On Wednesday 10 July we, the School Council Student Representatives, had the amazing opportunity to host the Biennial Global Issues Forum at QAHS. The event, which we had been planning since November 2023, alongside Alumnus Samuel Brown, focused on the Cost-of-Living Crisis, a topic voted on by our students, which centred around the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The initiative behind establishing this student-led forum stemmed from the curiosity of many students at our school, like the two of us, regarding the everchanging and evolving world that surrounds us. As high school students, it is our job to seize opportunities, and help inspire the people around us, as the only way we can make positive change is by working collaboratively.
This year's forum was a remarkable success, featuring multimedia presentations, interactive activities, and a panel with amazing guest speakers who engaged directly with our audience of students and teachers. We were honoured to have two distinguished guests: Professor Alberto Posso, Head of the Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics at Griffith University, and Janvi Makanjee, our alumna from the Class of 2022 and a finalist in Miss World Australia 2023. Janvi's insights, provided from the perspective of a student, helped us better understand what life will be like once we graduate. Alberto's understanding of economic concepts and his clear explanations allowed every student to have a better grasp of the nuances of the Cost-of-Living Crisis. Additionally, the idea of conducting a Mexican wave in the lecture theatre was a great one, allowing for a moment of light-hearted fun amidst a serious discussion. We could both see everyone's faces light up and Alberto was extremely proud at the synchronised wave we were able to make.
Organising this event with our team presented many challenges, from brainstorming the structure to inviting guests and promoting the event through various channels. Keeping track of the progress of our committee, handling emergencies, and ultimately orchestrating a successful event for the whole Academy was an incredible learning experience. This year-long journey has been transformative for us, as we tackled many tasks for the first time and grew significantly along the way. Reflecting upon the actions and decisions that led us to this moment, it is undoubtable that the success of this event in the QAHS community could not have been achieved without the help of our Student Executive Committee and the amazing staff of our Academy. We would like to extend our gratitude to our amazing Global Issues Forum Committee, and our teacher mentor Mrs Marnie Chetter. Without Mrs Chetter's help and guidance, the GIF would not have been as successful as you all witnessed it to be.
As School Council Representatives, it is our job to ensure that the QAHS community has opportunities to thrive on their journey through the IB Diploma Program and make the most of their three years at the Academy. This experience of organising and leading the event has been incredible, enriching our perspectives and leaving us eager for more opportunities to contribute to understanding and addressing global issues. We thank our peers for their attendance and enthusiasm. This event has truly been a transformative experience for us, and we couldn't have asked for a better crowd to have achieved it with.
Pravit Tandon and Yanyan Zhang
Year 11, School Council Student Representatives