Kirwan students put themselves on the international stage

Kirwan High students have been developing their leadership and international diplomacy skills in a series of Australian-ASEAN Youth Summits with other students from across the country and South East Asia.

Kirwan High students Carla Buse, 17, Bailey Robinson, 16, Ellie Lumb, 17, and Brianna-Lilly Gillespie have been participating in a in a series of Australian-ASEAN Youth Summits and partnering a school from the Philippines. Picture: Evan Morgan

Kirwan High students have been developing their leadership and international diplomacy skills in a series of Australian-ASEAN Youth Summits with other students from across the country and South East Asia.

The final summit is on today (Monday) and Kirwan High is the only regional Australian school participating in the program developed by the Asia Education Foundation.

Humanities teacher Rick Harting said his school was one of eleven Australian schools involved in the program.

We are also participating with ten Asian countries, and each country has a school represented as well, so it’s about 120 students altogether.”

He said examining sustainable development goals was the driving force of the summits.

“The agenda for the day is for students to look at the United Nations Sustainable

Kirwan High students Brianna-Lilly Gillespie, Carla Buse, 17, Bailey Robinson, 16 and Ellie Lumb, 17, and have been participating in a in a series of Australian-ASEAN Youth Summits and partnering a school from the Philippines. Picture: Evan Morgan

Development Goals and coming up with plans on how to solve those issues within the different Southeast Asian nations.

He said students from his school had partnered with the Milaor National High School in the Philippines to address specific sustainability goals and issues that affect both countries.

“That’s affecting that their country and then our students are then looking at how that issue has affected us here in in Townsville, and trying to come up with a solution that would fit for both regions.”

“What part is unique about our program is that the kids are developing a Youth Declaration, which is going to be presented (in a hybrid meeting) to Australian Parliament in Canberra on Monday.”

Year 11 student Bailey Robinson said the program had been a fantastic experience.

“It’s really interesting to see the different perspectives on like things that affect both of our countries and how we can work together to solve them while benefiting both equally,” she said.

The student said one of the sustainable goals she and Filipino students looked for solutions was gender equality.

“We just tried to, with a bunch of other delegates, solve that issue in a way that was good for everyone.

“One of our solutions is more women represented in Parliament to make policies that would benefit women. Trying to make laws that would decrease violence based on gender.”

Originally published as Kirwan students put themselves on the international stage