Our student-led KLASSComm body seeks to promote the idea of accepting and understanding other cultures through educational events run throughout the year. Participating, contributing and developing their own cultural identities through collective experiences and the sharing of values with others is one of the group’s core aims. In this week’s Secondary Blog, KLASS Comm members, Rishi, Annushka, Bhargav and Hiba, share with us below why they believe internationalism is one of the central forces that drive our school community.
To the members of KLASS Comm, internationalism means seeing the world with a sense of fairness, humility and respect, whilst recognising our own humanity in the struggles of others. Understanding and learning about each other’s origins helps us to solidify our knowledge and perception of the world around us. In times of strife and conflict, we must find our connections to each other to hold our communities together.
This idea was expressed in 1848 by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in The Communist Manifesto when they stated that:
“In proportion as the antagonism between classes within the nation vanishes, the hostility of one nation to another will come to an end.''
The more modern definition of internationalism is most commonly expressed as an appreciation for the diverse cultures in the world, and a desire for world peace. Contributors to the current version of internationalism include Albert Einstein who was a socialist who believed in a world government. However, the ideas of internationalism have never stopped evolving.
Internationalism is the idea that solidifies our society - it holds not only our school together, but our world too. The intricacies of cultures and countries as well as their unique traditions can help everyone improve themselves and broaden their horizons. Residing here in Malaysia, a true melting pot of cultures, there are several ways to connect with communities. Whether it be through food, religion, music or festivals, we can always find ways to enjoy ourselves by exploring other cultures.
Tolerance and acceptance are the core values of internationalism. These allow us to coexist together in this school and country. Without internationalism, we would be divided and broken, but thanks to the shared values we all have, we can come together as one single group, proud to be who they are. Anyone can develop their cultural identity whether they are students, teachers, parents or non-teaching staff; this is the most amazing part of internationalism. No matter how old or young you might be, you can always cultivate your understanding of other cultures.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend,
