Oakham School’s Form 2 pupils wrapped up their year-long MYP Community Days program with a heart-warming interaction with Ukrainian refugees living in Rutland.
The event, which took place on Monday 26 June, was an exciting opportunity for the students to meet and learn from their counterparts from a different cultural background.
The event started with a series of workshops, including a language workshop hosted by the Ukrainian visitors. The pupils had the chance to learn some basic Ukrainian phrases and interact with the refugees in a friendly and welcoming environment.
The workshops were followed by an afternoon of sports, where Oakhamians and their Ukrainian counterparts joined together to play football and other team games.
Lucy Breag, MYP Service & Action Coordinator, expressed her delight at the success of the event. “It was a wonderful opportunity for our pupils to experience the richness of cultural diversity and to learn from people who have faced challenges that are different from their own.
“The feedback we received from the pupils was overwhelmingly positive. They enjoyed the workshops and the sports activities, and most importantly, they appreciated the chance to meet and interact with the Ukrainian refugees.”
Dmitriy Ashton, IB MYP Coordinator, emphasised the importance of the MYP Community Days program in developing the pupils’ understanding of the world around them. “Our aim is to create opportunities for our pupils to engage with their local and global communities and to develop empathy and respect for people from all walks of life.
“The interaction with the Ukrainian refugees was a perfect example of this. It helped our pupils to appreciate the challenges faced by refugees and to learn from their experiences.”
Overall, the MYP Community Days program at Oakham School has been a huge success, and the interaction with the Ukrainian refugees was a fitting way to end the academic year.
The pupils left the event with a greater appreciation for cultural diversity and a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by refugees living in the UK.
