THE School of the Nations has partnered with the Nancy Campbell Academy in Canada to promote social justice and youth empowerment through training in the performing arts and through the World Citizenship course.

The Nancy Campbell Academy is a private residential high school located in Stratford, Canada, that hinges on tenets of the Bahá’í faith. For years, students of the academy have travelled to countries to engage in service activities.

On January 3, six students travelled to Guyana to hone the inherent value for community service of ‘Nations’ sixth form students. The group has taught students how to harness the performing arts as a mechanism for social discourse, while allowing for introspection.

According to an accompanying teacher of the academy, Roya Sadeghi, “A lot of people are naturally drawn to the arts, but it cannot be used as a tool on its own.”

As such, she explained that the arts (primarily song and dance) are used to illustrate social issues such as racism, violence, and drug abuse and promote principles such as equality and education.

The aim of the performances is to draw people and raise awareness on the topics, but, as another representative of the academy, Anita Sadeghi, explained, “The arts are used as a tool to express what is latent within oneself.”

So far, the group (both Nancy Campbell and Nations’ students) visited the Sophia Detention Centre and the Giftland Mall, seeking to foster discourse and share their messages.

Though the target population is primarily youths aged 11-15, the teachings are universal.

The final performances will be done at the relocated Brickdam Secondary in East La Penitence, on Monday and at the School of the Nations, on Tuesday.

Aside from performances, Anita related that the buck does not stop there but rather they signal the beginning of the rest of the programme. The Canadian youths are also training the locals through the Ruhi Institute (a Bahai educational institution), to become involved in the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Programme.

This programme seeks to build capacity within the youths and embedding the “twin pillars” of academic excellence and a moral framework.

The Nancy Campbell representatives highlighted though the exchange culminates on Wednesday, January 17, the short period has been characterised by immense reciprocal learning.

School of the Nations Director, Dr. Brian O’Toole affirmed, “Alot of our kids have bought into it and there has been the great development of kinship.”

He noted that the performances are vignette and characterised by their ability to illustrate the topics and engage with the audience

He explained that the academy has held relations with the local school for a number of years, but this exchange marks the beginning of strengthened partnership between the two.

The programme also aligns well with the school’s impetus for community service and civic engagement.