Collaborative Activity for Global Perspective

In the last few days, two schools – AIS (Al-Irsyad Satya) and BAIS (Bandung Alliance International School) have created a collaborative event for Week Without Walls (WWW). WWW has been introduced to Al-Irsyad since last year. This year, we happened to carry it out successfully. WWW is a program which secondary students mingle and engage in community service, taking service learning outside the classroom and helping students to embrace their potential to make a difference.

This event was harmonised by Peace Generation with its mission to break the Wall of prejudice among cultures, to break the Wall of anger, stereotypes, hate, differences, pride, race power. Peace Generation is a movement towards the peaceful society. Instead of breaking the walls, ‘Plant the Peace’ was one of the top mission. All students and teachers spread a hundred trees around school area and visit other schools. They planted the trees everywhere they passed even they planted 5 trees at school and they named them. One day when they meet again they are going to find out how big will be the tree of peace they are planted.

The students were divided into five groups. The number of students from AIS was 22 and around 17 from BAIS. The plan was that Darul Arqam Garut would join the program but they have something else to do. They mingled and worked, played, sang, ate, walked together. On day one, Peace Generation leader, Eric Maxey, promoted an activity of ‘breaking up the wall’. He provided us a sling shot to break the ‘wall’-paper-made to be broken up by hitting it. Several sling shot hit might not be strong enough to break the wall until he then invited all the students to run towards the wall and to break it. That was symbolised activity described to the students.

Another activity was preparing a skit introduced by BAIS students to AIS students. This time, they learned how to act and promote peace for everybody through the skit for the day after. They had to present this to the younger kids that would be invited to watch them. The skit was all about solving prejudice problems, bullying, discriminating, and gender bias. This was the best shot! Instead of having fun with the skit, there they could see some global perspective such as it has been mention on the AIS program for IGCSE; • Belief Systems • Biodiversity and Ecosystem Loss • Education for All • Humans and Other Species • Tradition, Culture and Language • Climate Change • Conflict and Peace • Family and Demographic Change • Water

Then the program went on planting the trees. They walked to the kampong around the school passed the rice fields. They were all ready with trees, ‘cangkul’ and some more equipment for digging. Students started to dig difficultly since they have never tried using ‘cangkul’. In this activity they liberated themselves from arrogant and prestige and they got ready to be dirty. This situation could grow solidarity among students and teachers of course.

The feeling of unity and harmony was flowing through the air of blending cultures and language. The cultures mixed between the east and the west, the east were from Indonesian, Korean, Chinese and the west were from American, Canadian and Australian. However they all used English as international language. For non-native students this was a good chance for them to practice English in the real situation whether or not their English would be understood easily since they used it for real communication which was not set up. This is the best part of learning language for non-native English speaker. Nonetheless, the native English speakers were also learn more Bahasa Indonesia. The blending of culture was very strong when they visited SMAN 2 Padalarang. There were a girl playing Kecapi and a boy singing traditional Sundanese Cianjuran. It was beyond awesome!

Day two was more exciting as they decorated and flew the kites. The way they decorated them had to be in line with the theme, Peace generation. Paint and spray paint were prepared for maximum accessories for all the activities. The kites decoration was in competition. Some students won the most beautiful kites, and most peaceful kites. The best part of this event was when they flew the kites everybody was so excited to fly them. It’s been a long time for them not flies the kites. The philosophy was that they fly the peace and let everybody know that they were committed to keep PEACE for everybody like they dream put high up as high as the kites.