Activiteit/evenement

We are a Language Friendly School where we welcome and value the languages spoken by students, parents and stakeholders with the aim that children feel accepted and valued for who they are. Multilingualism helps make education better and more inclusive for everyone. In Primary, each student from Reception Class to Year 6 has been asked to make a “language profile” in which they talk about their language identity - the language they use to talk to their parents and family members, the language they prefer to use socially and in play and the language they think in. English is the language of tuition but it is equally important to celebrate students’ home language and culture, whether this be singing Happy Birthday in their home language or choosing a book from the Home language section of the Library to share with the class.

• Welke tips wil je andere Eco-teams geven bij het organiseren van een activiteit/evenement?: Encouraging children to speak their home languages also promotes diversity and inclusivity. It enriches their understanding of different cultures and broadens their perspectives, fostering a more open and accepting society. Joining networks such as the Language Friendly Schools enables us to exchange our experiences of promoting home languages with other schools
• Onderwijstype: Basisonderwijs
• Waarom zijn jullie hier trots op?: We feel proud when our children share their home languages because it shows they're embracing their cultural roots and heritage. Language is an essential part of one's identity and being able to communicate in their home language helps them maintain a connection to their family's traditions, values, and history.
• School: International School Breda

As an International School, inclusion, equity and diversity are particularly important values at our school. For this reason, it is important for us to share information about festivals and other cultural events celebrated amongst our school community. This academic year, we have focused so far on two such events: Diwali - one of the major religious festivals in Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism - and Thanksgiving (as celebrated in the US and Canada). For Diwali, we transformed our canteen into 5 themed sections, one for each day of the festivity. Our Secondary students were responsible for a stand explaining each of the five days. Our plan includes a unique activity for each day of the celebration. We divided the canteen into 5 themed sections, one for each day of the festivity. This allowed visitors from the Primary and Secondary community to explore the canteen and fully experience the spirit of each day. Last week we celebrated Thanksgiving. Students and staff were able to reflect on gratitude and write on our Gratitude Wall in the canteen. As with Diwali, students brought into school traditional food eaten at the time of these two celebrations.

• Welke tips wil je andere Eco-teams geven bij het organiseren van een activiteit/evenement?: Planning is key: students who have first-hand experience with these festivities were targeted to help put on these events and the parent community was also involved in assisting the students to provide traditional food and symbolic items intrinsic to the celebration of the festivals.
• Onderwijstype: Voortgezet onderwijs
• Waarom zijn jullie hier trots op?: We are very proud when students take the lead in initiatives such as our Diwali and Thanksgiving celebrations; not only does it highlight their leadership skills and organizational abilities but also signifies their initiative, open-mindedness, and willingness to learn about diverse cultures.
• School: International School Breda

Representatives from UNICEF visited both Primary and Secondary to share information about the world UNICEF does throughout the world, promoting children’s rights, placing a special emphasis on sustainability in the lessons they gave. Climate change, conflict, disease and economic crises are cutting children off from their chance to thrive. Students learnt that without immediate action, we risk losing millions of lives to easily preventable causes like disease, poor nutrition and unsafe water. Students also learned how plastic bricks (produced from recycled waste) are being used in West Africa, to build classrooms, helping solve one of the biggest barriers to education.

• Welke tips wil je andere Eco-teams geven bij het organiseren van een activiteit/evenement?: External speakers can provide real-world insights and practical knowledge related to their field or experiences. This exposure helps students see the relevance of what they're learning in the classroom to the world outside. UNICEF focuses on children’s rights and has a network of volunteers who come into schools to talk about the valuable work this charity does around the world.
• Onderwijstype: Basisonderwijs
• Waarom zijn jullie hier trots op?: The lessons provided by UNICEF led to various initiatives such as Primary children collecting discarded plastic in the neighbourhood and Secondary fundraising for UNICEF to support children less fortunate than themselves. Such actions not only contribute to fundraising efforts but also raise awareness about critical issues affecting children, fostering a sense of global citizenship and social responsibility among students. We are proud of our students’ proactive involvement in making a positive impact on society. It signifies their understanding of the importance of helping those in need and their willingness to take action to support a cause that aims to uplift vulnerable children around the world. Such actions not only contribute to fundraising efforts but also raise awareness about critical issues affecting children, fostering a sense of global citizenship and social responsibility among students.
• School: International School Breda

We have recently set up a student-led GSA, a gender-sexuality alliance. The aim of the GSA is to play a key role in creating a more inclusive and accepting school environment, promoting diversity, and supporting the well-being of LGBTQ+ students and their allies, such as implementing policies that protect the rights of LGBTQ+ students within the school and providing a supportive environment for students of all gender identities and sexual orientations where individuals can express themselves without fear of discrimination or bullying.

• Welke tips wil je andere Eco-teams geven bij het organiseren van een activiteit/evenement?: The GSA is actively involved in organising this year’s Purple Friday, a day on which pupils and students can show their solidarity with LGBTIQ+ people by wearing the colour purple at school. The aim is to educate the wider school community about various gender identities, sexual orientations and LGBTQ+ issues. A poster campaign is underway to announce the event, a competition to see who will wear the most purple has been created (and publicised) and COC Nederland, the oldest existing LGBT organization in the world, has been contacted to provide badges and armbands to help create awareness, foster empathy and promote inclusivity.
• Onderwijstype: Voortgezet onderwijs
• Waarom zijn jullie hier trots op?: A GSA helps build a sense of community among students. Our students' effort in setting up such a group signifies their commitment to fostering a sense of belonging for all individuals within our school community.
• School: International School Breda