One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it.
One must work at it’
Eleanor Roosevelt
The theme for art week 2009 was PEACE. With boundless enthusiasm and energy, the pupils and staff at B.I.S.R, Year 1 to Year 6, fully engaged in their PEACE projects with outstanding results. Through discussion, activities and art the pupils developed their understanding of friendship, tolerance and support for each other.
A PEACE celebration assembly on the 13th of June signified the end of an incredible week. The pupils’ artwork adorned the hall and walls of the mezzanine level in J Building spreading the message of PEACE. The assembly itself was attended by Miss Maha Elfrangi, a representative from UNICEF, who talked to the pupils about the charity work of UNICEF and the ways in which the organisation helps under privileged and vulnerable children around the world. Miss Elfrangi was delighted to receive SR4000 raised through the sale of the Charity Art T-shirt.
Monique Cooksey, 6E, won the PEACE logo competition with a bold and unique design for our charity t-shirt.
During ICT the pupils compiled their own ‘Plea for PEACE’ letters addressed to all World Leaders. During the assembly Shady Guirguis, 3D, read his own intuitive letter and then presented Miss Elfrangi with a large box of letters written by the pupils of B.I.S.R. Miss Elfrangi was visibly moved by the children’s thoughts and promised to pass on their hopes and dreams for a peaceful world.
Another project was the creation of friendship boxes for the children at the Indian School in Riyadh. At the assembly over 400 boxes, containing new stationery and books donated by the pupils and Al-Shark, were presented to Mrs Subbiah the Principal, and Mr Sukumaran of the Indian School. They were delighted and greatly appreciated the generosity and act of friendship demonstrated by the pupils of B.I.S.R.
The Art Week celebration assembly was a joyous occasion with music and song. The Guitar Club strummed away to ‘Where have all the flowers gone’, and the words to ‘The Streets of London’, were sung loud and clear by everyone present. The event was eloquently hosted by Molly Russell, Kayode Oduwole, Bilal Ahmed and Saher Murtaza from Year 6.
The assembly closed with a balloon release on the Astroturf. With Michael Jackson’s ‘Heal the World’ and John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ playing in the background, representatives from each Year Group and the top ten Logo competition winners released blue and white balloons into the Riyadh sky, it was a very moving and memorable moment. A huge celebratory cheer signalled the end of Art Week but with the promise of next year’s art week to come.
Thanks go to Mrs Irene El-Naddaf and Mrs Debbie Beresford, for their tireless effort in organising the art week and art displays at BISR.
