After a quick photography session, the outdoor activities and leadership discussions continued. This was followed by an address by Mr. Supritam Basu, a faculty member of the English Department at The Doon School. His speech highlighted the criteria for one to become a successful leader. He also shared information on the different types of leadership prevalent around us. Next was the session where every participating school presented their cultural performance that evening. There were a great variety of performances, from Punjabi Bhangra dance to skits that were enjoyed by the group. Post dinner, there was an enthusiastic JAM Dance session enhanced with multi-colored disco lights and loud party music which kept everyone dancing for a couple of hours.

Day 4 - Immediately after waking up the next morning, the delegates were briefed about the treasure hunt being conducted. The treasure hunt was hosted outside the property of the Maldevta Farms. The delegates were divided into 3 groups and each group was given a list of places located in the city of Dehradun which they needed to visit - The Police Chowki, the Mangrove Temple, and The Shopping Arena - with the help of a compass and some directions. The treasure hunt also required river crossing which was a new experience for many delegates. Surprisingly, the Black Panthers placed first even after they lost their compass into the river. The main reason for their victory was that they didn’t give up and continued the trail to accomplish their goals. The Leadership Programme was concluded with a Closing. Ceremony and certificate distribution. Delegates then said good-bye to one another and left for their journey back home.

Our Reflections:

The conference used the power of collective action, providing participants invaluable insights into self-assurance, sustainable happiness, and the importance of environmental conservation. I participated in tree planting initiatives, fire prevention efforts, and the support of wildlife preservation and thoroughly enjoyed the activities. The conference highlighted that nature could sustain our essential needs, but it is not equipped to cater to our desires. This experience has helped me emerge a more independent and responsible citizen of the world, dedicated to the protection, preservation, and progression of sustainable happiness. - Kanav Jain 

This conference was entertaining, wonderful yet an eye-opening experience where I learnt multiple vital life lessons. The place could fulfil anybody's utopian fantasies with its pristine, greenery. I learnt how to adjust to new surroundings by adapting to the life in a dormitory becoming self-confident and learning self-sustainability. - Arnav Gupta

One of the highlights of the conference was the opportunity to forge friendships with peers hailing from different states and countries. Through these newfound connections, I delved into their cultures, traditions, and ways of life, expanding my horizons, and fostering a global perspective. Undoubtedly, this experience was enriching in every sense, leaving an indelible mark on my memory. The knowledge gained, the qualities developed, and the bonds formed will resonate with me for years to come. - Aashi Ramchandani 

This experience exposed us to the reality of the world. It showed us the power of change in the hands of like-minded people with a common mission- a healthy, secure, pollution and discrimination free world, with every part of the environment having the right to life. The changes we make, be it in society, the environment or even at home, if oriented by a positive reason is never too small because all revolutionary movements branch from the thoughts of one. - Neil Gaur 

This was an experience that none of the delegates would ever forget.

Day 1:

At the opening ceremony on 12th September, followed by an array of performances by the students of the host school, keynote speaker, an actor, biker, pilot and entrepreneur, Ms.Gul Panag, conducted an in-depth exploration and analysis on the theme of the Conference, providing delegates with some inspiring anecdotes experienced through her enthralling journey.

This was followed by a panel discussion conducted by four extremely successful parents of the host school. The main highlight of the panel was the panelist’s touching remark “The only way to truly know the standard of a school is by gauging whether I would send my child there or not”. Followed by the keynote speakers, the Barraza sessions were held wherein students were divided into groups such as; Dance, Drama, Short Film, Science, Music and Art. Each baraza focused on a specific SDG- Sustainable Development Goal and expressed their emotions through these forms.

For example, the Art baraza focused on life underwater and created posters and logos for promoting underwater life preservation with the assistance of the graphic designer, Ms. Neha Mehra. The day was topped off with a walk to the famous Humayun Tomb. Here, students were educated about the Mughal and Hindu architecture and a small recap of the Indian Mughal history.

The delegates started their next day with a visit to the ‘Amar Jyoti Charitable trust’ NGO, that has been rendering rehabilitative services to persons with disabilities through a holistic approach of inclusive education, medical care, vocational training, child guidance and self-employment. It also provided them with material to sell in the local market and generate funds. The delegates were inspired by the resilient young minds; their determination to not let their disabilities be obstacles to their dreams.

Followed by this enriching experience, the day was concluded by an invigorating treasure hunt, through which the delegates explored The British School, as well as a Gala night enveloped with music, dance, colours and a room full of smiling faces from all around India.

The closing ceremony the following day was a perfect summary of the conference. Students from each Baraza presented their plan of action through music, dance, mimes, art, films and scientific intervention. The most interesting solution was presented by the Science group who cultivated substitutes to daily use products from the waste of rice cultivation.

The conference ended with hard goodbyes and hopeful promises to keep in touch. Not only did this conference leave the delegates of Dhirubhai Ambani International School with a bundle full of memories but also educated them about the possible solutions to attain the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The delegates returned to Mumbai with an inspiring quote by their keynote speaker, Ms. Panag:

“Your sphere of influence can cause an impactful change towards the betterment of the world”.

Next was the Opening Ceremony along with Flag bearing march. The cultural performance put up by the talented students of The Sanskaar Valley school, welcoming all the delegates to their beautiful ‘city of lakes’ was mesmerizing. After this, the students played several innovative ice-breaking games to help learn about the other delegates and hopefully make lifelong friendships. It was amazing to meet and interact with diverse people from all over India! Since everyone was exhausted after a long day of travel and activities, there was a ‘Magic of Sound’ activity with singing bowls and gongs that helped everyone relax with the soothing music. Finally, the delegates headed to their dorms and prepared themselves for the flurry of activities that awaited them the next day!

The second day began early the next morning, launching straight into a variety of sporting activities, such as yoga, football and basketball. After a delicious breakfast at Anand - the school’s huge open-air cafeteria they moved to Umang - The Auditorium. Their first keynote speaker, Jeroninio Almeida, introduced the concept of change around the world as well as with respect to Indian culture and society.

Fondly called the “moJOsh inspirator”, Jeroninio Almeida, the first keynote speaker, enthusiastically spoke on the topic of change. He taught the delegates to focus on character not competence, on respect, and encouraged them to take initiatives in the role of young leaders. He also introduced them to several great change makers in the world who had accomplished their tasks by having the correct motivation and determination. He highlighted the fact that in order to make a change others should not be allowed to limit ideas and growth.

Next, was the first Baraza session, where they met their respective Baraza groups and had a few icebreaker activities to get to know each other better. The Baraza sessions were thought provoking with intense discussions, heated arguments and deliberations on the theme and questions given by the moderators. At the end, each group wrote a unique slogan for their Baraza group. They discussed the service project ideas for the natak - the next day. It was an interesting experience with eye opening points and wide range of perspectives.

The delegates got the opportunity to visit and explore the Madhya Pradesh Tribal Museum, where they saw hundreds of exhibits that depicted the various aspects of the tribal culture in Bhopal, which were intricately carved in rock and wood and painted to the utmost perfection, along with typical household items, utensils and artefacts. After a tea break, followed by a leadership programme to get everybody energised; they were ready for Jashn – e -Bharat – a celebration of the fusion of all the diverse cultures from the different schools in India. The delegates were all dressed in their cultural best, and danced as a group to Bhangra and relished a traditional Rajasthani thaali. While the second day was a long and tiring one, it was filled with new learnings and experiences and ended with a blast of festivity and friendships that would last forever.

On the third day of their conference, the delegates had an interactive session with the second keynote speaker - Mr. Satyajit Bhatkal, the director of the eye-opening Television show ‘Satyamev Jayate’ and the CEO of the Paani Foundation. He explained that Change comes from within and that people are more prone to making smaller, personal changes rather than large-scale changes, since making a big impact requires a lot of time and effort. His speech inspired the young participants to have a broader mindset to try things outside their comfort zone. Mr. Bhatkal also shared the mission of his organisation - the Paani Foundation, which urges under-resourced villages in Maharashtra to find environmentally friendly ways to save, store and sustain water during the monsoon, to suffice them through the year. They watched clippings from the Satyamev Jayate Water Cup competition where multiple villages contested to make their village drought free zones. This inspiring session wrapped up with a few insightful questions.

In the Baraza sessions that followed, the delegates discussed the inspiring thoughts shared by Mr. Bhatkal. Every delegate shared their learning with respect to the entire experience of the Round Square Conference so far, and what change meant to them. They not only got to share their ideas and thoughts but also learned to acknowledge, respect and accept the varying perspectives of others, as often not everyone was in agreement over the same idea and several delegates expressed contradicting opinions. Nevertheless, the session helped sum up the key ideas shared by both the keynote speakers and broaden everyone’s points of view on the subject of change.

They had a unique and an incredible experience with the ‘Service’ aspect of the Round Square IDEALS by making seed bombs - different types of seeds rolled into mud to be planted. The students not only had fun planting trees and making seed bombs with students of other schools, but were also able to give back to the environment and make a change for the better. They worked as a team to Serve the staff at the Sanskaar valley – from the housekeeping to the security – by serving everyone lunch on that day.

As a School delegation, the students from DAIS designed a creative poster on the Conference Theme - Change, rephrasing the school’s motto- ‘Dare to Change, Learn to Excel’!

They hurried back to the dorm rooms, eager to get ready for the Open Mic Performances and socials later in the evening. Dressed in formal attire, the DAIS students performed a short skit for the Open Mic to depict the prevalence of bullying, especially in schools, by conveying why it is wrong and how it can be ended by imbibing empathy. They enjoyed other impactful performances, energetic dances, duet songs, inspiring stories to passionate speeches and tunes played on a variety of musical instruments – guitars, a violin and even a saxophone! After Open Mic they moved to Anand for Socials, where they danced the night away to everyone’s favourite songs, mingling with their new found friends.

On the fourth and final day of their stay, the delegates woke up with heaviness in their hearts – knowing that this was their last day in Bhopal, and that they would soon be heading back home. They made the most of the day, however – enjoying every moment of it, from the hearty breakfast to the closing ceremony performance to the final Conference Photo shoot, that marked the end of those wonderful four days – until it was time to say their goodbyes to their new friends, the beautiful campus of Sanskaar Valley, and to the gorgeous City of Lakes, Bhopal itself, because it was finally time to leave.

In short, the trip to Bhopal from the 7th to 10th of September was an experience filled with so many values and new learning’s that it will stay in their hearts forever. The delegates will surely miss everything that Sanskaar Valley had to offer, and were grateful to both the schools for providing them with this enriching opportunity.

They learnt – ‘Nothing changes if nothing changes’.

He spoke about plant-animal interactions to spread awareness about the glorious ecosystem. The speeches were followed by a baraza that centered on a stimulating discussion on the topics of the keynote speakers. They gained valuable insights and came back empowered with a will to affect change and ways to do it. The afternoon was dedicated to Service.

They visited the Versova beach, a beautiful, sandy stretch that would have been idyllic if not for the litter that marred its beauty. Armed with containers, gloves and our determination, they collected large amounts of waste, mainly plastic had been washed ashore from the sea. As they worked, the enormity of the plastic waste that chokes the oceans and marine life began to dawn on them. They made a great difference as they cleared heaps of plastic from the beach. Post their Service Project, it was back to base for the second half of the Cultural Performances by the participating delegate schools. Day 3 ended with a Social - a fun filled extravaganza of music, dinner and dancing into the night.

The last day had begun with the Closing Ceremony with a vote of thanks from the host School and a flag march. All schools were presented with individual certificates to the delegates and the Round Square Regional Conference 2019 was brought to a close. An event to remember and moments to cherish, an amazing, enriching experience! The enlightening baraza sessions, informative keynote speeches and enriching activities exceeded their expectations and helped push them outside of their comfort zones. They met so many new people, made so many new friends who they will remember for a lifetime. The conference had helped them open up, become more confident speakers and think in a better, more informed and mature perspective.

The theme ‘Empower to Lead, Inspire to Act’ perfectly epitomized the aim of the conference, to evoke and empower the leader within them. It has succeeded in enabling them to try and break barriers and perhaps realize the dream of a healthier world today, tomorrow and forever!

Our Reflections:

The Round Square Regional Conference 2019, held at the Singapore International School was an experience like none other and one I will be hard pressed to forget. The beach cleaning activity was major highlight. It was shocking to see the amount of plastic that chokes our seas but so very satisfying to be a part of the solution. I can confidently say that I am ‘Empowered to Lead and Inspired to Act’!

~Nidaa Kagalwalla

Round Square was an amazing, enriching experience. I knew it would require me to push my boundaries, but it really exceeded my expectations. The beach cleaning activity was my favourite part of the conference. It opened my eyes to the horrors of plastic. I will definitely think twice before using plastic after that experience.

~Malvika Murkumbi

The conference was amazing! There was a lot to learn from the keynote speakers. The baraza sections were a lot of fun. I feel that I am more confident after this conference. The conference has helped me to open up, speak with confidence and think in a better perspective.

~Saumya Mehra

What an enchanting, enriching and thrilling experience! This Trip I really had to propel myself to acquire results! But I extensively enjoyed myself! Via this trip I could uncover the real me as I learned several skills and traits that mound me to become a better human.

~Armaan Durani

The entire conference was a lot of fun and educational. I enjoyed the baraza sessions and beach cleaning. I made a lot of new friends too.

~Rasha Thadani

The SIS RRSC 2019 experience was something that I’ll never forget. The beach cleaning made me realize the amount of garbage people throw into the ocean without even thinking twice, Also the speech by Dr. Andheria was very informative and made me realize the extreme danger other animal species are in.

~ Samarth Katyiar

Delegate Students: Armaan Durani, Diya Patel, Nidaa Kagalwalla, Soumya Mehra, Sriya 
Bodapati, Samarth Katiyar, Malvika Murkumbi, Adeetya Upadhyay, Rasha 
Thadani & Jai Karwa.

Adult Delegates: Ms. Reena Kapadia, Ms. Sandra Benedict and Mr. Ashis Sannigraghi

- By Nidaa Kagalwalla 8B

The next day, after a breakfast at the hotel followed by a visit to the Doon School the students boarded their buses and headed to Maldevta Farms a scenic campsite in Maldevta village, nestled in the foothills of the Himalaya. All the participant delegates were allotted tents and divided into teams through classic ‘camp energizers’. Their team skills were put into practice as they decided on their group names and war cries. The adrenaline rush within the kids sparked up as they undertook the tranquil trek through the village into the crags of the Sulphur caves infested with bats and frog.

In the evening, the Sambhav Manch Parivaar, a group of talented actors, performed to highlight the various social issues like – ‘BETI BACHAO, BETI PADHAO’ and ‘CLEANING UP THE HOLY GANGES’. The performance being very emotional made an impact on the delegates and set them thinking.

The following day, the delegates geared up for Rock climbing, Rappelling and ‘Slithering’ (bungee jumping). Every one of them stepped out of their comfort zones and were very anxious while ascending the mountain. Once they reached the top and witnessed the panoramic view from the vantage point, they were completely mesmerized with the sound of the stream bubbling, the icy sedimentary rocks and the exotic flora and fauna. they didn’t want to descend! Subsequent to the adventure activities, they engaged in meaningful discussions understanding how every person in a group is a leader and must get themselves actively involved. Activities like making a perfect square with a piece of rope while being blindfolded engaged everyone in the role of a leader!

Next they were taken on a night trek where they hiked up a small rolling hill and saw various species of insects like spiders and earthworms. The guide told them about the spooky village folklore and a mysterious story about a man who sat under a tree infested with bats! The treasure hunt around the entire village was a thriller! The students waded through streams, climbed over rusty bridges, learnt to read a compass and ensured that the team bonded together!

The highlight of the day was the cultural evening with each school performed a skit, song or a dance that depicted the quality of leadership. The DAIS delegation performed a skit to portray the lives of two people who became leaders through their thoughts and actions - Lakshmi Sehgal (Freedom fighter- Azad Hind Fauj) and Afroze Shah (Environmentalist – Clean the Beach drive). Everyone thoroughly enjoyed grooving to old and new music with their newfound friends!

This entire trip was an eye opener, for the delegates who came back enriched with new ideas and perspectives towards life. They made many close companions and cherished the irreplaceable memories made in the land of the mighty mountains! Their learning for life.

‘A LEADER IS ONE WHO KNOWS THE WAY, GOES THE WAY AND SHOWS THE WAY!’ 

Reflections:

“I AM SO GRATEFUL THAT I GOT THIS OPPORTUNITY TO STEP OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE AND NOW I AM SO AWARE OF THE WORLD AROUND ME. I WILL ALWAYS CHERISH THE MEMORIES I MADE AND THE LESSONS I LEARNT WILL REMAIN ETCHED IN MY HEART FOREVER.” - - PRANAAYA JHAVERI

“LIFE IS LIKE A FERRIS WHEEL, PEOPLE KEEP GETTING ON AND OFF, BUT IT IS ONLY THE MEMORIES THAT MATTER.’ I MADE SO MANY FRIENDS AND SO MANY MOMENTS INTO PRECIOUS MEMORIES WHICH I WILL NEVER FORGET” - AANYA KHANCHANDANI

“WE WERE TAUGHT VALUABLE LIFE SKILLS THROUGH ACTIVITIES, GAMES AND DISCUSSIONS. THESE LESSONS, MEMORIES AND NEW FRIENDS WILL STAY WITH ME FOREVER AND I WILL ALWAYS FEEL HONOURED THAT I WAS CHOSEN TO EXPERIENCE THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY.” - NIKITA PARERA

“ALL MEMORIES WITH MY NEW FRIENDS AND THE WAY I CHALLENGED MYSELF DURING THIS TRIP WILL ALWAYS STAY AT THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART” - VANSH BHATIA

“I LEARNT HOW TO LIVE OUTSIDE MY COMFORT ZONE, RESPECT ALL AND THAT OUTDOORS ARE AS MUCH FUN AS LEARNING INDOORS” - ARHAAN DESAI

“I LEARNT WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A LEADER AND THE QUALITIES ESSENTIAL TO A LEADER. I FACED MANY CHALLENGING EXPERIENCES DURING THE ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES WHICH MADE THE PROGRAMME MORE ENJOYABLE” - RUHAAN MAHINDRU

Student Delegates : Pranaaya Jhaveri, Aanya Khanchandani, Nikita Parera, Ruhaan Mahindru, Vansh Bhatia and Arhaan Desai.

Teacher Delegate : Ms. Kunjan Patel

- Compiled by Pranaaya Jhaveri

The students were oriented to the Round Square ethos the same evening. In their first baraza session they were given a platform to express their opinions and feelings in the relative comfort of their respective groups. They discussed the true meaning of the theme of the conference in relation to the speech in the opening ceremony. The last event of the same day was Astronomy, where the delegates witnessed some amazing constellations and stars very clearly, something impossible to see in Mumbai.

The next day,Republic Day, started with the flag hoisting in the morning. The guest speaker, Dr. AnandGokhani, inspired the student delegates with interesting stories about perseverance, persistence and determination. This was followed by Republic Day celebrations. The stalls were elaborate and displayed the different states of India, their unique culture, food and monuments. Hard work and staying focused on goals was the subject of discussion in the baraza session that followed in the afternoon.The perfect end to this memorable day was a hilarious comedy show by Mr. Anubhav Pal, where he highlighted the serious problems and stereotypes in our country in a very humorous way. The Delegate dance brought together all the students grooving to some popular numbers. The day ended with the Principal’s Dinner, giving them time to bond over scrumptious food.

The Service activities included visits to a Mahila Ashram, an old age home and a home for children with special needs. This was a gratifying experience for all the delegates. After having community lunch, the entire delegation set off for their next destination, Rishikesh! After a long but picturesque journey they reached the banks of the Ganga. In their prayers during Ganga Aarti, the students pledged to save all water bodies from getting contaminated

Next came the day most delegates had anxiously waited for - the Adventure Day! The different activities included trekking, cycling through farms and harvesting crops, a treasure hunt, team-building exercises and zip lining, tree-climbing and rappelling.

Adventure day was the perfect example of Dr. Kurt Hahn’s philosophy - there is more to us than we know.

The same evening as all the delegates participated in the Cultural Performance, it was incredible to see the diversity of different performing schools on stage!

On the last day, the delegates were encouraged in the learning of a new skill. There were various fun skill activities that they could choose from - cartoon sketching, palm reading, motor-mechanics, cookery, baking, mehndi art, kite-flying, pottery, etc. They discovered in themselves talents, they didn’t even know existed!

The Closing Ceremony marked an end of this wonderful journey with an inspiring address by the Chairperson of Welham Boys’ School, Mr. Darshan Singh, an innovator and engineer. The conference was over, but the friends they had made and the awesome experiences they had gained over these days, would remain etched as wonderful memories forever.

Reflections:

“To put it shortly, this was the best thing I had ever experienced. At the base of it all was the Round Square philosophy: there is more to us than we know. I did things I thought I was never capable of. By nature, I am an introvert, but this conference helped me break out of my shell.” 
- Madhav Kejariwal 7B 

Round Square is based on SIX ideals, and I feel this conference gave us an exposure to each and every one of these ideals. Our experiences and friends we made from around India and beyond will always remain as fond memories. It is amazing how this conference could teach us so much, while being so much fun.” 
- Kashvee Barjatya 7A

“This conference has made me a much more confident individual and has taught me how to express my opinions. This trip was a great experience and we made many new friends and learnt different things along the way. I am very happy I got the opportunity to go for this trip.” 
- Danaisha Shetty 7B

“This wonderful trip was one of the most memorable incidents of my life. I made a number of new friends. I also learnt that you should be unique. You don't have to be ordinary to do anything. 'Escape the ordinary, be extraordinary'. It simply means that step out of your comfort zone, try new things, overcome your fears and come what may, never give up in life!” 
- Simran Kaur 7A

“I feel this experience was extremely enlightening and insightful to the limits of myself and how I can overcome them.” 
- Dhruv Bhalla 7A

“It was a great experience overall. I was able to share my views on topics as well learn new ideas and adopt new ways of thinking from other people. I became much more confident and secure of myself. I made some great friends and really learnt how to be independent. It was amazing to meet such different types of people from schools all over the world who had come together and it was a great learning experience!” 
- Sanaa Beriwala 7B

“Overall I had a great experience! I made many friends and learnt many new things. The experience was phenomenal and I hope I get such opportunities again.” 
- Dhruv Bhatia 7B

“This was the experience of a lifetime. I would like to thank all my teachers for granting me such a wonderful opportunity and I hope to attend many more. Let us together, escape the ordinary and make the world a better place!” 
- Tarush Mayani 7A

Delegates : Simran Kaur, KashveeBharjatya, TarushMayani, DhurvBhalla, Sanaa Beriwala, Danaisha Shetty, MadhavKejariwal and Dhruv Bhatia.

Teacher in charge: Ms. Niya Arora

Sixteen, Year 9 students participated in the Round Square Model United Nations Conference 2017 and the DAIS delegation won several awards. . 

 

What are the future goals of sustainability?

How can we have inclusion and ensure sustainability?

What are the major challenges that we face today?

How does the aggressive revival of nationalism affect “coming together?

As soon as we arrived we were briefed on the on- going activity - the mock dinner. The delegates were unaware that they would be randomly put into separate groups - higher, middle and lower class. We were all served different meal depending on which class we sorted into. The ensuing protests, arguments and fights for basic rights were eye opening lessons on class discrimination and empathy.

The Baraza sessions discussed rising issues like inequality between genders and classes. The thought provoking Baraza sessions on service and democracy led to some serious debates and discussions on inclusion of the underprivileged and ways to implement indirect service. The Baraza leaders made sure that there was a balance of games, video clippings, songs and interactive discussions through the Baraza sessions

The days began at 5:00 for the service activity and the first half of the day was spent in government schools where the delegates cleared garbage from the field, painted classrooms and made posters related to school subjects, in order to make learning more interactive for the children. The service sessions would certainly bring delightful smiles on the faces of the little children when they return to school – the colourful pictures brightening up the walls! The keynote speakers, inspired the delegates to think about the future and the role they play in making sure of a secure and safe future.

As part of the adventure activity the delegates took part in an incredible treasure hunt which was spread across the humongous campus of Genesis Global School. This was one of the best moments of the entire conference and was definitely among the most fun as well.

At the end of the day the delegates reflected on the day’s events and how even simple things bring people together and how ambitious goals can be achieved by uniting and forming a common goal. Through various activities the students learnt the importance of working together and collaboration. Meeting different people from all over the country was a really great experience for the delegates.

Reflections:

Akash Doshi: Personally the conference helped me open up and be less self-conscious. I learnt and did make friends of all ages. I also learnt that we should help those who are less fortunate than us by contributing as much as we can, as little as it may seem. TOGETHER TOWARDS TOMORROW!

Kahaan Jain: Sustainable development starts with self and goes beyond complicated economic jargons. Small steps in everyday life, inclusion and indirect service are the little steps that I can take towards a brighter tomorrow.

Sia Harsingani: This conference was one of the rare experiences where no matter what, I was always excited, and always happy and I enjoyed it every moment, to the fullest. The new friends I had made and the experiences here with my friends, both old and new, are simply unforgettable. They will stay with me forever. This conference is always going to be looked back upon with happiness and the memories will always be cherished.

Jahnvi Shah: Excited but nervous – that’s how I set out on my journey, but I came back a confident, motivated and empowered girl raring to make my little contributions towards a tomorrow of togetherness!

Viswaroop Chhabria: It is always nice to lend a helping hand take up tasks in to our own hands and help other people.

Parvati Sreeraman: If I had to sum up the conference in one word it would be- “wow”. Well, having gotten the opportunity to be a part of the conference itself was a lot of responsibly not only on my shoulders but also on the other 7 students who came along with me. This conference not only built my interacting skills but also exposed me to some of the various people from different parts of India and their lifestyle. The conference was organized for a good cause and I thing I will like to do the same for out school and India. Just like droplets of water make an ocean, our tiny efforts can help for a better future and am sure we can all contribute towards a better tomorrow.

Suhani Mehrortra: This conference was a wonderful experience and I would love to go back again. The adventure activities also taught us the importance of togetherness and teamwork. Meeting different people from all over the country was a really great experience.

Rajjoyi Sarkar: Truly an enriching experience! I am now determined to influence those around me to make little changes in their lifestyles, be conscious and responsible to leave a better tomorrow for the future generations! Not as hard as it seems!

Our trip to adventure destinations, Deogarh Mahal, a legendary palace was a memorable one allowing us to experience the royal life in a palace. Our second keynote speaker, Mr. Dadi Pudumjee, a well-known puppeteer, showed us different types of puppets and informed us how puppets could be used to spread awareness about environmental issues. He alongwith his team presented the story of the ‘Giving Tree’ using puppets. In our Baraza groups we watched a video on ‘water conservation’ and debated on solutions to conserve potable water. We participated in an awareness campaign on ‘Making Every Drop Count’ where we recycled water bottles and stringed those to decorative lights. On the fifth day of our trip, at our service destinations, we interacted with the underprivileged children, painted bottles, swings, masks, beds, painted walls etc. and also carried out plantation activities to add to the natural beauty of the schools/ orphanages we visited. The Grand Carnival at the Mayo College Girls School had traditional carnival shops, food stalls and even elephant, camel and horse rides. Once the carnival was in full swing, the place was full of life, with delegates dancing, shopping, laughing and eating to our heart’s content! The last day of our stay in Mayo started with a session by Mrs. Geeta Ramanujan, a professional storyteller. She narrated a fascinating story about the earth’s formation that taught us important lessons about befriending the environment. Our second speaker, Mrs. Meghna Erande, who dubs for cartoon characters, discovery channel, railway announcements and service providers shared with us how voice modulation can be used to highlight environmental concerns. Our third speaker for that day, Mr. Siddharth Chakravarty, an incredible sailor, told us about his work to arrest ships using illegal fishing equipment. This remarkable seven day journey culminated in a vibrant Multicultural Event, with the participation by most of the schools. We bid goodbye to the whole campus.

Our learnings: The world is facing environmental problems, and it is our duty to start solving these problems. We now that we have to learn to find efficient ways of conserving what little water is left, as it is the source of life and the world cannot live without water. Several of us think that others are always wasting water, and it is their fault that so much water is wasted, but it is partly our fault too and before telling others we must first correct our mistakes and take action. We have to come out of our little cocoon where we only see what we want to see and set an example for the generations to come so that they don't make the same mistakes we have made!

Delegation : Arushi Maheshwari, Anavi Kaul, Suryansh Seth, Amit Reuben, Tridha Haritwal, Saisha Gupta, Vivaan Turakhia, Rhiaan Shah with Ms. Pratima Sridhar.

Some of the activities also included a trip to the nearby art museum and science centre and an early-morning zumba session. Everyone got a chance to shake a leg in the jam session where we danced and enjoyed to the fullest! In the evening, participants went trekking, climbed a hill-top to get an aerial view of the city.Overall, it was an enriching as well as a fun-filled experience which has had an impact on all round development of participants.

On a final note, the students were certain that it was a golden opportunity to have visited this Round Square conference which has taught everyone a lot about the world around us!

‘It was my first Round Square Conference and was indeed very helpful as it gave us an exposure of how international conferences would be held. The interactive Barazas were very informative where we learnt about Utopia and about others’ views on the same.’ - Rohan Cowasji 

‘The conference was an overwhelming experience for me. I thoroughly enjoyed activities like trekking and dancing. It was a great opportunity to interact with various schools and learn about their cultures.’ - Aarushi Agarwal

‘The Round Square Conference was a great learning experience for us. The sessions were well-organized and the three-day event was scheduled well. I’m sure it will be a memory cherished by us for a lifetime.’ -Siddhant Mukherjee

‘The conference was a fantastic event which we were lucky to be a part of. It definitely contradicted the saying ‘All Work and No Play’ as the activities were

The first day began with a 5:50 AM wakeup call and more than an hour-long of an energetic, outdoor Zumba session. It definitely made sure that we were awake as ever! A hectic shower routine (with over 30 girls sharing 3 bathrooms) introduced us to the excitingly difficult 'boarding school life'. This was followed by the opening ceremony, an inspiring performance by the host school and the conference photo. The cameraman's desperate calls for us to smile won't be forgotten anytime soon. The keynote speaker, Mr. Pradeep Upadhyaya, a motivational speaker, considered to be one of India's leading minds spoke about effective communication, lateral thinking and several other aspects of leadership. Heated Barraza sessions debating on the traits of an accountable leader ended with a relaxing fun game which seemed to be a specialty of their school (Oui-Oui!) We were later divided into different groups and asked to direct a street play, design brochures and draw posters on any pressing topics that affected our country. Strong opinions on topics such as farmer suicide and corruption were expressed.

Before we knew it, our second day had already begun. Another Zumba session and chaotic shower routines were followed by yet another key-note speech by Mr. Upadhyay, this time highlighting vulnerability and true strength through contemporary movies and books. Another Barraza session on specific world leaders, their similarities, their differences and eventually our role in the future of leadership was discussed. Half the day seemed to flash past us as we came closer to the heritage walk. We explored Jodhpur's Umaid Bhavan Palace and Mehrangarh Fort only to learn more about the city of Marwar as it was centuries ago. We returned only to find the most fun Jam night planned for us and the most delicious food prepared for after. All of this was enough to let us forget our weariness from the throbbing Jodhpur sun. And so, for the next few hours, we enjoyed a night we wished had never ended.

The next day, the 15th of August began with our Independence Day celebrations and the flag hoisting. This was followed by a leadership quiz conducted between delegates from different schools. Some free time, the mesmerizing cultural performances, the closing speech, the closing ceremony, and then came the tears. It finally hit us that this conference had come to an end. Luckily for us, we had another day to spend exploring the city and its markets with the friends we had made from the Vivek High School of Chandigarh. This day and the following night, seemed to never end and yet, ended too fast. And so, the following day, as popularly said in the conference, ‘we did not say goodbye, we bade farewell and we promised to see other again, someday.’

-Report compiled by Hitanshi Badani

Reflections:

DAIS DELEGATES:
HITANSHI BADANI, MANAV MODY, ARYAMAAN DHOLAKIA, MUSKAAN GHAI, KRISHNI JUMANI, PRATHAM MEHTA, ANANYA CHHABRIA, ARYAN BAHL

ACCOMPANYING TEACHER: MS. KAJAL MANGLANI

The activities were based on different themes. One of the most fun activities was the first night’s dinner. We were unaware that we would be randomly put into a group and each group would dine separately, higher, middle and lower class. We were all served different meal depending on which class we sorted in. It was astonishing to see everyone’s reaction to this, where different groups had different views.

The most informative were the sessions by the Keynote speakers and the Barazas (means ‘Discussion’) that followed. Apart from all the fun and game part in these sessions, we discussed some uprising issues related to the environment. These keynote sessions and the consecutive Barazas made us aware of the current problems faced by our county. They sharpened our critical thinking skills as during these sessions we had to come up with impromptu ideas and suggestions to lead the discussion in the group.

The service activities were conducted at a village called ‘Gheja’, where we got to interact with the underprivileged children. Their school had a basketball court, which we helped decorate. What an amazing experience, to have touched so many lives, by just doing something small like decorating the court.

The adventure activities revolved around the ideals of adventure as well as leadership. There were many games and activities including rock climbing, balancing etc. This required not only physical strength, but also teamwork and cooperation. We went for this activity thinking about only its aspect of adventure, however we were left thinking about the multiple skills that were garnered during this experience.

We also visited the Parliament Museum, an interactive museum that brought alive the democratic heritage of India in the form of an interactive story. There was a life size version of the Sanchi Stupa and an exhibit that reconstructed the iconic Dandi March lead by Mahatma Gandhi, which helped all of us participate and live those moments. One of the most special experiences, was reliving Jawaharlal Nehru’s historic speech, a lifetime experience of its kind.

The concluding phase of the conference was the cultural performances by the different schools. We presented our skit related to the conference theme very innovatively and it was appreciated by one and all.

During this trip we learnt and enjoyed more than we had expected. We made many new friends and it was really a thrill for us as we experienced hostel life. We were sad to leave at the end of the conference but without a doubt this definitely was the best trip of our lives.

Reflections

For me, my WOW factor was getting to experience a little of what life was like in the Third World, which enlightened me to the struggles that other less fortunate people face. – Sachi Maskara

Over the 4 days of our conference, I learnt the most from the baraza sessions.
Not only did I get to interact with many kinds of people, but also learn a lot from their different point of views. Many important topics related to empowerment were covered. – Paree Rohera 

I have to say one of the most exhilarating parts of the conference was meeting other delegates from other schools of different ages and backgrounds. Although our conference ended, we are still in touch with the wonderful new friends we made. – Zara Shroff 

‘This conference has been so memorable! The baraza sessions were the best part for me where we all discussed empowerment, took part in debates and interacted with one another and made life-long friends’.– Kiara Bose Roy 

I loved the Baraza discussions and games and thoroughly enjoyed myself at Genesis Global School. - Yuvan Chugh 

The wow factor of the conference was the baraza sessions where we got to learn so many new things and interact with so many new people – Yash Kothari 

I feel that the best part of the trip was that we were completely independent. We got stay in our own rooms and the campus was amazing – Siddharth Makharia 

For me, the best part of this trip were the speeches of the keynote speakers. I expected them to be boring but they were fun as they included jokes as well as many pointers on how to be a better individual. – Hriday Chhabria

Day-2 (5th Jan 2016) - The dorm master awakened us at 6:00 am and we reached the Auditorium at 8:30 am for the formal Opening Ceremony. The Host school performed a cultural ritual of folk dances after which we had the Flag Bearing session. Next, we had an inspirational speech by our first keynote speaker, Captain Navin Gulia. An army officer paralysed from the waist down due to an injury, Captain Gulia was unable to realise his dream of becoming a General. He, therefore, began helping poor street children to realise their dreams. He has already sponsored many of them through his organization “ADAA” (Apni Duniya Apnaa Ashiyaana). Our first Barazza included sharing our views and thoughts on Captain Navin Gulia's speech. After a quick lunch, we had a visual and performing art workshop where we had many activities like block printing, learning the theme song, Warli art and dance. After tea at 4:00 pm, we had a service activity with sports for the underprivileged students and we handed them the gifts. We also played games like the ‘Jalebi Race’ was simply unforgettable! Finally, we practiced for our cultural evening and after dinner at 7:30, spent time with our new friends


Day-3 (6th Jan 2016) - We woke up at 5:30 a.m. and assembled for our first session of bird watching by 6:30 a.m. DC Campus boasts of around 183 species of different birds of which we were able to spot the yellow wagtail, rock pigeon, white breasted kingfisher, swans, purple sunbird and peacocks. Post breakfast, we assembled in the auditorium to listen to our 2^nd keynote speaker, Mr. Dyu D’cunha. He led us to our next activity ‘Colour Connect’, with a brief, but very impressive session on teamwork. We were divided into groups, given canvasses and paints with a picture to replicate. Our individual group works were combined to form one large single painting. A practical lesson in team work, indeed! In our second Barazza group session, we reflected on our performance in the teamwork and awarded each other star stickers on the basis of leadership, creativity, teamwork etc. After a delicious meal and some rest we took on the ‘Warrior dash’, in which we had to work in a team, collect a clue and use it to figure out the next task. Both the ‘warrior dash’ and ‘colour connect’ helped us to understand team work and make new friendships while having fun simultaneously. We ended the day on a high note as we were dancing around the roaring bonfire. Thus, it was a fun filled and exciting day while learning the important lessons of team work.


Day-4 (7th Jan 2016) - Our keynote speaker of the day, Mr Ribhu Vohra, is the founder of the company Wasteless. He said that around 95% of world's trash is dumped in landfills, 4% is recycled and 1% is used as compost. Companies have recently started using a method called "green-washing" where they make it appear as if their product is eco-friendly when it actually is not. Mr Vohra taught us how to identify when a product is green-washed. A Barazza group session trailed Mr Vora's keynote address. In the environmental activities that followed, we played a fascinating card game called ‘Pick-it-up’ in which we learnt about different materials and how they can be recycled. Lunch was short, followed by a visual and performing arts workshop. Later, a multicultural evening was organised where every school represented at the YRS performed. The performance by the DAIS delegates rocked! We rounded off the evening with a dance where a DJ provided some scintillating music. A multi-cuisine dinner preceded the usual “lights out”

 

Day-5 (8th Jan 2016) - We left for Mandu, the City Of historical interest, at 7am. After 2 hours of travel, we reached the foot of the Palace Of Mandu. The story goes that when Baz Bahadur, the king, had gone hunting in the woods, he heard a voice singing. On investigation, he discovered it was Rani Rupmati. He invited her to live with him. She accepted on the condition that she should always be able to see the river Narmada. So the Palace Of Mandu was built for her on the banks of river Narmada. The story ends tragically. An envious army general attacked the palace. Baz Bahadur fled and Rani Rupmati consumed poison and died. After a delicious lunch, we continued our journey by visiting a series of palaces devoted to Rupmati. We also visited the Great Hoshang Shah's tomb and walked the secret underground pathways, which were actually dungeons. After the visits, we were divided into groups and we chose among the activities planned like, writing an article, a poem, sketching etc. A long 2-hour journey carried us back to the Daly College in time for dinner. We used our free time to set up an arts and crafts workshop and rehearse for the closing ceremony. 

Day-6 (9th Jan 2016) - Bird watching, Yoga and meditation, closing ceremony and the Indian Carnival were the activities lined up for us on 9th January 2016. By the third session of bird watching we had seen more than 30 rare and spectacular birds. After breakfast, at around 10:30 we went to the Dhirubhai Ambani Auditorium, to witness the closing ceremony. The conference statement was shared. The logo of the conference was crafted on stage using the key words from each baraza group to make the word ‘VIBGYOR’. The delegates displayed their talents from the workshops attended during the conference. Whether it was the ‘Bhangra Dance’, ‘Theme song – Over the Rainbow performed or ‘Story telling’, the delegates amazed everyone with their stupendous performances. Mr. Guy McLean then declared the ceremony closed. Post lunch and personal time to pack, we went for the Indian Carnival! The small entrance to the carnival opened into a jaw-dropping vast field that housed stalls, rides, food pavilions and tiny handmade huts that were designated photo spots. Small, scattered bonfires lit up the evening. There were stalls selling pottery, trinkets, keychains, bangles, painting, earrings and many such items. A stall boasted merchandise like clocks, wreathes and picture frames. 

Incredibly, these were made from – COWDUNG! This stall owner could teach a thing or two to the proponents of “Reduce- Recycle-Reuse” mantra. We enjoyed the horse rides, carriages and camel rides. Not unexpectedly, food stalls were over-flowing with the hungry hordes. A solitary chaiwala (tea seller) was running out of the small earthen pots he used for cups! The evening was rounded-off by a delightful magic show, followed by a traditional dance show from the dancers from West Bengal. The grand finale depicted the story of Lords Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

Day-7 (10th Jan 2016) - After spending almost a week expanding our knowledge and widening our horizons at the humongous campus of Daly College at Indore, we bid farewell and returned home. The “Young Round Square Conference” had presented us with a new, entertaining way of learning. It truly was a memorable experience! 

 

OUR REFLECTIONS

Aayushi Nainan – It was a great experience and I enjoyed learning and making new friends.

The best moments for me were to see so many birds, the talent among students and the chat sessions with my room mates in the dorm. - Arzoo Usgaonkar.

I loved everything at the conference and I made many global friends and have learnt a lot. – Akaesha Tandon.

Aarna Dalal– A thrilling experience, the best part was making so many new friends. 

An amazing experience, full of learning, new friends and an unforgettable experience. - Ahaan Bhansali.

I cherish every moment of the conference especially the ones where I made so many friends. An unforgettable experience. – Armaan Shaha.

Shay Khanchandani – Walking around the vast lush green campus with my new friends was an amazing experience. This experience has helped me become aware of the world around and also made me a more reflective person. 

Dev Mehta – The conference has taught me to be more organised. I made many new friends and it helped me develop more confidence. 

By The Delegation representing DAIS at The Daly College, Indore. 

The next day was packed with adventure and team building activities and the highlight of the conference, the jam session Where everyone went wild for the school’s own student Dj and it felt that they were no more controlled and danced till the teacher’s stopped the music.

And then came the most dreaded day, the last day of our trip. It began with a treasure hunt around the humongous campus followed by the closing ceremony and cultural performances.

This conference was one that will always be engraved in my memory. With it’s theme being DREAM, DARE, DISCOVER, it has greatly affected by aspirations and taught me to ignite my passion. It has truly been an incredible experience and one, which will stay with me forever. “The real voyage of discovery consists, not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”

-Shaurya Jain, Diva Agrawal & Bilal Moin

On day two, students planted trees in a large field located within campus. After another address by Keshav Gupta on Panchayats, students visited a local Panchayat in a village to understand its functioning. The evening started with an cultural ceremony followed by the DJ night. 
Day 3 - We visited a school for the hearing impaired, learnt sign language as we interacted as a part of community service. We performed a role play on the Parliament. We debated during a baraza session about getting a school/ hospital being built in a rural area. We painted on a 15 meter piece of paper in the session on Expressions of feelings using colours. Every barazza group performed a play after which the conference was officially closed. This was followed by a formal dinner with the principal. Our trip to Indore was very eventful with the highpoints being interacting with the hearing impaired, a truly enriching experience; getting the feel of a dormitory and making friends for a life time.
By DAIS delegation - Eesha Bodapati, Aman Acharya, Adit Kadakia, Insha Lakhani, Jispa Doshi, Prarthna Chabria, Krish Thakur.

The next morning, we were awoken to a blaring wake up call at 6 AM for breakfast after which we had group activities like plantation, arts and sports. We had our opening ceremony where we given a few words by the guests of the conference notably Ms. Papri Gosh, Regional director of round square. We were randomly divided into different groups which were our Barraza groups, Harry Potter themed. We had a Barraza session discussing inclusion and then some more group activities. The Barraza sessions were highly interactive and interesting as we got so many different viewpoints and perspectives.

Sunday, our third day was an utterly exhausting day. We set of at 7:45 for our heritage walk (itihaas) and returned 7 hours later exhausted. We visited the Red Fort and Jama Masjid and it was a great learning experience. It related to inclusion as we saw how different cultures were merged into the Mughal architecture. We learnt a lot about the Mughal empire and their architecture. At 4 we had another Barraza session and activities. The evening was jam packed with cultural night where we saw some spectacular performances and put up our own. Right after this we had a disco night and we all enjoyed dancing tremendously.

Monday, our last day was filled with mixed emotions. We were sad to be leaving, but were overjoyed with the great experience we had. Over the past three days we had bonded very well with our Barraza groups and people from various regions around India. We had our farewell lunch and left Genesis with a much better understanding of inclusion and why it is important in our lives!

-Siddhanth Lath 9B

I also thank Miss Manisha for seeing my talents in the first place, and i would love to go on such a trip again.

On the first day we arrived at Jodhpur and settled in our dorms. We then interacted with the other delegates. The home delegates made us feel welcome and at home. They were very hospitable too. It was great to have some company at that time. We also strolled around in the campus, with the RKKGPS girls, who showed us around. The campus was huge! It was also really pretty and well-maintained. At night, right before dinner, we had an ice breaking session where we met the delegates and played games. Dinner was just fabulous. We were served with an array of south Indian food which was delicious! The Round square team then sent us back to the dorms as we had an early start. 

Day 2 
 

We were woken up at 5 am to go for the famous zumba lessons all the girls had been talking about. We learnt many new dance steps and enjoyed the 1 hour of constant sweat. The whole experience was really interesting and woke us for the entire day. We then went back to the dorm to freshen up, as we had a long day ahead of us. Our day started off with a lovely breakfast.

After breakfast, we assembled in the auditorium for the flag bearing session. It was the opening ceremony which signified the start of the whole conference in which each of the 24 schools participating sent out a student to bear the schools honor by carrying the school flag. Our school was represented by Raashi.

After a short break, we had informative speech by the keynote speaker. I gained a lot of new knowledge about democracy. We were then divided into our baraza groups and our topic was democracy. Post lunch, we went for the artistic activities where we painted masks with different flags of the various countries. I painted the flag of New Zealand. Then we went to paint the “special surprise” which was a large masterpiece of Late A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

Right after dinner we were taking to a large, open room where we were given the liberty to splash paint all over each other! What fun we had! Drenched in paint, we staggered outside, about to head to our dorms, when we heard an announcement that we were going to bathe under the water sprinklers of the lawn with the DJ’s music! It was truly the best thing I could ever ask for. We then freshened up and before I knew, I was fast asleep on my bunk.

Day 3 
 

Instead of the usual, we were woken up half an hour earlier, as we had to go sightseeing to a famous fort. We were also supposed to go for a cultural walk along the rural side of the city. After a quick snack, we left in the bus for the fort. We got to know how the Jodhpur forces were armed, their attack strategies and much more. We also bought several souvenirs from the gift shop there.

After lunch and again assembled in the auditorium for another session of the keynote speaker. But this time, we had a special guest within us. The king and queen of Jodhpur had specially come here to meet us, the delegates! It was such a good opportunity! I was truly delighted and honored. After the felicitation of the royal couple, we watched a mime put up by the RKKGPS family. Followed by that, came the keynote speaker’s speech, which was very enlightening. After that, we were divided into our baraza groups (again, like before). We discussed many current affairs related to democracy. After the brief session of discussion we had two hours of free time to practice our cultural presentation. It was quite interesting and fun filled. We had a lot fun doing it! Our spirits were refreshed when we attended the jam night. It was the coolest thing we had done yet.

Day 4 
 

Today we had to present our cultural presentations. We mostly had a free day, except for the zumba session in the morning. Right after lunch all the delegates got together and clicked many pictures. It was amazing to make so many friends! We had a friendly basketball match. We cheered loudly and enthusiastically for each and every player.

At night, we watched all the other presentations and performed ours as well.

Followed by that, came the closing ceremony which officially declared the Round Square Conference held by the Rajmata Krishna Kumari Girls High School. For a brief half an hour, we all flooded the dorms with pools of tears as we were going to miss each other so much!! After saying all our goodbyes, we finally managed to grab some sleep before our journey the next day.

Day 5 


Today we could FINALLY sleep till late! We slept peacefully till 8 with was utterly blissful. As soon as I woke up, I got to get my suitcase packed, which looked like a hurricane had just passed overhead! We thanked the principal and said goodbye, as we boarded the bus to the airport. As I boarded the flight, there were a hundred memories swirling in my head of this wonderful trip I had just been on. I really do hope I could go on such a wonderful trip again. 
 

DAIS delegation at the inauguration

The theme of the conference, ‘TRANSLATE, TRANSFORM AND TRANSFER’ was explored in great depth by the sessions with the 3 key note speakers, Mr. G.N.Var, Mr. Aditya Ghosh and Mr. Amit Tuteja and the barazza sessions that followed. Even though each of them spoke about a different topic, they left us inspired. The quote, “The only way to fly high is to stay grounded”, stated by Mr. Aditya Ghosh truly made me change my perspective of success.

The first night of the conference was spent at Camp Tikling. It was a great and unique way to begin the conference. Not only did it add to the ideal of ADVENTURE, but it also was a good way in which the delegates of each school could get to know each other. The highlight of this camp was the bonfire that kept us warm in the freezing cold Delhi weather. There was a quiz competition arranged before dinner. After a peaceful sleep, we woke up to a whole new series of activities; from wall climbing and zorbing to a grueling game of paintball. We also went for a hike in the Aravali hills before heading back to the school. The fields that we passed as we trekked up and down the hills reminded us of songs from our favourite Bollywood movies.

The TIKLI Camp 

When we got back to the school, the Opening Ceremony kicked off with much pomp and joy. It began with a performance by the school orchestra that made every member of the audience tap their feet and sing along. The next performance was about ‘Nirbhaya,’ a powerful reminder of some of the true horrors of this world. The message was loud and clear. YOU ARE NIRBHAYA, AND IF YOU DON’T STEP UP AND DO SOMETHING, SOMEONE ELSE MAY SUFFER THE WAY SHE DID!

The Barazza sessions…

There were eight barazza groups namely ‘transcend, transcribe, transduce, transfuse, transact, transient, transmit and transit’ all based on the theme of the conference. Each student from the school was in a different barazza group. My barazza group ‘Transfuse’ was enthusiastic and I loved the way our chairs gave each and every one of us the opportunity to share our thoughts and feeling about the theme of barazza. Not only did I learn how simplicity and success are related, I also realized the power of A WILL to do something. “Only if there is a will, there is way.”

The play at the drama workshop 

The Art, Design-Technology and Drama workshop were enriching and exciting events that ended with giggles and guffaws as we left the room with smiles on our faces. All the delegates enjoyed the plethora of desi jokes and the performance of the group that depicted the superficiality of Bollywood during the drama workshop. We also enjoyed making our own phone covers and eco-friendly balls during the art and design workshop.

The cultural night was filled with excitement and anticipation. We enjoyed singing and dancing to Michael Jackson’s HEAL THE WORLD and singing along while other schools performed. After this, we all left for the Chancellor’s Club, for an appetizing dinner, before returning for the much-awaited Jam Session.

The day had finally come when we had to say a final goodbye to all the friends we had made in the past few days. After the closing ceremony, as we walked through the gates of Pathways World school, the passageways grew silent and I realized how much I was going to miss this experience. A voice inside me squealed, “Take me back!” Not only did I take back, ideas about following my dream and never giving up but also a whole lot of memories that will stay with me FOREVER.

Wednesday, 8th October - At 7:00AM ten chosen delegates began an 8 hour journey from Mumbai to Dehradun, with of course, a pit-stop at KFC. After a long and bumpy two-hour ride from the Dehradun Airport to Hotel Ratan Palace where we were staying on the first 2 nights, we reached and had a well-deserved meal at the Doon School after which we headed back, hung out a bit and went to bed all charged and expectant of the few days to come.

Thursday, 9th October - Breakfast with the Doscos was fun, after which we went to the Forest Research Institute with Aman and Amal (our favourite doscos) who guided us around the city that day. After the FRI and a failed cultural programme practice, we went to a Buddhist Temple where we had a very nice and peaceful time. After having lunch at the Doon School our conference officially began and we had our orientation and a small activity about the ‘IDEALS.’ After some Ice-Breakers we went on a tour of the campus and then headed back to the Hotel to get changed. We had dinner at a banquet hall in Dehradun and then mingled with all the other delegates. It was refreshing to know about all the different cultures and backgrounds that these delegates came from and we were truly surprised by how many of the delegates went to boarding schools. We danced with the others and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. After going home we packed up and got ready for bed knowing that the actual work began the next morning when we headed for the Mal Devta Camp.

Friday, 10th October – After an early Doon School style breakfast we packed our bags and headed to the Mal Devta Camp. After a 45 minute ride across the gravel roads of Dehradun, we reached and put our luggage in our tents. Since the whole camp was about leadership, we made three teams, the Wolf Pack, Allegiant and The Tigger-Tigers. In the end, obviously, The Tigger-Tigers emerged victorious. Each had to, make a flag, think of a motto and think of a logo. After that, we participated in various leadership-building activities. These activities increased our team spirit, and we also interacted with the children from other schools. We formed bonds with our team-mates too. We then took a break for refreshments. We then went for a lengthy but adventurous trek. We went and saw caves full of stalactites and stalagmites. We came back to the campsite. The evenings manage to get very chilly so that night we had a camp fire night. That night we played charades against each team. We were tired after the trek that in no time we were in bed.

Saturday, 11th October- We woke up early that morning and after our morning energizers we were divided into two groups. The first group went for mountain rappelling which was a few kilometers hike away from the camp site. The other group did the flying fox which was river crossing. This activity was at the campsite itself. At rappelling we learnt the safety procedures and a few of us were made safety monitors. These safety monitors made sure that all the safety gear was worn properly by the students about to rappel. This was a learning experience for everyone and we were able to exhibit our leadership qualities while doing this. In the flying fox activities we went through similar procedure. We were attached to a rope which went across the river using a tandem pulley. It required a lot of strength and was physically taxing however the encouragements of our fellow delegates willed us to keep pushing ahead. Upon completing their activities, the groups switched. After having a really well deserved meal, we headed to the main tent or the Parachute as we called it and discussed in what manner leadership was displayed by everyone. With heavy hearts we then packed our bags and headed towards the busses that took us back to Dehradun knowing that this trip would be in our minds forever. Upon reaching Dehradun we checked into the Lalit Hotel and freshened up a bit. After one last dinner with all of our friends from all over India, we called it a day and headed for a good night’s sleep.

Sunday, 12th October – After having a very relaxed and laid-back breakfast at the hotel, we packed up and headed to the Pacific Mall in Dehradun where we shopped and ate and played arcade games and got so caught up in having fun that we reached the bus 15 minutes late for our 2-hour journey back to Dehradun Airport and reached the gates 5 minutes before the Check-In Counter closed. After we all went through security, which took no small amount of time, we discovered that our flight was late by half-an –hour. JOY. We finally boarded the flight at 4:15 and after four straight hours of television and remembering our experiences, we landed in Bombay, sad to be saying good-bye to us all, scared at the amount of school work we’d have to make up and overjoyed at the thought of going home. This was undoubtedly one of the best experience of our lives.
 

Day 2: 
We were sorted into groups according to the colours designated to us. Colours groups Blue and Red worked together and groups Green and Yellow worked together. Blue and Red went to the Ambedkar house that was an old age home and school for the mentally challenged, while Green and Yellow went to the Cheshire house. Students interacted with the inmates of the place. They also worked at weeding the ground and planting tapioca saplings. After this strenuous activity was completed, students enthusiastically learnt to spade the ground under an expert trainer.

The Ambedkar home was very close to where we were staying. There we white-washed and painted walls. We also carried out little masonry jobs. We learnt a great deal about the functioning of the house and realized how hard the life for mentally weak people is. We came to know for a fact that their mental and physical ages were completely different. 

Meanwhile at the Cheshire home, groups Yellow and Green had a very touching experience as they interacted with all the patients and heard about their lives. One such touching incident involved a man called Sameer who was in his late twenties. He had not been able to complete his degree in computers as he was disabled waist down after a bike accident. However, the great thing is that he has not given up and due to all the effort put in by the Cheshire home, he will be able to walk in a couple of years. We also had an interaction session with the old people of the home and learnt about their lives. There was a couple who had met at the old age home, fallen in love and got married. Later, students got involved in planting tapioca saplings after weeding the grounds. 

In the evening all the participating schools had to perform their own cultural event. Some schools presented dances, some sang, while we presented a play based on the theme – topic of ‘Service.’ Every night we had to pen down our experience and our learning which was known as ‘Reflections.’ This trip has benefitted us as we were in a position to mingle with students of other schools and forge friendships. We made really good friends and have decided talk to each other regularly. 
 

Day 3: 
The morning and afternoon activities involved the reversal of roles: Green and Yellow went to Ambedkar home while Blue and Red went to Cheshire home. At Ambedkar home, we cleaned the walls and removed all harmful substances like moss and dirt. Walls were then painted, with white and orange paint. A few of us also transported stones and other materials to aid the professional labourers and masons in their work. All in all, it was hard work but fun at the same time. At Cheshire Home we had to carry saplings to the bus so we could plant them at Cheshire house. We weeded the garden even further than the previous day. Later, we interacted with the many patients in the home. We also learnt about the history of the Home. 
Day 4:
Due to an unfortunate accident in the city, we couldn't go to the worksites, and thus had a free day. In the morning due to rains we played indoor games like improvisation, personality games and bursting the balloons. Post lunch we basked in the pleasure of outdoor playtime. There was a basketball court, a volleyball court and a football field. Playing outdoors was an amazing experience and it was a great break from the hard work. This is the day that brought us all together. 

Day 5:
Day Five was the last day of our service project. This time unlike the others, we were not split up. We went to the Cheshire home for the Closing Ceremony of the Beacon of Hope Project. We heard inspirational speeches from the Principal and a fellow Round Square delegate amongst others. After that was one of the most memorable moments of our trip. We went sight seeing in Trivandrum. We visited a museum and a very famous clothes store. We also bought Kerela’s famous banana chips and even saw the Padmanabhaswamy Temple. Later Mr. Sreeraman gave us an insight about the diversity of Trivandrum and took us to a well-known South Indian restaurant, where we had a lovely meal. 

Day 6: 
This was a very memorable day. We had to wake up very early and then went to go visit the Chief Minister of Kerela, Mr Oommen Chandy. It was a memorable experience talking to him. We even got to take ‘selfies!’ Later we returned to our host-home for the celebration of Onam where we learnt about the origins of the festival. We had an Onam feast. It consisted of 3 servings of rice, 3 payassums and 3 pulses along with varied pickles and vegetables eaten on a banana leaf. After the traditional meal we had to leave. Our hearts were heavy as we left the friends we had made, yet we felt a sense of accomplishment and pride, We extended a helping hand and learnt that we must all, truly become Beacons of Hope in whatever way we can.

 

Keynote speaker’s sessions and barazzas
 

A naturalist, a trekker and a guide with extensive field experience in ornithology, Ms. Jennifer Nandi was the ideal keynote speaker we could have had. In our keynote sessions, we learnt and debated about nature and recent controversies related to nature. The keynote sessions were action packed and extremely enjoyable. 
The amount of knowledge each one of us gained was priceless. Unlike normal lectures, these sessions were fun and interactive with every single person actively taking part in the debates. The barazza sessions that followed motivated everyone to speak up and express their views - the outcome was a healthy exchange of ideas.

Art workshop 
This traditional art workshop exploited our hidden, inner artists. It also gave us an insight into Rajasthani art by involving all of us in painting a poster and finally our names on a wall.

Rendezvous with nature
We woke up enthusiastically at 5 a.m. the next day and geared up for an interesting bird watching session with Ms. Jennifer Nandi at the Bal Samand Lake Palace grounds. We were talked about identifying different birds by their calls and plumage. 

67th Independence Day Celebrations
On our second day, we were lucky to be part of an eventful flag hoisting which was followed by recitals of sweet music and inspirational speeches. This reminded us about the sacrifices made by our forefathers and evoked pride in us for our country and heritage. 

Jam Night
All the delegates had an exhilarating evening at the jam session. We danced to awesome music and captured magical moments with our new friends creating a high level of merrymaking that ended unfortunately at a highly respectable time of 10pm.

Quiz session 
Two delegates from each school took part in this highly competitive quiz based on the environment, FIFA, ministry cabinet, and animals. Here, we learned things we had previously no clue about. The audience boosted the morale of the participants with loud cheering and enthusiastic clapping.

Sightseeing – splendid excursions to discover Jodhpur 
Umaid Bhavan Palace
We visited the famous Mehrangad fort and the Umaid Bhavan palace where delegates were introduced to the ways of the ancestors at war and the way of life at the luxurious palace. The fort was almost as if untouched with almost every hole for guns and dents from cannon shots exactly where they were a hundred years ago. The Umaid Bhavan palace was gargantuan with only half of it available to public viewing. The part converted to a museum allowed delegates to see where the royal families ate, slept and bathed! 


Arna Jharna desert museum
This museum aims to keep alive the desert way of life by showcasing various traditions, musical instruments, tools and arts - it celebrates the magnificent open spaces of the desert including its flora and fauna. 


Rao Jodha Park
This is a Desert Rock Park spread over 70 acres which is a home for native rock-loving plants. We enjoyed the sight of desert plants sprouting through rock fissures and explored the network of trails the park had with our knowledgeable guide. This unexpected beauty found in a desert enthralled everyone.

Closing ceremony
In line with the theme of the conference: Nurture Nature, our presentation focused on the importance of reducing the amount of garbage we produce. Most importantly we highlighted the six IDEALS of Round Square through this exhilarating performance of a skit combined with a poem.

Take Me Back
We began to wonder… “Though the last four days were filled with exciting and interesting activities, there are some that had a bigger impact than others. It is rare to leave a conference as engaging as this one and pinpoint the moments in which we truly were affected and flooded with ideas, questions, and hopes for the future”

As goodbyes were said and passageways grew silent, we realised how much we were going to miss the football sessions, the whispers at night in the dorms, not to forget 5 a.m. wakeup calls and the new friends we made… and a voice inside us whispered “take me back”.

 

Registration was at 5.30 p.m and after that the children were allotted their Barazza groups and care was taken to see that no group had 2 children from the same school; the groups were all named after endangered animal species. Once the ice-breaker activities were completed, we had dinner.

After an early breakfast on 20th November, we attended the opening ceremony. Mr. and Mrs. Dubey, Student Round Square coordinator of the school and the head boys of Welhan Boys’ School Dehradun and Scindia Boys’ School Gwalior were the chief guests for the ceremony. A ceremonial tree planting by the guests followed the opening ceremony.

The young keynote speakers were from Welham Boys’, Scindia Boys’ (the head boys Pranav Darshan and Raj Shekhar respectively) and Yamini Singh, the head girl of Scindia Kanya Vidyalaya. Having such young key note speakers was a novel experience indeed. All three speakers stressed on the fact that Round Square is not only about the physical environment around us but also the social and moral environment. All three speakers raised the issues of gender discrimination and corruption. They all felt that, as individuals, we should not feel that the issue is too big to tackle. We should make our own individual effort to address the problem. Hence the stress on the theme- A small act - a big impact.

In the Barazza sessions, the children brainstormed on the issues brought up by the keynote speakers. There was a treasure hunt for the children in the post-lunch session. The day ended with a clay-making activity where the kids were guided by the pottery instructors of the school.
On 21st November, we visited the crocodile conservation park near Morena. The demonstration by the employees on the efforts to protect the near-extinct gharial was a revelation for all of us. Thanks to the cumulative effect of the multi-pronged efforts, the numbers of this once-threatened species has now swelled to 942. Post-lunch, the delegates enjoyed a kite-making session and it was hilarious to see them trying to make their creations get off the ground and into the air!!

The last activity of the day was a workshop on the use of ham radios by a very senior ham radio operator Mr. Bhide. It was a revelation to kids of today’s cyber age that ham radios could work in the most adverse circumstances when all other communications fail. The day ended with a wonderful entertainment evening and dinner hosted by the Principal Ms. Nishi Misra.

The last day was devoted to the archaeological heritage of Gwalior. The day began with a presentation by Ms. Eliza Hilton of Flow India Foundation- an organization that has dedicated itself to creating awareness among children about our historical heritage. Eliza highlighted how each of us can take our individual small steps to protect and preserve our rich heritage, thus coming back to the theme of the conference. This was followed by a guided visit to Gwalior fort where the children were given a creative writing activity: they had to recreate the ambience of the fort in its heydays during the reign of Man Singh Tomar.

We then proceeded to the Jai Vilas Palace Museum where the children were taken on a fascinating tour of the ornate living quarters of the Scindias. The opulence of the palace left the children awe-struck. On their return, the barazza groups were each given an aspect of the Scindia palace to illustrate and present at the end of the activity. Once the barazza groups had made their presentations, there was a plenary session on the learning outcome of the conference. 

The closing ceremony was followed by a spectacular cultural presentation by the children of the host school, a dance party and dinner. There were many tearful faces at the thought of leaving behind new-found friends, much exchange of e-mail ids, addresses etc. accompanied by promises to keep in touch as the conference came to an end. Our delegates certainly came back far more independent, enlightened and enriched by their contact with children of different schools.

 

On the eve of the conference, an ice breaking session gave an opportunity for the delegates to interact and know each other better. The inaugural session began with the keynote address by Mr Sandip Dutt who spoke on ‘Life as a Journey from Me to We.’ Later, the delegates were taken to Jaigarh fort, located on the outskirts of the city where hydrology experts explained the excellent water conservation and harvesting system in the fort. The first session of Barazza was held at the fort where the delegates brainstormed on ways by which individuals could make a difference to society. The day concluded with the light and sound show at the Aamer fort which was extremely fascinating.

On the second day, the delegates were divided as per their Barazza groups and each group was taken to various service and environmental initiatives. Ms Andrea trains the economically challenged village students in rural Rajasthan in Hockey and also runs a school for them. The delegates were overwhelmed by the dedication of the volunteers. The other visits on the day were to a blue pottery unit, a block printing factory and the bird sanctuary on the Mansagar lake. In the evening, the delegates were treated to authentic Rajasthani cuisine at Chokhhi Dhani.

Day three of the conference began with a trek to a Jain temple on the outskirts of Jaipur followed by adventure activities such as rock climbing and rappelling. In the evening, the delegates put up a cultural evening displaying their talents in singing, dance and acting. On the final day the delegates came up with the conference statement followed by a wall collage by the delegates.

Interacting with students from 13 schools and making long-lasting friendships was the most rewarding experience for the delegates. Kudos for the hosts to conduct such a wonderful show!

The whole conference gave us an international experience as there were school delegations from Jordan, Africa, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Palestine and many schools from India. The week-long conference started on December 1, 2012 and the several keynote addresses covered on the impact of service projects on local communities, the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the origins of human rights and the concept of “fundamental equality” with reference to ancient Greece. Students visited the historic Petra. They all hiked up 900 steps to the monastery which was quite an adventure. The highlight of the trip was 'floating' in the Dead Sea. Students also visited the famous St. George Church and Mount Nebo.

Students took active part in community service as well. One group of students was sent to a community rehabilitation center where they learned paper making, woodwork, embroidery, weaving and interacted with the children who were deaf. The other baraaza group did construction activities with an organisation called "Habitat for Humanity" where they were made to paint a man's house.

 

Students were then broken up into smaller groups and each group made their own little vegetable patch. The learning about the right proportion of soils mixed, quantity of water, aerating the soil etc were indeed invaluable. The art activity was based on making the best out of waste. Students made beautiful murals by using waste materials such broken discs, bangles, pebbles, chart paper, cans, etc. Beautiful outlines of underwater world, hot air balloon and a tree were filled in with the waste materials to make the wonderful murals.

On the 3rd day students paid a visit to a hotel called 'Our Native Village'. It was very informative and students learnt about how this place was built to be environment-friendly. 'Our Native Village', produces zero pollution, and uses a minimal amount of electricity and synthetic materials. There are no air conditioners or fans as the rooms are made of mud bricks which act as a coolant for the rooms. Each room has a traditional painting made with organic materials. Even the shampoo bottles and soap dishes here are made of clay. 'Our Native Village' has replicas of ancient carvings or 'Hero Stones' from the 4th century to the 16th century. These stones were placed on battle fields since the 4th century. The swimming pool there is the cleanest pool in Karnataka, and, surprisingly, has no chemicals and is cleaned biologically.

The first keynote speaker, Naser Khader gave a very insightful speech on the true meaning of democracy. He compared the Danish Democratic Government to the Syrian Government. He used his experiences with the Syrian government and his time with the Conservative Party Parliament of the Danish government as a basis for the comparison. The second keynote speaker, B.S. Christiansen, shared his experiences when he was in the army and related them to life situations. He explained that taking risks is equal to freedom and daring is a crucial factor.

Our students visited the Danish parliament which is in Copenhagen's Christiansborg Palace. They also visited the free town of Christiana, a self-proclaimed autonomous neighbourhood of about 850 residents, covering 34 hectares in the borough of Christianshavn in the Danish capital Copenhagen. Civic authorities in Copenhagen regard Christiania as a large commune, but the area has a unique status in that it is regulated by a special law, the Christiania Law of 1989 which transfers parts of the supervision of the area from the municipality of Copenhagen to the state.

Delegates also went past the palaces of the current monarchs of Denmark and visited the iconic statue of 'the little mermaid'.

At Vivekananda Needam, a Service Centre, an expert yoga teacher taught students how to relax the mind through different Asanas. This was followed by a streak of Malkhamb performances. Students also did pot painting, watered plants and helped the elderly as a part of their NGO Activity. Students returned to SKV and had their Baraza Activity of Bonsai. The other Baraza groups had activities like cooking, making artificial flowers from stockings and Best of Waste which involved turning waste cans into artistic masterpieces.

Students also went for a Heritage Walk and saw the breathtaking palace of Raja Man Singh; although the interiors were filled with bats, the building had been very well restored. Students also saw a temple that had been built during the great kings' times. On return, they had a Keynote Address by Linda Bird who talked about the unfamiliar, yet important events that took place in 1947. Her speech revolved around a simple idea that her principal had made to follow when she was a little kid, “Behave like an adult or else, see me.” This simple statement had a deeper meaning for the student to find out and taught them so much about life. This followed by an interesting session of mosaic making.

Delegates also went past the palaces of the current monarchs of Denmark and visited the iconic statue of 'the little mermaid'.