Before winter recess, Class 7 took a break from regular classes to experience a 73-year-old international organization located along the East River, just a short trip from Chapin. Comprised of 193 member countries, the United Nations is dedicated to maintaining worldwide peace and security, protecting human rights, delivering humanitarian aid and promoting sustainable development, among other important objectives. More than a million visitors tour the U.N. Headquarters each year, including these enthusiastic Middle School students.
Organized by Chapin’s World Languages Department, this annual trip honors Human Rights Day, which is observed every year on December 10. This is the date the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 70 years ago, in 1948. The most translated document in the world, the Declaration proclaims “the inalienable rights which everyone is inherently entitled to as a human being, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.”
Stepping off the buses on the clear morning, our students and teachers made their way into the headquarters’ grand lobby to await their tour guide. Each student carried a notebook and pen to record her thoughts and observations.
During the lively and informative tour, the girls visited the magnificent General Assembly Hall and learned about the structure of this intergovernmental organization and the treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Outside on the plaza, they observed — and posed for photographs in front of — an arresting sculpture by the Swedish artist Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd, “Non-Violence,” a large bronze replica of a .45-calibre revolver with a knotted barrel.
The students also discovered the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, as stated by the U.N., to be achieved by 2030, which were depicted in beautiful woodcut renderings by the Brazilian artist Octavio Roth. They are:
17 Sustainable Development Goals
- No Poverty
- Zero Hunger
- Good Health and Well-Being
- Quality Education
- Gender Equality
- Clean Water and Sanitation
- Affordable and Clean Energy
- Decent Work and Economic Growth
- Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
- Reduced Inequality
- Sustainable Cities and Communities
- Responsible Consumption and Production
- Climate Action
- Life Below Water
- Life on Land
- Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
- Partnerships to achieve the Goal
To further enhance their understanding of international human rights, Class 7 students who are taking Spanish studied the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in depth, focusing on the 30 articles. Examples include: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights,” (Article 1); “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression.” (Article 19); and “Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.” (Article 23).
The Spanish unit culminated with each student selecting a Declaration article of her choosing, creating a poster and giving a presentation. She was asked to explain its meaning and relevance and to identify a person who best exemplified the article. Lastly, the students articulated what each of us can do to ensure the protection of their chosen article in our world today.
In Chinese class, students researched the character 人 (rén), which means “person or people.” It is the beginning of other characters that represent the elements of the world around us, such as 火 (huǒ) or fire and 天 (tiān) or sky. Lin Wang, Chapin’s Middle and Upper School Chinese teacher, was pleased to see that his students were interested in learning about the philosophy behind these Chinese characters, and how they found, on their own, additional characters with the word “person” as a foundation.
Drawing on what they learned during the thought-provoking trip to the United Nations, along with their subsequent class projects, the students in Class 7 will be exceptionally prepared to contribute in meaningful ways to Chapin’s International Week (February 12-16), which will celebrate the School’s yearlong theme, “Our Future, Our Voices.”
Browse photos from the trip below: