Teenager's Virtual Panel for Equality and Harmony

Yodeling, whistling, sending smoke signals or carrier pigeons, etc. This is not a list of weird hobbies but rather ways that were once used by humans to communicate over long-distances. Talking about long-distances, more than 7000 miles (11000 kilometers) separate Hanil High School in Korea from Bellows Free Academy in USA. To close this geographical gap, the students from these two schools decided to use more reliable and modern forms of communication.

Over the last three months, these two schools connected with one another by posting messages online through the IVECA platform. This week, these Korean and U.S. teenagers had an even more immediate interaction. After researching discrimination issues and international conflicts, they met virtually to have live exchanges of their perspectives to build a better future.

For about one hour, they held panel discussions in order to propose an action plan for equality and harmony. While the Korean panelists exposed their ideas about conflicts affecting international relations of East Asia, the young U.S. speakers focused on the African continent. To tackle various issues ranging from the controversy over Japanese Yasukuni Shrine to the illicit trade of natural resources and exotic pets in Africa, the students developed solutions based on the similar strategies. All the participants in this debate agreed that communication, diplomacy and cultural interaction will pave the way to stronger and healthier relationships between countries. One of the U.S. students reflected on her experience:

“… Doing IVECA and talking to you and your school showed me how working together with other countries can solve inequalities… In the future I hope that many of the problems and inequalities we face today are no longer an issue…  I hope that by standing up for my beliefs like the people in the Gwangju Uprising I can help stop inequalities and make a difference…” 

Of course, reducing the communication gap between different cultures is a road filled with challenges. The students themselves sometimes had a difficult time communicating with their partners due to the language barrier. But thanks to their open mindset and hard work, they made the most of this intercultural partnership. The farewell letters they exchanged at the end of their live classes demonstrate that they successfully managed to transcend cultural boundaries:

“ …We really enjoyed the activities with you. At first, it wasn’t easy to communicate in English. We searched for dictionary dozens of times to use the most appropriate expression… The activity about ‘Conflicts in history’ gave us a chance to learn about many different conflicts around the world. “ Student from Hanil High School, Korea.

“IVECA was an amazing experience for all of us here in the United States. We have enjoyed getting to know more about you and your country, and we hope you enjoyed meeting us as well. Learning about each other has helped us develop friendship skills, and learning about your country has made us closer… “ Student from Bellows Free Academy, Vermont.

“ …I encourage you to think of today’s class as not the end but a new beginning and hope for each other’s best although we are far apart.. “ Shin Insoo, Vice Principal of Hanil High School, Korea.

Budding Global Experts from Korea and India Discuss Geopolitics

Hanil High School and Mahaveer Public School respectively from Korea and India, met virtually on Wednesday, May 24 in order to discuss issues and conflicts which have persisted over the course of history and still influence international relations. During their live presentations, the students assessed together the historical, economic and geopolitical reasons behind international conflicts such as the territorial disputes over Kashmir or the sovereignty of the Dokdo island.

As real history experts, the students were very detail-oriented when conducting research and sharing with their IVECA partners their possible solutions to mitigate the negative impact of these conflicts on global relationships.

Students found this two-month partnership was a very rewarding learning experience for both schools, as exemplified by the farewell letters they exchanged:

“….we learned a lot about your culture, customs, and especially about you. Thank you for having us as your partner, and we sincerely hope that we could meet again as proud global leaders. Thank you.” “Only a few months have passed since we have communicated by IVECA, and this virtual classroom [live video class] became the last activity between classes…. the time spent together was useful and valuable.” - Letters from Hanil High School  students to their friends in India.

Indian and U.S. Students Embrace Joy of Cultural Diversity

During their three-month partnership, students from Bellows Free Academy (Vermont, USA) and their IVECA friends from St. Mark’s Sr. Secondary Public School (New Delhi, India) showcased intercultural dialogue, respect for diversity, and openness to learn from others – all critical in a world that is becoming ever more connected.

Using IVECA’s platform, these children spent their semester discussing the similarities and differences between the cultural wardrobes of the United States and India. Of course, this partnership, a first for the New Delhi school, went far beyond an exchange of information about clothing.

The children also learned about the effects of geographical features on the ways people live, work and celebrate. For example, the Indian students presented Diwali, a festival celebrating happiness and lights, while the US students shared their tradition of Halloween, a popular celebration involving lights. Additionally, the students explored the role indigenous plants play in their economies. St. Mark’s students illustrated how spices contribute to India’s international trade.  Likewise, students from BFA  explained how Northeastern states benefit from the production and sale of Maple syrup.

On January 31, this collaboration concluded with a fashion show that highlighted traditional costumes worn during festivals, athletic uniforms, and everyday clothing.  This one-hour virtual exchange celebrated their friendship, joy of learning about new cultures, and the importance of intercultural understanding.

The farewell letters the children exchanged demonstrate the power of their experience:

“…. it was the first time I had been a part of such program and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I learned that the differences in our cultures make this world an exciting place to be, but our similarities make us understand each other in a better way. This understanding is required to make this world a better place to live in.” –  A student from St. Mark School in New Delhi. “… I just have to say that it has been a great time doing IVECA for two years and I really hope that I get to do this again. I have really been happy to meet different people from other cultures.”   “I hope that you had just as much fun as I did!  I know that most schools do not get the opportunity to communicate with people from separate countries and one thing that I learned from this experience was that we have a lot of similarities.”