Global Events (2019 and before) - St.Marks World School Meera Bagh

Loyalty, Truth & Honour

ST. MARK’S WORLD SCHOOL
(Formerly St. Mark's Girls Sr. Sec. School)

This Society runs St. Mark’s Sr. Sec. Public School, Meera Bagh & Janakpuri too.

Home » Beyond Curriculum » Activities & Competitions » GLOBAL EVENTS

Online Meet : International Collaborations - (12 December 2020)

The only limit to our realisation of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. Franklin D. Roosevelt.

St. Mark’s Girls Sr. Sec. School believes that learning is not limited to books. Sharing ideas and bringing those ideas together to create new, also teaches you enough.

Our student participants of the online project - Mythical Lores, took initiative to reach to their counterparts from Hungary and Greece to discuss further the steps to be taken to complete the e-chain story that have been started by them. In the process, there are bound to be queries and doubts which have to be clarified, time and again. This meeting cleared doubts regarding how to go further with the characters and the illustrations etc, required to weave the story. The meeting was held online to connect to the student-participants and the teacher in charges of Obudai Arpad Gimnazium of Hungary and 4th Primary School, Ymittou, Athens, Greece on 12 December 2020.

Live Streaming of India International Dance Festival - (December 2020)

India International Dance Festival (IIDF) presented the live streaming of spectacular indian classical dances performed by ace dancers Ahnaf Ithika Mouno from Bangladesh, Oishee Bhattacharjee from Delhi and Sanvi Thakur from Bengaluru. This festival is being held for the last 5 years and was initiated by Sri. Sham Hari Chakra. Today was the 8th series of the the festival which started off with Ahnaf Ithika Mouno's mesmerizing Odissi dance comprising of beautiful hand gestures and costume. Then we witnessed the energy and charm of Shiv Stuti in the form of Kathak presented by the young (15 year old) talented Oishee Bhattacharjee from Delhi. Finally Sanvi Thakur from Bengaluru ended the festival with a beautiful Odissi performance which was an invocation to lord Ganesha.

Zoom Video Meet with French: International Collaborations - (28 November 2020)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Zoom Video Meet with French: International Collaborations : Click to Enlarge

Friendship is a two way street and not a one way road. And in this two-way street, when friends stop by and share their ideas, something creative and useful comes out.

Thinking and working on these lines, some students from Classes 10 and 11 of St. Mark’s Girls Sr. Secondary School are involved in a project called - ‘Mythical Lores’. The idea is to share the mythological stories of their own country as well as read the stories of other countries, and then weave a new story. They are interacting with friends from four different countries - France, Hungary, Greece and Malaysia.

An interactive video meet was arranged on Saturday, 28 November 2020 with the French members of the project from the school Lycee Elie Cartan to understand the way the project will go ahead to culminate into an e- story.

Video Conference with Global Educators - (4 November 2020)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Video Conference with Global Educators : Click to Enlarge

THIS CONFERENCE WAS BETWEEN THE PARTNER SCHOOLS OF AN ONLINE PROJECT TITLED, 'MYTHICAL LORES'.

“The most beautiful discovery friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart.” - Elisabeth Foley.

And what best, even staying miles apart they come together for a mission to create an environment to share each other’s culture with the help of mythological stories of their own nation and learn about others as well.

The teachers of St. Mark’s Girls Sr. Sec. School, Ms. Anjali Handa, and Ms. Arpita Dutta have taken initiative to collaborate with the teacher - educators of different countries, to run an online project on mythology, titled ‘Mythical Lores’. Students and teachers are presently involved in this ongoing project that started in the month of October. An online meeting was organized to discuss how to proceed with the said project. Teachers from France, Greece, Hungary, and Malaysia participated in a discussion with our teachers on Wednesday, 4 November 2020.

It is true that learning is not bound to only books. Sharing information also is a great source of learning and when you find the right group of people who challenge and inspire you; spending time with them, to share knowledge will further enhance you.

Reunion with ASEF Partners - (July 2020)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Reunion with ASEF Partners @Global Events : Click to Enlarge

"Memories are made when gathered around the table".

It is perceived that the current COVID-19 pandemic is causing deglobalisation and people-to-people distancing. Though virtual communication can’t substitute real people to-people relationships, it can still keep us connected.

With this thought, a virtual reunion was organised recently for ASEF partners by our teachers, Ms. Anjali Handa and Ms. Arpita Dutta connecting educators from different Asian and European countries. It was a pleasure to see Leonie Nagarajan, Director, Education Department, Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) as well as other educators from Singapore, Hungary, France, Slovakia and Italy.

From discussing about how this pandemic has affected the different countries to the policies formulated by their respective education departments to help the youth to discussing general routines and about the new things learnt, the short friendly meet brought back memories of the good old times that were Corona-free.

Webinar by ASEF - (16 July 2020)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Webinar by ASEF : Click to Enlarge

Strength lies in our differences, not in similarities. - Stephen. R. Covey.

It is essential to recognize, accept, respect and celebrate this diversity. It is also true that no culture can exist if it attempts to be exclusive. The Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) has been relentlessly working to bring the people of Asia and Europe together to realise the importance and reap the benefits of multiculturalism and share ideas.

A webinar was organised by ASEF on 16 July, 2020 to discuss the Asia-Europe relations with Ambassador Tommy KOH, ASEF’s first Executive Director, a lawyer and a diplomat. He was also Singapore’s former Permanent Representative to the United Nations. He emphasised on multi-culturalism and multi-lateralism as today’s demand. He also discussed the role of ASEF and ASEM in addressing common global challenges. He was in conversation with Mr. Lawrence Anderson, Director, ASEF’s Communications Department.

The world is in trying times because of the ongoing pandemic and physical meetings are not possible today. He laid stress on the use of technology to continue to bring young minds of Asia and Europe together again because everyone needs someone to learn from and share ideas with.

Ms. Anjali Handa and Ms. Arpita Dutta of St. Mark’s Girls Sr. Sec. School attended the webinar to understand the importance of strengthening social ties in creating a better understanding between the people of Asia and Europe.

Staying Connected - (July 2020)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Staying Connected : Click to Enlarge

“True friends stay with you no matter the distance or time that separates you from them.” ― Lance Reynald, Pop Salvation.

As the world faces extraordinary challenges amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, this cannot weaken the bonds of friendship built by Student Exchange Programmes. Our students of Class XII are still connected and interacting with their Dutch partners of Christelijk College Nassau-Veluwe, Harderwijk, Netherlands whom they had first met in Netherlands in May 2017 and then, hosted in December 2019.

Video Session with French Buddies - (3 June 2020)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Video Session with French Buddies : Click to Enlarge

It has been rightly said by Martin Luther King Jr. - “We may all have come on different ships but we are all in the same boat now.”.

The year 2020 has brought a lot of hardships with itself, majorly being the COVID-19 impacting thousands of lives throughout the globe, both physically as well as mentally. Today, the students, part of the Indo-French delegation, had a merry video session with their buddies. From discussing about how this pandemic has affected the two countries to the policies formulated by their respective governments to help the society to discussing general routines and repercussions of this pandemic. Also, the session was filled with laughter, nostalgia, love and care for each other, humming to Indian melodies, discussing about the new things learnt and sheer usage of the phrase “We wish we all could be together”.

The fact is, we all are. Yes, if the situation would not have been such, we wouldn’t have had met online, we would have been sitting together, clinking glasses and made memories but since we are here now we are not apart, we are still together, at a halt, fighting each day and conquering and trying to make things normal. One day, we will meet and surely it would be in a “Corona-free environment”.

Namaste - (May 2020)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Namaste : Click to Enlarge

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Namaste - Pari : Click to Enlarge

Namaste to all !

Nam – as – te.

Three syllables and one simple word that has the potential to bring peace between peoples, peace between nations and most importantly, peace within ourselves.

“Namaste is about creating and honoring connection and exuding respect.”

In times of the Corona virus scare, the Indian Namaste is becoming increasingly popular. It is a noncontact form of greeting, as opposed to hugging or shaking hands.

The traditional Indian Namaste means respect and love for the person we greet.

It is heart warming to receive greetings and well wishes from our partners in Slovakia, France and Hungary as the world struggles to come to terms with this deadly outbreak.

Praying that we all emerge out of the current situation strongly with good health.

Staying Connected - (2020)

“Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together.” – Woodrow T. Wilson.

That is the idea behind a Student Exchange Programme, making new friends across the world.

The lockdown cannot weaken the bonds of friendship created by Student Exchange Programmes. Our students are still connected in these adverse conditions with their global partners on different social media platforms. Here is a group of students of Class XI interacting with their German partners of Weber Schule, Eutin whom they had hosted in January, 2020.

Friendship is not a big thing.....it’s a million little things, that make the world a better place!!!

Video Conference - (2 May 2020)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Video Conference : Click to Enlarge

In the midst of the Covid 19 pandemic faced by the world where countries are at great risk, the students of our school from Class XI and XII - Radhika Gupta, Mehak Sharma, Anika Maniam, Ishika Sachdeva connected with students from Austria, France, Hungary, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands and Slovakia by conducting a digital conference on 2 May 2020.

This video conference was a healthy respite from the all time boring quarantine. Students exchanged views on how to cope with the difficult situation. It was an interactive session where they discussed topics ranging from impact of covid19 on education and economy of their country to the steps taken by their respective governments to combat the virus. They even guided each other on how to take precautions to fight this deadly virus.

At the end, keeping in mind the ‘Social Distancing’ where we cannot even think of shaking hands or giving goodbye hugs, the teachers concluded the session with a simple gesture of joining hands and saying NAMASTE.

Indo-French Student Exchange Programme at School - (24 January to 3 February 2020)

"Cultural differences should not separate us from each other, but rather cultural diversity brings a collective strength that can benefit all of humanity." - Robert Alan

Keeping this fervour in mind, St. Mark's Girls Sr. Sec. School organised a cultural exchange programme from 25 January to 3 February 2020 with Lycee Elie Cartan, its partner school in La Tour Du Pin, France. The school hosted a delegation of 15 students accompanied by their teachers, Ms. Laurence Barbier and Mr. Pierre Bourrin. The delegates were received with great warmth by the host families and with a traditional welcome at school by our Vice Principal, Ms. Sabina Shergill. Soon after, a guided school tour was conducted for them where they were welcomed by cheerful cherubims of the school.

An array of activities, interactive programmes and lessons were organised for the delegation. They got an opportunity to express their creativity through Rangoli, Worli Art and paper recycling session. They tried their hands at culinary skills and enjoyed cooking Indian as well as French dishes with their hosting partners. They also enjoyed playing outdoor games like Hopscotch, Throwball and Badminton and indoor activities like Carrom and Ludo.

Our French friends had a wonderful experience in Agra for a day, admiring the beauty of the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort. They also enjoyed sight seeing of Delhi, exploring Gandhi Smriti, Lotus Temple, Agrasen ki Baoli, Bangla Sahib and Lodhi Garden. They made life time memories by exploring Pratapgarh Farms and Sariska National Park, as well as shopping at the local markets with host families.

The ties were further strengthened through an Indo-French activity and a quiz played on Kahoot between the French students and their hosting partners. The delegation attended a cultural fiesta of Indian Classical and Folk dance, showcasing the eternal heritage of our country which was followed by an amazing performance of gymnastics by the French students. The program concluded with the exchange of mementos and certificate giving ceremony. The cultural exchange ended happily with a promise to stay united in the midst of cultural diversity and strengthen the bonds of friendship.

Indo-German Student Exchange Programme at School - (17 to 25 January 2020)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Indo-German Student Exchange Programme at School : Click to Enlarge

“Tolerance, inter-cultural dialogue and respect for diversity are more essential than ever in a world where peoples are becoming more and more closely interconnected.” - Kofi Annan.

And the best way to accomplish this is a homestay exchange programme. A delegation of 4 students each from Weber Schule, Eutin and Küsten Gymnasium, Neustadt, Germany headed by the German teachers Mr. Lukas Gorrissen and Ms. Renata Duda-Merle respectively, visited St. Mark's Girls Sr. Sec. School, Meera Bagh, New Delhi from 17 January to 25 January, 2020 for a Student Exchange Programme. The students coming from Germany stayed with host buddies, thus getting exposed to the lifestyle of Indian families. They appreciated the hospitality and warmth showered on them by their Indian hosts.

The guests witnessed our rich cultural and historical heritage during their visit to the Lotus Temple, Gandhi Smriti, Agrasen ki Baoli, India Gate, Lakshmi Narayan Temple and Lodhi Garden. Cooking and rangoli making workshops were organised for the guests who enjoyed the Indian cuisine as well as the traditional Indian art. To have the flavour of ethnicity of our country, they visited Dilli Haat, the biggest crafts bazaar in Delhi, where they were amazed to see the variety of handicrafts indigenous to India and enjoyed shopping. A cultural fiesta was also organised for the delegation wherein Divanshi of Class XI gave a Bharatnatyam performance which was followed by a mesmerising gidda dance performance showcasing the rich cultural tapestry of our country. The program concluded with the exchange of mementos and certificate giving ceremony.

Tasting the delicacies of Indian cuisine, dressing up in traditional Indian attire, applying henna on hands, and exploring the heritage of Delhi as well as Agra and Jaipur, gave them a glimpse of colourful India in a short time span. The entire group was appreciative of the school's efforts to provide them a comfortable and a meaningful stay. The goodbye was a promise to stay connected and grow the bonds of friendship stronger.

Indo-Dutch Connect - (13 to 22 December 2019)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Indo-Dutch Connect : Click to Enlarge

“Simple exchanges can break down walls between us, for when people come together and speak to one another and share a common experience, then their common humanity is revealed.” – Barack Obama

The Indo Dutch Exchange Programme is the one that not only unites two school groups but also it is friendship and fraternity between two countries. We learn to appreciate in the field of science and technology. This kind of exchange makes students citizens of the world.

St. Mark’s Girls Sr. Sec. School, Meera Bagh got the opportunity to host a delegation of 9 students and 2 teachers from Christelijk College Nassau-Veluwe, Harderwijk, The Netherlands, from 13 – 22 December 2019 as a part of Indo-Dutch Exchange Programme. The gracious Indian host families received their Dutch guests with lots of warmth. The Dutch students were accompanied by their teachers, Ms. Eline Westerhout and Ms. Sarah Koopmans.

They received a traditional welcome at school by Ms. Sabina Shergill, our Vice Principal. An ice-breaking session and a school tour was conducted for the students and teachers in order to bring them closer. The entire ten days schedule was well formulated with activities and an experimental learning about the Indian culture. The group embarked on a joyful journey of experiencing food and different colors of India. They enjoyed playing the popular playground game hopscotch, the Dutch card game –Kwartet, badminton, and also participated enthusiastically in the Annual Sports Meet.

They were all set to take lessons in learning History, Maths, Yoga and Indian cooking. The students enjoyed creativity at school through rangoli, coffee painting and paper recycling session.

A colorful representation of two different cultures among many different cultures of India was showcased through a Cultural Program, where Indian and Dutch students performed songs and dances. The Dutch students also gave an insight into the Dutch culture through power point presentations.

To have glimpse of the Indian heritage they visited Agra and the Pink City – Jaipur. In Delhi, they visited the SOS Village, Buddhist Monastery, ISKCON Temple and Dilli Haat. They also had a day tour of Delhi, exploring the Lotus Temple, Lodhi Garden, Gandhi Smriti, Agrasen ki Baoli and Lakshmi Narayan Temple. They let their taste buds experience and relish the Indian delicacies with much taste and fun. The shopping spree went on and on, ending up with Mini India in their luggage. We take immense pride in being a part of the Indo-Dutch Exchange Programme.

This Programme was a milestone in our personal and professional journey of knowing each other’s country and people. We wish this relationship between India-Netherlands to grow from strength to strength with each passing year.

Exchange Program with Finland - (9 to 13 December 2019)

Cultural Student Exchange Programme with students from Hungary - (23 to 28 November 2019)

It is rightly said that cross-cultural experience teaches us not simply that people have different beliefs, but that people seek meaning and understand themselves in some sense as members of a cosmos ruled by God. In order to understand what lies beyond the boundaries of a country, we need to keep our minds open and explore the world like an adventurous ride. And the best way to imbibe this is by being part of a cultural student exchange programme.

A delegation of 11 students from Obudai Arpad Gimanizium and Veŕès Peter Gimnazium, Budapest, Hungary headed by Ms. Kinga Belley and Mr. Balint Feteke, visited St. Mark's Girls Sr. Sec. School, Meera Bagh, New Delhi from 23 to 28 November, 2019.

The student-teacher delegation were participants into this fabulous journey of varied cultural unveiling. They were received at the airport by our students and their families. They enjoyed an insightful day tour of Delhi, exploring the Lotus Temple, Agrasenki Baoli, Lodhi Garden and Gandhi Smriti. Looking into the ancient artifacts and stunning monuments that have created the epic Indian history, students were truly impressed by the diversity. A cultural programme was organised for our Hungarian friends where in students of both the countries presented a glimpse of their culture through dances and choir group performances. The programme was concluded with the exchange of mementos.

Our guests also hadan opportunity to attend classes on Coffee Painting, Paper Recycling and Dance sessions. They whole heartedly enjoyed the sports and yoga session at school which truly made them believe that yoga is an essence of life and a science of integrating body, mind and soul. Furthermore, they attended the History and Mathematics lessons in School as well as were amused to be involved in hands on experience of cooking Indian food during the cooking session at school. They not only got the chance to savour the taste of Indian spices but also were hugely enthused by the teaching styles of cookery and everyday academics.

The delegation also got an insight into cultural diversity of India by visiting the rich heritage sights of Agra and Jaipur. Concluding the programme, Hungarian students acknowledged efforts made by the teachers and students of the school for a successful and memorable exchange programme. Contentedly, goodbyes were exchanged but with a promise to meet again.

Cultural Student Exchange Programme with students from Slovakia - (11 to 17 November 2019)

Cultural exchanges provide an opportunity to explore other cultures, traditions, customs, beliefs, societies, languages and much more. Hence, such opportunities make us view the world with a different lens. It broadens one's horizons and increases the tendency of acceptance.

To accomplish this, a delegation of 9 students from Obchodna Akademia Roznava, Slovakia headed by their Headmaster, Mr. Viktor Baláz and teachers, Ms. Jana Vidova and Ms. Helena Frenova visited St. Mark's Girls Sr. Sec. School, Meera Bagh, New Delhi from 11 to 17 November 2019 to complete the second phase of the Student Exchange Programme. The students coming from Slovakia stayed with their host-buddies thus getting exposed to the lifestyle of Indian families. They enjoyed the hospitality and warmth showered on them by their Indian hosts.

The guests witnessed our rich cultural and historical heritage during their visit to the Lotus Temple, Bangla Sahib, Charkha Museum, India Gate, ISKCON Temple, Agrasen ki Baoli and Lodhi Gardens. To get a flavour of Indian ethnicity, they visited Dilli Haat, where they were amazed to see the variety of handicrafts indigenous to India and enjoyed shopping. The delegation participated actively in a plethora of activities like badminton, yoga and meditation. Also a cultural programme was organised for the delegation where in students of both the countries presented traditional dances. Ms. Zuzana Mezencevova, Consul, Embassy of the Slovak Republic, New Delhi was present to grace the occasion.

Dressing up in traditional Indian attire, applying henna on hands, enjoying scrumptuous Indian cuisine, and exploring the heritage of Agra, gave them a glimpse of our colourful India in a short time span. The delegation appreciated the school's efforts to provide them a comfortable and a meaningful stay. The goodbye was a promise to stay connected and strengthen the bonds of friendship stronger in the years to come.

Danish Exchange Programme - (10 to 16 November 2019)

Creating a better world requires teamwork, partnerships and collaborations. To collaborate is to be open to each other’s ideas and benefitting from each other’s perspective in an open way. We, at St. Mark’s Girls School, believe that great collaborations are forged when the strong bond of friendship is built. Good relationships leave footprints in your heart. One such friendship is between SMGS and Vordingborg Gymnasium & HF that was witnessed at St. Mark’s Girls School.

A student-teacher delegation of 18 students and 2 teachers was a part of Student Exchange programme from 10th November 2019 to 16th November 2019. The delegates were traditionally welcomed in the school and they also were a part of the celebrations of the Guru Nanak’s Jayanti in the school. To learn more about the Indian Education System, they attended History and Psychology class along with Coffee Painting, Yoga and Kho-Kho. The host students and the guests visited the Royal Danish Embassy. Our Danish friends had a great experience in Agra as they gazed and admired the beauty of the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort. Moreover, they visited Akshardham Temple, India Gate, Bangla Sahib and Connaught Place with their hosts.

The exchange happily ended with a farewell party. It was a great exchange programme, the imprints of which would reverberate in our memories for lifetime.

Cultural Exchange Programme to Budapest, Hungary - (28 September to 7 October 2019)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Cultural Exchange Programme to Budapest : Click to Enlarge

Cultural Exchange opens up the vistas of human understanding and further expands our universal consciousness. In order to raise ourselves from the perspective of just being a citizen of a particular country to global citizenship , a delegation of 11 students of Classes IX to XII and 2 teachers, Ms. Anjali Handa and Ms. Charu Raheja of St. Mark's Girls Senior Secondary School recently visited Veres Peter Gimnazium and Arpad Gimnazium, Budapest, Hungary from 28 September to 7 October, 2019 for a Student Exchange Programme. The main purpose of this homestay programme was to make them learn how to co-exist and feel compassion for different communities around the world.

The students got an opportunity to expertise with each other’s educational system. They got acquainted with various aspects of the Hungarian culture and tradition through group activities and guided city tours of Budapest and Szentendre, under the assistance of the Hungarian teachers Ms. Kinga Belley and Mr. Balint Feteke. Our students attended Circus skill development workshop and Hungarian folk dance lessons. A cultural programme was presented by our students which included a Punjabi folk dance performance.

The students went for a guided tour of the Parliament of Hungary, National Museum, St. Stephen Cathedral, Heroes Square, Hospital in the Rock, the Buda castle and the Pest castle . Our students explored natural attractions of Budapest namely Palvolgyi Limestone caves, Budapest zoo and Botanical garden. The students enjoyed a visit to the open-air Village Museum where they learnt to bake bread.They also spent sometime exploring the exhibits made of Marcipan at the Marcipan Museum.

The explorations were furthered by a 2-day visit to Prague ,where our students saw famous attractions of Prague namely the Old Town Square, the heart of its historic core with colourful baroque buildings and gothic churches. They also visited the medieval Astronomical Clock, Charles Bridge and Prague Castle.

The cultural exchange programme gave opportunity to our students to integrate into the local culture of Hungary, experience what the country and people are like which further helped in strengthening their relationship.

Korea-India Friendship Essay Competition - (2019)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Korea-India Friendship Essay Competition : Click to Enlarge

Tanishka Hira, a student of Class XI-D who participated in the All India 7th Korea-India Friendship Essay Competition 2019, received an appreciation certificate. Congratulations Tanishka. . .

Cultural Exchange Programme with students of Denmark - (24 August to 1 September 2019)

Perhaps one of the greatest means to achieve global peace and harmony is Cultural Exchange. It opens up the vistas of human understanding and further expands our universal consciousness. It makes the young minds learn more than their fixed quota of curriculum.

Six students of St. Mark’s Girls Senior Secondary School along with the teacher escort, Ms. Arpita Dutta conducted a successful Cultural Exchange Programme with the delightful students of Vordingborg Gymnasium & HF, Vordingborg, Denmark from 24 August to 1 September, 2019. The moment they stepped out of the airport they were greeted by their hosts along with their families who stood ready to take them home.

The next day all the students along with their hosts met at the Geo centre Mons Klint, where they covered 500 steps both up and down to visit the beautiful coastal region.

The following days were school days for them where they were briefed about the projects like Mystical mythology, a story weaving session and a project on ‘Gender Identity’. Luckily, for the students, they got to witness a cultural event called Waves Festival, which gave them more exposure to the Danish culture and entertainment. They later visited the Vordingborg uptown were the cafes and shops were present.

The Indian students along with their Danish pals also visited Copenhagen. Their first stop was the Danish Parliament. It was a spectacle on its own, the exterior was beautiful, and the intricacies carved on the interior were exquisite! The Danish people truly saved their political legacy in that building. Afterwards they went to Stroget, one of the prominent shopping streets in Denmark, it was bustling with life and the simple architecture amazed everyone. It was followed by a visit to the Louisiana Art Museum.

The students compiled their projects and presented in front of the Vice Principal and the other teachers. The Indian students gave a spectacular dance performance as well. Then it was the time for the official closing ceremony. Ms. Arpita Dutta gave an enamouring speech along with the exchange of cultural tokens and the diplomas were distributed by the Vice head, Ms. Mette Abilgaard. The students cheered happily and then clicked a beautiful group picture together, locking their memories in a frame forever.

Finally, it was time to say goodbyes to each other. The moments shared were now all packed along with their memories and brought back home. Of course, in anticipation of their Danish friends who will be visiting India in the month of November.

International Conference of Young Scientists (ICYS) 2019 at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - (19 to 25 April 2019)

“The most beautiful in the world is, of course, the world itself.” – Wallace Stevens.

We at St. Mark’s Girls Sr. Sec. School incessantly strive for giving wings to our students so that they soar high, see the world and experience its intricacies. The participation of our students in the ICYS was indeed a step in this direction.

To encourage creative and innovative activities among students, the International Conference of Young Scientists (ICYS) 2019 was held from 19 to 25 April at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was organised by Malaysia Young Scientists Organisation (MYSO). The aim of this conference was to instil and enhance research culture among school students. Our students, Gurleen Kaur of Class XI and Anchita Bhutani of Class X, who were part of the Indian team also presented their research work on the topics ‘Use of Agar for growing plants’ and ‘Ultrasonic Emergency Alarm’ respectively. Students from 27 countries presented their research work in the conference. Our students also participated in poster presentation. Students acquainted the other participants about the Indian culture through a powerpoint presentation and Bihu dance performance. This event gave them an opportunity to interact with the student researchers of other countries and learn about their work. Students also got an opportunity to explore the beautiful city of Kuala Lumpur. They went to see Theon Hou temple and places of historical importance of Malaysia. Such events help in empowering young minds and prepare them for the future.

Indo French Exchange Programme - (14 April 2019)

'Cultural differences should not separate us from each other, but rather cultural diversity brings a collective strength that can benefit all of humanity. Culture is one such thing that we can exchange as human beings to knock aside our differences and build upon our similarities.’

Resonating the same thoughts students of St. Mark's Girls Sr. Sec. School, New Delhi were invited for a home stay exchange programme to Lyceé Elie Cartan, La Tour Du Pin, France. A student-teacher delegation of 13 students of Classes VIII-XII and escort teachers, Ms. Vandana Pandey and Ms. Meenu Khurana went to La Tour Du Pin from 4 to 14 April 2019.

The first two days were spent at the Capital of France, Paris, one of the most beautiful city. The students saw the majestic Eiffel Tower, Notre Dam, Sacre Coeur, Opera House and Arc De Triomphe on Hop on Hop off bus Tour.

At Lyon, our delegation was received with great warmth and love by the two French teachers, Ms. Laurence Barbier and Mr. Olivier Hagnere along with the hosting students and their families at the airport from where the teachers and students were escorted to their respective host families. Next morning the entire Indo-French delegation assembled in French host school. After formal introductions our students and teachers were guided through the school by the French students.

The following week long activities were ably officiated by the French teachers and students. The busy schedule included guided city tours of Lyon, and the home town La Tour Du Pin. The city tours lead us to several Churches and Basilicas located in the city. The holy places proved to be as beautiful as their history giving us an insight into the spiritual inclination of the host country. The city tour also included a visit to Annecy, known for its cobbled streets and winding canals. The students and teachers also had an enriching experience in the French language class. On the last day, mementos were presented to the Vice headmistress Lucie Malbranque. Our Chairperson, Mrs. Anjali Aggarwal graced the closing ceremony with her presence, which also included video presentations and dance performances by the students of our school. The French audience was floored by the colourful extravaganza on the stage.

Bonds Beyond Boundaries : Student Exchange Programme in Slovakia - (5 to 14 April 2019)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Bonds Beyond Boundaries : Student Exchange Programme in Slovakia : Click to Enlarge

Culture is a strong part of people's lives. It influences their views, their values, their hopes, their loyalties, and their worries and fears. Working with people of myriad cultures and building bonds with them, helps in better understanding of cultural diversity.....
Thus, exposing young minds to various cultures is vital towards personal growth.

Resonating the same thoughts the students of St. Mark’s Girls Sr. Sec. School were invited to Obchodna Akademia Roznava, Slovakia for a Cultural Exchange Programme. A delegation of 7 students of Classes IX and X, escorted by their teacher coordinator, Ms. Anjali Handa visited Slovakia from 5 to14 April, 2019. Our delegation received a warm welcome by the Headmaster, Mr. Viktor Baláz in his office. The week long activities were well organised by the Slovak teachers, Ms. Jana Vidova, Ms. Helena Frenova and Mr. Petr Valny, along with the Slovak students.

Through this international collaboration, the students got an opportunity to expertise with each other’s educational system. They got acquainted with various aspects of the culture and lifestyle of Slovakia through interactive sessions during English lessons, presentations and musical recitals. Our students presented videos highlighting the education system at school as well as programmes related to Environment and Community Service as a part of the ASEF project Be the Change – An Effort. The students and teachers enjoyed cooking in the evenings, getting hands on experience of the Indian and Slovak way of cooking. To give a quick insight into the rich cultural heritage of our country to the Slovaks, our students presented the folk dance of Punjab – Gidda and a solo Kathak dance during a cultural programme organised at the Town Hall of Roznava. The colourful attire of our girls and their performance was highly appreciated and applauded by all.

The students also explored the historic town of Roznava, visiting the most interesting sights namely the Watch Tower, an artificial waterfall and the Betliar Chateau, the most beautiful castle in Slovakia. They enjoyed a nature walk on the outskirts of Roznava and a walk through the Slavošovce Tunnel, built during the World War-II. A day tour of Košice, the second largest city in Slovakia, where they explored the third largest zoo in Europe was fun.

The explorations were furthered by a 2-day visit to Budapest, Hungary where our students saw the most famous landmarks like the Parliament House and the Chain Bridge on river Danube. They also visited the Aggtelek National Park at the border of Hungary and Slovakia along with their Hungarian counterparts, and had an adventurous tour of the caves where stalagmites, stalacites and dripstone columns were a treat to the eyes. It was surely a memorable trip for all the students as it gave them an insight into cultural diversity.

The ten day visit came to an end when bags were packed with heavy hearts but with a contentment that the new bonds made would be strengthened in the near future. In this way, one more exchange programme held by St. Mark's Girls Sr. Sec. School winded up leaving an imprint of our cultural heritage on a new place of the globe.

Video Session with Students from Portugal - (5 April 2019)

A good friendship can have a huge impact on happiness. Friendship can develop with people we have never met before, and who are living on the other side of the world.

The student members of AEC project 2019, ASEF Teens Action for Change from St. Marks Girls Senior Secondary school, New Delhi, India and the student members of Escola Basica Ferreira Lapa, Satao, Portugal got an opportunity to talk, via video conference on 5 April 2019. It was organized by the teacher coordinators of the project Ms. Arpita Dutta from India and Ms. Maria Silva from Portugal.

Students were thrilled to see each other and discuss things of their interest like favourite books, subjects, food, places and their dreams. They also discussed about some core topics of the project like gender inequality, pollution, over population, etc.

Such endeavours inculcate tolerance, acceptance and a positive attitude towards life.

India and Malaysia - Celebrating Years of Friendship - (31 January 2019)

A delegation of 16 Malaysian School Principals and teachers on an Educational Tour to New Delhi, visited St. Mark’s Girls Sr. Sec. School on 31 January 2019. The main aim of their visit was to get an insight of the educational system as well as the culture of India, and to promote International Collaborative Education. They received a traditional welcome by our Vice Principal Ms. Sabina Shergill. Dance performances showcasing the rich cultural lineage of our country were presented which was followed by a guided school tour.

Special thanks to Ms. Rosnah Binti Osman, the Principal of our partner school Sekolah Menengah Sains Selangor, Kuala Lumpur who headed the delegation, and helped in strengthening the relationship between the two schools and the two countries. The goodbye was a promise to stay connected and grow the bonds of friendship stronger.

Students delegataion from Germany visits our School - (18 to 26 January 2019)

BONDS BEYOND BOUNDARIES . . .

It is rightly said that “life begins at the end of your comfort zone”! We might think that we have a lot to explore and experience in life, in our own country. But unless we move out of our comfort zone we cannot understand what lies beyond the boundaries of our country. And a homestay ex-change programme is the best way to experiencethis.

To accomplish this, a delegation of 9 students from Küsten Gymnasium, Neustadt, Germany headed by the Vice Principal, Mr. Ralph Hübner and the German teacher Ms. Renata Duda-Merle visited St. Mark's Girls Sr. Sec. School, Meera Bagh, New Delhi from 18 January to 26 January, 2019 to complete the second phase of the Student Exchange Programme. The students coming from Germany stayed with host buddies thus getting exposed to the lifestyle of Indian families. They enjoyed the hospitality and warmth showered on them by theirIndian hosts.

The guests witnessed our rich cultural and historical heritage during their visit to the Lotus Temple, Buddhist Monastery, ISKCON temple, Akshardham Temple, Qutub Minar, Agrasen ki Baoli, Bangla Sahib, Lakshmi Narayan Temple, Charkha Museum, Haus Khas lake and Lodhi Gardens. To have the flavour of ethnicity of our country, they visited Dilli Haat and Janpath, where they were amazed to see the variety of handicrafts indigenous to India and enjoyed shopping. The German delegation participated actively in a plethora of activities like yoga, sports, art, music, dance and paper recycling. They also got an opportunity to attend lessons in Maths, Languages, Geography and History of India as well as a cooking session to understand Indian cuisine. The entire group was appreciative of the school's efforts to provide them a comfortableand a meaningful stay.

Dressing up in traditional Indian attire, applying henna on hands, tasting the delicacies of Indian cuisine, and exploring the heritage of Agra, gave them a glimpse of colourful India in a short time span. The goodbye was a promise to stay connected and grow the bonds of friendship stronger.

Video Conference Session - (January 2019)

You relate better when you talk face to face . . .

A video conference was organised for our students who had visited Germany in October with their German partners of Küsten Gymnasium, Neustadt. The students were delighted to meet their partners as well as the German teacher coordinator, Ms. Renata Duda-Merle and the Vice Principal, Mr. Ralph Hubner. It was a short face-to-face online interactive session, with students of the two schools catching up with the latest before they actually met again in January 2019 for a Homestay Exchange Programme.

Skype Session with Slovakia - (December 2018)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Skype Session with Slovakia : Click to Enlarge

Someone has rightly said , “Education is not just a parcel of books but an intercourse with the world, with men and with affairs”.

Keeping the same spirit in minds our girls enthusiastically participated in a skype session organised under the project "Culture through my lens II" with the students of Obchodna Akademia Roznava, a business academy secondary school in Slovakia. The students shared about their culture with each other highlighting the differences and similarities between the two countries.

Student Exchange Program : India and France - (13 to 23 December 2018)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Student Exchange Program : India and France : Click to Enlarge

India and France enjoy an exceptionally warm relationship, which is the fruit of deep affinities and unwavering trust between the two countries. They both are great democracies with a lot in common and a foundation of shared values. A shared commitment that has enabled the two countries to build an enduring cooperation on defence, energy, space and security. People to people ties are also constantly growing. To move ahead in the same path of friendship, a group of teacher – student delegation visited our school from 13 December to 23 December, 2018.

A group of 16 students with two teachers, Laurence Barbier and Olivier Hagnere from Lycee Elie Cartan, La Tour du Pin, France came for a student exchange program. They were cordially welcomed at school by the Vice – Principal, Ms. Sabina Shergill. The delegates went around the school to understand the pattern of education. They attended music class, dance class, a session on paper recycling. They also learnt to make coffee painting as well learnt to make rangoli. They also played the match of cricket.

They went for a Delhi heritage tour, visiting historical monuments and some religious places. They had also planned a one day tour to Agra. These visits gave them an insight to Indian culture and traditions.

The host families took great care of the French students, making them taste the sumptuous Indian delicacies, taking them to some other interesting places in the city.

A solid bond developed between the Indian students and their French buddies. A reciprocal exchange is planned to make the bond much stronger.

Such cultural exchanges among students helps in knocking aside differences and build upon similarities.

14th ASEF Classroom Network Conference and Arctic Education Forum, Finland - (27 November - 3 December 2018)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - 14th ASEF Classroom Network Conference and Arctic Education Forum, Finland : Click to Enlarge

Education, in a global sense, is a rudimentary right, since we are born. Every experience has a formative effect on the constitution of human being, in the way one thinks, feels and acts.

The 14th ASEF Class Net Conference that was organised at Helsinki, Finland from 27 to 30 November 2018 in collaboration with Gymnasiet Larkan, Helsinki supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland was attended by our teachers Ms. Anjali Handa and Ms. Arpita Dutta. The conference not only focussed on the theme “Gender Equality : Reprogramming Stem Education”, to promote gender balanced participation of STEM professionals for achieving Sustainable Development Goals but also emphasized on :

» professional enrichment for participants
» presentations of ClassNet Projects and Awards
» discussion and development of future ClassNet Projects
» igniting fresh collaborations

The Conference staged presentations of the six Outstanding Online Collaborative projects. Two projects initiated by St. Mark’s Girls Sr. Sec. School “Rivers- An Elixir of Life” and “The Power of songs” were nominated to compete for the 2018 ASEF ClassNet Awards. Our project “Rivers - An Elixir of Life” was conferred with the Gold Award and the project, “The Power of songs” was conferred with the Merit Award by Ms. Eva Biaudet, ASEF Governor for Finland, and Mr. Magnus Westerlund, the Principal of Gymnasiet Larkan in the presence of Ms. Leonie Nagarajan, Director, Education Department, Asia Europe Foundation.

The Award Finalists also got an opportunity to participate in another Conference at Oulu, Finland organised by the Arctic Education Forum from 1 to 3 December 2018. The experience was an enthralling one for the teachers.

Cultural Exchange Programme - (16 to 23 November 2018)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Cultural Exchange Programme : Click to Enlarge

Perhaps one of the greatest means to achieve global peace and harmony is cultural exchange. It opens up the vistas of human understanding and further expands our universal consciousness.

To keep up the spirit of understanding and togetherness, a cultural exchange was planned between St. Mark’s Girls Senior school and 32 Secondary language school, Sofia, Bulgaria. Eight students along with two teachers, Ms. Irina Andonova and Ms. Nadia Vaseva visited us between 16 to 23 November, 2018.

A plethora of activities were done by the host and the Bulgarian students. They learnt music, Indian dance, played traditional games and enjoyed the company of their host buddies in the school. They also cooked together traditional Indian food.

They went on to a Delhi heritage tour, to visit the historical monuments and some other places like the Birla Mandir and Bangla Sahib. They also visited Agra and Jaipur to complete their understanding of Indian culture and the rich heritage. They left behind a beautiful bond of love and friendship.

Indo Danish Cultural Exchange Programme - (November 2018)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Indo Danish Cultural Exchange Programme : Click to Enlarge

A student - teacher delegation from Vordingborg Gymnasium & HF, Denmark visited India as part of an Indo Danish cultural exchange programme to mark the friendship between the two countries. The formal ceremony of their welcome was graced by the presence of the Deputy High Commissioner of the Royal Danish Embassy, Ms. Sophie Dyhr Crump and the Advisors of Diplomatic and Cultural Relations, Ms Emma Sorensen and Ms Ashima Thukral. While the students from the junior wing amazed everyone by their incredible dance performances, the seniors presented their project work regarding the political system of both the countries earning praise from our esteemed guests. During their stay, the Danish students also took part in Diwali celebrations , exchanging gifts, munching on sweet delicacies and spending time with their host families in the true spirit of Diwali. They were spellbound by the soulful prayers, the bright lights and the beautiful colours of handmade Rangolis which made their stay even more memorable. Surely, these beautiful moments will be treasured by both the delegates and their host buddies forever.

Bonds Beyond Boundaries : Student Exchange Programme in Germany - (21 to 28 October 2018)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Bonds Beyond Boundaries : Student Exchange Programme in Germany : Click to Enlarge

'Culture is a window reflecting the history, culture and spiritual world of a Nation. . . Cultural Exchange is a bridge to enhance the mutual understanding and friendship between the people of different nations'.

Resonating the same thoughts students of St. Mark's Girls Sr. Sec. School, New Delhi were invited for a home stay exchange programme to Küsten gymnasium, Neustadt, Germany. A delegation of 10 students of classes IX-XI and 2 teacher co-ordinators, Ms. Anjali Handa and Ms. Sumbul Siddiqui went to the Deutschland from 21- 28 October 2018.

Our delegation received a warm welcome by the hosting partners as well as the Principal, Mr. Kilian Karsten and the Vice Principal, Mr. Ralph Hübner. After formal introductions, mementos from India were presented by our teachers to the Principal of the German school. Our students presented a brief account about our school and showcased the culture of India with an exhilarating dance performance.

The week long activities were ably officiated by the German teachers, Mr. Marcel, Ms. Renata and Ms. Birte, along with the German students. The programme included guided city tours of Hafen City in Hamburg, the ancient city of Lübeck and the home town, Neustadt. The entire group went for an enjoyable cruise in Hamburg. During the guided tour of Neustadt, the Indo-German students visited two historical museums, the ZeiTor and the Cap Arcona, where they learnt more about the heritage of Neustadt. The Lübeck city tour was followed by a joint cooking session where in the students and teachers came together in mixed groups to prepare few dishes from the Indian and German cuisines. Our students and teachers also had an enriching experience during the German language and history lessons, which was followed by a play performed by 'Afrensprung Theatre Hamburg' at Jacob Linus School. The group also got the rare opportunity of visiting the Town Hall of Neustadt and meeting Mr. Sonke Sela, the Citizen Chief . The programme summed up with a happy note when the entire group came together to enjoy some bowling time at the Happy Bowling Alley.

Thus, the homestay programme of the Indian students with German families helped to develop their intercultural competence, and taught them tolerance and discipline. It has not only strengthened the relationship between the two schools and the two countries, but also created a bond with the people of Germany.

Bonds Beyond Boundaries : Student Exchange Programme in Finland - (17 to 25 August 2018)

“A Cultural Exchange is a bridge to enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the people of different nations. It helps in creating a better world by teamwork, partnership and collaboration” .

In an attempt to know our friends better and strengthen our ties, the students of St. Mark’s Girls Sr. Sec. School were invited to LappeenrannanLyseonLukio, Lappeenranta for a Student Exchange Programme. A delegation of 10 students of classes VIII to XI, escorted by their teacher coordinators, Ms. Anjali Handa and Ms. Disha Vij visited Lappeenranta, Finland from 17 to 25 August, 2018. The main purpose of this homestay programme was to promote inter cultural communication as well as global understanding among the students, thereby creating awareness towards the similarities and differences between the Asian and European culture.

Through this international collaboration, the students got an opportunity to expertise with each other’s educational system. They got acquainted with various aspects of the Finnish culture and tradition through interactive sessions, presentations, dance and musical recitals, and a guided city tour of Lappeenranta and Helsinki, under the assistance of the Finnish teacher Ms. Hannele Puolakka. Our students worked in teams along with their hosting partners on the project ‘Agenda 2030’ and shared their opinions and ideas. As a part of the project they visited Toivo-koti, a home for the elderly, participated in a Waste Segregation activity and a Cooking Session at school, getting hands on experience of the Indian and Finnish way of cooking.

Our delegation got a wonderful opportunity to visit the Green Campus of the Lappeenranta University of Technology as well as the Finnish Newspaper agency ‘Etela Saima’. They also got a chance to meet Mr. Kimmo Jarva, the Mayor of Lappeenranta at the Town Hall.

The students not only visited famous sites like Sibelius Monument, Lake Siama, the Sand Castle, Wolkoff Museum and Rock Church, they also played traditional Finnish games, experienced the sauna, went for fishing and enjoyed the cruise.

Thus, the homestay programme of the Indian students with Finnish families taught our students tolerance and discipline, and lead to a better understanding of the diversity in culture.It has not only strengthened the relationship between the two schools and the two countries, but also created a bond with the people of Finland.

Taiwan-Indo Exchange Programme - (21 to 28 July 2018)

"Perhaps one of the greatest means to achieve global peace and harmony is cultural exchange".

It opens up the vistas of human understanding and further expands our universal consciousness. Let us raise ourselves from the narrow perspective of being a citizen of a particular country to global citizenship that is the greatest demand of modern world.

To accomplish this, a delegation of 8 students from Cianjhen Senior High School, Kaohsiung, Taiwan headed by Ms. Cindy Cheng and Ms. Diane Lin, visited St. Mark's Girls Sr. Sec. School, Meera Bagh, New Delhi from 21 to 28 July, 2018 to enjoy the unique experience of a Cultural Exchange Programme. The students coming from Taiwan stayed with host buddies thus getting exposed to the lifestyle of Indian families. They enjoyed the hospitality and warmth showered on them by their Indian hosts.

The guests witnessed our rich cultural and historical heritage during their visit to India Gate, Agrasen ki Baoli, Bangla Sahib, Lotus temple, Iskcon, India Habitat Centre. To have the flavour of the essence of our country, they visited Dilli Haat, where they were amazed to see the variety of handicrafts indigenous to India and enjoyed shopping. The Taiwanese delegation participated actively in yoga, sports, art, music and dance activities. They also got an opportunity to attend lessons in English, History and Geography as well as a cooking session to have a better understanding of Indian cuisine. The entire group was appreciative of the school's efforts to provide them a comfortable and a meaningful stay.

Dressing up in traditional Indian attire, applying henna on hands, tasting the delicacies of Indian cuisine, and exploring the heritage of Agra, gave them a glimpse of colourful India in a short time span. The exchange turned out to be a great learning exposure for both the partner countries and the beautiful moments will be cherished forever.

Cultural Exchange Program between St. Mark's Girls Sr. Sec. School and 32 Secondary Language school, Sofia, Bulgaria - (11 to 17 June 2018)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Cultural Exchange Program between St. Mark's Girls Sr. Sec. School and 32 Secondary Language school, Sofia, Bulgaria : Click to Enlarge

Cultural Exchange is a bridge to enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the people of different nations. It is one of the greatest means to achieve global peace and harmony.

A group of 9 students and 2 teachers of St. Marks Girls Senior Secondary School, Meera Bagh, New Delhi got an opportunity to visit 32 Secondary Language school, Sofia, Bulgaria from 11 to 17 June 2018. The endeavor made the students exposed to a totally different culture, language, tradition, food habits, etc. It sharpened their perspective in understanding people which made them more tolerant.

A warm reception was extended by the teachers and host students at the airport and also at the school. A city tour was organized by the school authorities wherein our students visited various cathedrals, museums showcasing the roman remains and the President's house. A day tour was planned to the nearby places like Plovdiv, Koprivshtitsa. These places echoed the rich historical heritage of Bulgaria. The host families took the students to a nearby monastery called Rila Monatery which was located amidst scenic mountains.

Our students brought back with them sweet memories of warmth and love of their host friends and their families.

Exploring the Baltic Nation, Lithuania - (12 to 20 May 2018)

The best way to learn about the culture and lifestyle of a country is to visit it. In an effort to understand and appreciate the culture, lifestyle and education system of Lithuania, a delegation of 8 students from St. Mark’s Girls Sr. Sec. School along with their teacher escorts, Ms. Sajal Bhardwaj and Ms. Anjali Handa visited Silute Vydunas Gymnasium, Silute, Lithuania from 12 to 20 May 2018 to complete the second phase of the Student Exchange Programme, organised by Ms. Lolita Kucinskiene and Ms. Maryte Lukosaitiene The week - long trip started with a 2 days tour of the capital of Lithuania, Vilnius and the historic city and lake resort Trakai, where they explored the famous St. Ann's Church, the Lithuanian University, the Parliament House and the Pilis castle and museum.

The stay with the host families in Silute further enabled them to taste the true flavour of the rich cultural heritage of the country. The students attended History, Geography and Lithuanian lessons, and a photo exhibition on 'India Through Our Eyes' by the Lithuanian counterparts. They enjoyed the Sports Day at Silute Vydunas Gymnasium, participating in Nordic Walking and Zumba Training.

They also got the rare opportunity of visiting the Municipal Office of Silute for a round table discussion and meeting with the Education Secretary, Ms. Birute Tekorienė. Visiting Gandhi and Kalenback Memorial in Rusne, the Vydunas Museum in Kintai. a marshland near Silute, the Curonian Spit, a UNESCO World Heritage site and experiencing both the sand dunes and the Baltic Sea – all were a once in a life time experience. The delegation learnt the art of enamel bracelet making at the Vydunas Museum. The traditional Lithuanian music by a folklore group made the closing ceremony extravagant and our students danced to the tunes of the traditional Gidda which stole everyone’s attention.

Strong bonds are forged when such collaborations take place. In this reciprocal visit, the students not only learnt to be patient and appreciative of the culture but also established better ties as an evidence of good camaraderie.

Video Conference Session with Silute Vydunas Gymnasium, Lithuania - (3 May 2018)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Video Conference Session with Silute Vydunas Gymnasium, Lithuania : Click to Enlarge

You relate better when you talk face to face....

A video conference on Skype was organised on 03 May, 2018 for the students of Class VIII to XII of St. Mark's Girls Sr. Sec. School, with their hosting counterparts. These students would be visiting Silute, Lithuania this month for the second phase of the Homestay Exchange Programme. The students were delighted to meet their jovial partners as well as the Lithuanian teacher facilitator of Silute Vydunas Gymnasium, Ms. Lolita Kucinskiene. It was a brief face-to-face online interactive session which started with a cordial tete-e-tete and concluded with a happy exchange of ideas.

Exploring the Scenic Scandinavia - (April 2018)

The best way to learn is to travel, and learning while travelling is nothing but pleasure. A student - teacher delegation from St. Mark’s Girls Sr. Sec. School visited Denmark, Sweden and Finland to understand their art, culture, lifestyle, and the best practices of these Nordic nations. It was surely a memorable trip for all the students as it gave them an insight into their cultural diversity.

This student exchange programme was part of a project called Finding Solutions to Hunger, Poverty and Inequality which was done by the students of Vordingborg Gymnasium and HF, Denmark and St. Mark’s Girls Sr. Sec. School. In Vordingborg, the students got introduced to the school and the host families and had a tour around the town where theysaw the Goose Tower, a historical landmark in Vordingborg which is a part of the only remnants left of a huge castle. They also visited the vivacious city of Copenhagen,where they got an opportunity to meet the Parliamentarian, Mr. Marcus, who showed them around the Danish Parliament. They had a healthy dialogue with him about the political system in Denmark and India. It was an eye opener for them to visit the freetown of Christiania. Apart from exploring Vordingborg, they studied about the welfare of the place and created presentations about the same.

It was all together a different exposure for the students as they made a new constitutionwhich was an amalgamation of Indian and Danish constitution. Ms. Anjali Aggarwal, the Chairperson of the school attended the closing ceremony at Vordingborg where the students showcased a traditional dandiya dance. They also visited the beautiful island of Moen.

The explorations were furthered by their visit to Stockholm and Helsinki. They went around the market square, Senate house and Uspenski Cathedral in Helsinki. Moreover, they witnessed Gamla Stan,the old town and saw the important landmarks in Stockholmincluding the Swedish Royal Castle and the Parliament house. Visiting the NordiskaMuseet and Vasa Musset was a treat for their eyes. It was surely a remarkable trip.

French Connection - (17 to 28 April 2018)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - French Connection : Click to Enlarge

True education involves knowledge of culture, language and food of other nations. Edmund burke once said, “Education is not just a parcel of books but an intercourse with the world, with men and with affairs”.

To achieve this very end, a group comprising of fifteen students and two teachers Ms. Anjali Handa and Ms. Shruti Sharma went to Lycee Elie Cartan School in La Tour Du Pin, Lyon, France from 17 to 28 April 2018 for a Student Exchange Programme. Through this international collaboration, the students got an opportunity to gain expertise on each other’s educational system. They got acquainted with various aspects of the French culture and tradition through interactions, presentations and guided city tours of Lyon and La Tour Du Pin. The students gained insight into the French education system, participated in Indo- French quiz and hands on stitching workshop. They actively participated in the climbing activity and other sports organised by the host school. A visit to a French bakery where our students got training for preparing their own Baguette and Macaroons was a unique experience for them. A city tour of Lyon, Caves of La Balme, Medieval town of Cremieu of 12th century Middle ages, ruins from the 17th century, Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière, Place Bellecour, Ancient Theatre of Fourvière, Saint- Jean, Avenue de da Republique was an exciting experience. The cultural event was graced by Mr. Rahul Aggarwal, the Director of our school along with Mr. François Hanry, the Principal of Lycee Elie Cartan. Our student delegation also got the golden opportunity to visit the Town Hall of La Tour Du Pin and meet Mr. Fabien Rajon, the Mayor of the town. A special thanks to Ms. Laurence Barbier and Ms. Carole Gandon, without whom this Indo-French amalgamation would not have been possible.

The team also explored the City of Lights-Paris. They enjoyed visiting the world renowned French architectural sites namely Arc de Triomphe, Opera Garnier, Place Vendome, Hotel de Ville (city hall), Le Louvre Museum, Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame and the Gigantic Eiffel Tower, followed by Champs Elysees and a Cruise on River Seine. The experience by the students will remain as a memorable journey in their lives.

Video Conference Session with Lycée Elie Cartan, France - (5 April 2018)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Video Conference Session with Lycée Elie Cartan, France : Click to Enlarge

“Social media is an amazing tool, but it’s really the face-to-face interaction that makes a long term impact.”

A skype session was organised on 5 April, 2018 for the students of Class IX to XII of St. Mark's Girls Sr. Sec. School and their French counterparts. These students would be visiting France this month for the second phase of the Homestay Exchange Programme. The students were delighted to meet their cheerful partners as well as the French teacher coordinator, Ms. Laurence Barbier. It was a short face-to -face online interactive session.

St. Mark's Girls Sr. Sec. School welcomes student - teacher delegation from Skovbo Efterskole, Denmark - (12 to 13 February 2018)

“Culture is the widening of the mind and the spirit” - Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru

Exposing young minds to various cultures is vital towards personal growth. To achieve this very end, a delegation of 14 students of Skovbo Efterskole, headed by their teacher Mr. Joshua John-Paul visited St. Mark's Girls Senior Secondary School on 12 and 13 February 2018, for a brief Collaborative Programme at school during their short 4-day visit of Delhi.

They enjoyed an array of activities in school like music, art, paper recycling, cooking, a cricket match and yoga session. They also got the opportunity to attend an English lesson, interact with students of class 8 and 9, and explore the infrastructure of our school. The main vision behind this collaborative effort was to challenge the global view of the students and help them discover their own identity through the exploration of another culture.

Indo- French Exchange Programme - (18 to 28 January 2018)

Cultural Exchange Programme : visit by Lithuanian students - (12 to 21 December 2017)

Cultural Exchange is often about strenghtening ties and exploring the multi facets of a place.

A delegation of 7 students from Silute Vydunas Gymnasium, Silute, Lithuania headed by 2 teachers, Ms. Lolita Kucinskiene and Ms. Maryte Lukosaitiene, visited St. Mark's Girls Sr. Sec. School, Meera Bagh, New Delhi from 12 December to 21 December, 2017 for a Cultural Exchange Programme. The Lithuanian students stayed with host buddies thus getting exposed to the lifestyle of Indian families. They appreciated the hospitality and warmth showered on them by their Indian hosts.

Our guests got an opportunity to indulge in the rich cultural tapestry of our country by attending the SPIC MACAY program, a Kathak Dance Recital by Kumari Mahua Shankar Ji. They also witnessed our historical heritage during their visit to the Lotus Temple, ISKCON temple, Lodhi Gardens, India Gate, Bangla Sahib and Buddhist Monastery. But culture is not always about the forts we visit and the palaces we see, it is much beyond that. Hence, the teacher delegates from Lithuania took a leap in the direction of exploring the humane reality of our culture by visiting the SOS Village, thereby exposing themselves to the inclusive culture of our country where we weep and smile together. They also visited Gandhi Smriti, Charkha Museum and Haus Khas lake. To have the flavour of ethnicity of our country, they visited Dilli Haat, where they were amazed to see the variety of handicrafts indigenous to India and enjoyed shopping.

The Lithuanian delegation participated actively in a number of activities at school like yoga, sports, art, cookery and paper recycling. They also got an opportunity to attend lessons in English, Sanskrit and Geography. During the cultural programme which was honoured by the presence of Ms. Agne Sakalauskaite, the Deputy Head of the Lithuanian Embassy in New Delhi, they enjoyed the Indian dances and also presented a treat of their folk dance to our Indian students. Also, a photo gallery was exhibited by our Lithuanian partners at school on 100 years anniversary of their country, giving our students a greater insight into the culture of Lithuania. The entire group was appreciative of the school's efforts to provide them a comfortable and a meaningful stay.

Dressing up in traditional Indian attire, applying henna on hands, attending Indian weddings, tasting the delicacies of Indian cuisine, and exploring the heritage of Agra, gave the Lithuanian girls a glimpse of colourful India in a short time span. The goodbye was a promise to stay connected and grow the bonds of friendship stronger.

Video Conference Session with with Lycée Elie Cartan, France - (21 December 2017)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Video Conference Session with with Lycée Elie Cartan, France : Click to Enlarge

You relate better when you talk face to face....

A video conference was organised on 21 December, 2017 for the students of Class VIII to XI of St. Mark's Girls Sr. Sec. School and their French partners who would be visiting our school in January 2018 for a Homestay Exchange Programme. The students were delighted to meet their cheerful partners as well as the French teacher coordinator, Ms. Laurence Barbier. It was a short face-to-face online introductive session, with students wishing each other Merry Christmas.

India - Hungary Exchange Programme - (18 to 24 November 2017)

Bonds Beyond Boundaries . . .

It is rightly said that “life begins at the end of your comfort zone”! We might think that we have a lot to explore and experience in life, in our own country. But unless we move out of our comfort zone we cannot understand what lies beyond the boundaries of our country. And the best way to experience this is a student exchange programme.

To accomplish this, a delegation of 11 students from Veres Peter Gimnazium and Arpad Gimnazium, Budapest, Hungary headed by Ms. Ivett Hegedus and Ms. Kinga Belley, visited St. Mark's Girls Sr. Sec. School, Meera Bagh, New Delhi from 18 November to 24 November, 2017 to complete the second phase of the Student Exchange Programme. The students coming from Hungary stayed with host buddies thus getting exposed to the lifestyle of Indian families. They enjoyed the hospitality and warmth showered on them by their Indian hosts.

The guests witnessed our rich cultural and historical heritage during their visit to Red Fort, Humayun’s Tomb, Akshardham Temple, Gandhi Smriti, Qutub Minar, India Gate, Agrasen ki Baoli, Bangla Sahib and Sacred Heart Cathedral. To have the flavour of ethnicity of our country, they visited Dilli Haat, where they were amazed to see the variety of handicrafts indigenous to India and enjoyed shopping. The Hungarian delegation participated actively in yoga, sports, art, music and dance activities. They also got an opportunity to attend lessons in English, Psychology and Geography as well as a cooking session to understand Indian cuisine. The entire group was appreciative of the school's efforts to provide them a comfortable and a meaningful stay.

Dressing up in traditional Indian attire, applying henna on hands, tasting the delicacies of Indian cuisine, and exploring the heritage of Agra and Jaipur, gave them a glimpse of colourful India in a short time span. The goodbye was a promise to stay connected and grow the bonds of friendship stronger.

Bulgaria India Exchange - (17 to 22 November 2017)

Peace and Friendship Know No Boundaries. They spread smiles and happiness all around.”

Global exchange programmes aim to unleash the true meaning of the aforesaid and provide an enriching experience for the students and all other participants. The exchange programme between India and Bulgaria was no different. The first phase of the exchange was between 17 November to 22 November, 2017.

St. Mark’s Girls Sr. Sec. School, India and 32nd Secondary Language School “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Sofia Bulgaria shook hands to make the endevour a successful one. Ten students accompanied by the Principal Ms. Nelly Kostovo, Vice Principal, Ms. Detelina along with two teachers, Ms. Nadia and Ms. Irina from the school visited India to meet their Indian counterparts. A warm welcome awaited our guests at the airport which gave the project a great headway. All the students and teachers were guided all around the school by their hosts after a traditional welcome by our Principal Ms. Sheena Kalenga and Vice Principal Ms. Sabina Shergill. Then, our Bulgarian guests undertook a Heritage tour of Delhi. Their delightful pictures from the journey and brightly lit faces explained their amazing experience during the one day tour of Agra. The Bulgarian students with their Indian friends got involved in a cooking session preparing traditional Indian dishes. They also tried wearing Indian dresses.

The programme concluded with a gala event, conducted in the school auditorium on 21 November, 2017. All in all, it left the participants from both the countries with memories to cherish forever.

International Ecotourism and Cultural Homestay 2017 - (26 October to 2 November 2017)

“Study hard, learn as much as you can both culturally and academically, but always remember to make time for putting that cultural knowledge to use. Travel, grow and live in the moment.” A student exchange programme was organized by Ms. Dwina Arini Fikrianti of SMPIF AL FIKRI School, Indonesia for the students of St. Mark’s Girls Senior Secondary School, India. A delegation of 8 students of Classes VIII and XI and 2 teachers, Ms. Jeetu Bhalla and Ms. Vandana Pandey of our school recently visited Depok, Indonesia from 26 October to 2 November 2017. The students participated in many activities organized by the school. Besides the academics and cultural lessons, the students were fortunate to explore the country and visit the beautiful Bali. The trip to places of interest were definitely highlights of the exchange experience. Our students were taken on a guided tour of the old city of Jakarta and also visited the Museum Kesejarahan. The students tried their hands on the T-shirt painting and the Mural wall painting activity. The students of our school were fortunate enough to learn the Indonesian traditional dance form called SAMAN. During the cultural exchange our students also taught the Indonesian students a few dance moves of our Gujarati folk dance Dandia. Last but not the least, the students as well as the teachers had a wonderful stay with their host families. After the Depok visit the students had an extended visit to Bali. They visited the Tanah Lot, saw sunset at Uluwatu and had great fun at Kuta beach. The exchange programme provided a unique and fruitful learning experience outside the limits of a classroom, throupgh which the students understood the true meaning of freedom and liberation.

Celebrating Indo - Italian Friendship - (25 October 2017)

Bonds Beyond Boundaries . . .

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Celebrating Indo - Italian Friendship : Click to Enlarge

On 25 October, 2017 seven students of ITS Deledda Fabiani, Trieste, ITALY visited St. Marks Girl’s Sr. Sec. School, Meera Bagh, New Delhi to complete the second phase of the cultural exchange programme. They were accompanied by their Principal, Mrs. Tiziana Napolitano and Vice Principal, Mrs. Silvia Vanzo.

The Italian students enjoyed the hospitality and warmth showered on them by their Indian hosts. The motive behind this collaboration was not only to understand the Indian culture and education system but also to strengthen the ties between the two countries. The Italian students got an opportunity to attend yoga, art, cookery and paper recycling sessions in school along with some sports and dance lessons. They also witnessed the rich heritage of Delhi by visiting architectural wonders such as the Qutub Minar, Lotus Temple, India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhawan, Bangla Sahib and Sacred Heart Cathedral. To have the flavour of ethnicity of our country, they visited Dilli Haat, where they were amazed to see the variety of handicrafts indigenous to India and enjoyed shopping.

Dressing up in traditional Indian attire, applying henna on hands, tasting the delicacies of Indian cuisine, and exploring the heritage of Agra and Jaipur, gave them a glimpse of colourful India in seven days. The goodbye was a promise to grow the friendship stronger with further collaborations.

India and Italy - celebrating International Friendship Week - (24 September to 3 October 2017)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - India and Italy : Celebrating International Friendship Week : Click to Enlarge

Click here for more Snaps . . .

An exchange programme involves an agreement in which people from different countries visit each other, perhaps to strengthen links where it helps to promote education and research through a variety of activities. In an attempt of the same the students of St. Mark’s Girls Senior Secondary School, India were invited to Italy, to attend an International Friendship Week organised by Prof. Cristina Simeoni of I.T.S Deledda Fabiani School, Trieste, Italy.

To be a part of the IFW, a delegation of 9 students along with their teacher coordinators, Ms. Anjali Handa and Ms. Gunjan visited Italy from 24 September to 3 October, 2017. This friendship week intended to give students an opportunity to communicate and cooperate not only with their host families but also with the students from 4 other schools of Germany, Finland, Czech Republic and Salerno, Italy. In this process, they observed and learnt the culture and tradition of each other, shared knowledge about various activities and enjoyed an amalgamation of events put up by various schools of different countries. All students and teachers received a warm welcome by the Mayor of Trieste, Mr. Roberto Dipiazza at the Town Hall. They experienced the richness of culture and history of the place as they went for a city tour, visited the Museum of Oriental Art and Revoltella Museum, Miramar Castle and the Science Centre. A day tour of Venice, a place without roads and just canals enthralled this programme, where they enjoyed the Gondola ride. A guided trekking to the Karst plateau where the rangers helped students to move through the deep forest, added thrill to the programme and connected the students to nature.

Our students and teachers also visited the capital city, Rome and the world’s smallest country, the Vatican City, home to the Pope and a trove of iconic art and architecture where the main attraction was St. Peter’s Basilica. They also explored the other sights the Eternal City Rome has to offer - the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, Roman Forum,Trevi Fountain, Piazza Venezia, Piazza del Popolo, Pantheon and the Tiber river.

The students and teachers bid farewell to their friends keeping the promise to consolidate the bond of friendship beyond the borders. This week of friendship thus helped the students to develop mutual understanding and adapt to a different environment, pulling them out of their comfort zone.

Visit to Malaysia for International Symposium - (24 July 2017 to 1 August 2017)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Visit to Malaysia for International Symposium : Click to Enlarge

We all do better when we work together. Our differences do matter, but our common humanity matters more. Taking this further, two teams of four students accompanied by two teachers, from St. Mark's Girls Sr. Sec. School, Meera Bagh, went to Malaysia to foster global ties and participate in an International symposium from 24 July 2017 to 1 August 2017. The journey included staying in Sekolah Menengah Sains Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for three days where they were greeted with an atmosphere of love and warmth mingled with discipline. Students also visited one of the World Heritage and a beautiful city of Melaka. The later part of the journey was an International symposium in Sekolah Sultan Alam Shah, Putrajaya which aimed at different aspects of Volunteerism. This event named 'Fully Residential Schools International Symposium' (FRSIS) was a host to various national and intertnational schools, where students from countries like Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, Vietnam, Philippines, Taiwan and so on gave a tough competition to each other but at the same time formed bonds which would be everlasting. This event tested students for their creativity and skills by conducting various activities. It indeed was a great learning experience for all. The students of St. Mark's Girls Sr. Sec. School came back home proud and happy after achieving a gold and a bronze award. The students presented their research papers with great confidence during FRSIS 2017. The Gold award was bagged by Pranjal Sehrawat, Nikita Bansal, Lavanya Matlani and Harshita Aggarwal while Nida Siddiqui, Khwahish Sukhija, Shaurya Srivastava and Chanchal Khattar were the winners of the Bronze award.

Student Exchange Programme with Romania - (September 2017)

The best way to learn about the culture and lifestyle of a country is to visit it. In an effort to understand and appreciate the culture, custom and education system of Romania, five students along with their teacher escort visited the country known for its palaces and castles. The week - long trip was a learning experience for the students as they stayed with their host buddies from Colegiul National Elena Cuza, Bucharest. The stay further enabled them to taste the true flavour of the rich cultural heritage of the country. The Romanian teachers incharge Ms. Geta and Ms. Platon, who are working on iearn projects with their Indian counterparts, made the stay more wonderful by providing the students with a rare opportunity of visiting the Palace of Parliament and the Ministry of Romania. Not only that, the students also visited the Indian High Commission and met Mr. Ravi Chander, the First Secretary. Visiting the Heritage village, Antipa Museum and the National History Museum was once in a life time experience. Strong bonds are forged when such collaborations take place. In this reciprocal visit, the students not only learnt to be patient and appreciative of the culture but also made great friends.

Student Exchange Programme with Romania - (22 to 30 August 2017)

INDIA AND ROMANIA - CELEBRATING YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP

One of the most beautiful qualities of friendship is to understand and be understood. In an attempt to know our friends better and appreciate our ties, a student teacher delegation from Colegiul National ‘Elena Cuza’, Bucharest , Romania visited the school from 22 August to 30 August 2017. The delegation was headed by Ms. Cornelia Platon, iearn Country Coordinator, Romania and Ms. Geta. The Romanian students enjoyed the hospitality and warmth showered on them by their Indian host buddies. The motive behind this collaboration was not only to understand the lifestyle and best practices of Indian culture and education system but also to bring the hearts of the people from both the countries closer to each other. The Romanian students got an opportunity to attend art, yoga and cookery classes in school along with some music and dance lessons. Not only that, they also witnessed India’s rich heritage by visiting architectural wonders such as Lotus Temple, Qutub Minar and Red Fort along with India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhawan and Gandhi Smriti. To have the flavour of ethnicity of our country, they visited Dilli Haat, where they were amazed to see the variety of handicrafts indigenous to India. The closing ceremony was graced by Ms. Daniela Dobre, Political Counsellor, Embassy of Romania. The guests and students were mesmerized by the wonderful and flamboyant performances put forth by our students. Since Ms. Platon is the Facilitator of the project Folk Costumes around the Globe for the last 20 years, a Ramp Walk was organized by the school that showcased the folk costumes of India. It was hard to part away when it was time to bid adieu. The students said goodbye with a promise to meet them soon.

Cultural Exchange Program: India Meets Sofia, Bulgaria - (14 to 22 June 2017)

"Of all the books in the world, the best stories are found between the pages of a passport."

With the objective to strengthen the friendship between India and Bulgaria, St. Mark's Girls Sr. Sec. School organised the exchange programme between the two countries from 14 June to 22 June 2017. A group of 8 students under the supervision of Ms. Meenu Khurana and Ms. Neeru Monga went to Sofia, Bulgaria to have a cultural exchange between the two countries with their myriad cultural backgrounds. The enthusiastic students had a lot to share on various platforms which enriched them prudently. To explore and learn about Sofia, the students attended various classes and they found the Bulgarian language class the most interesting. Apart from this,the faculty and students of Sofia also shared information about their culture and expanded their knowledge. During the stay, the students visited many historical places at Sofia. The experience was inexplicably marvellous as seemed like unfolding the pages of history. A walk through Koprivshtitza was the highlight. Our students also visited Plovdiv, which is the second largest city in Bulgaria and the students also witnessed the whole of Sofia from the Mountain Vitosha. The inter cultural similarities and differences between the Asian and European countries was all the more understood by participation of the members of both the countries in various activities like presentations, dances and home stay. To give a quick insight into the rich and colourful cultural heritage of our country to the Bulgarians, our students presented the folk dance of Punjab - Gidda. The performance of our students was highly appreciated and applauded by all. Along with the performance the colourful attire of our girls also garnered a lot of attention and praise from our foreign counterparts. The exchange programme was perfectly organised and developed a sense of mutual respect.

The ten day visit came to an end when bags were packed with heavy hearts but with a contentment that the new bonds made were to be strengthened in the near future as our students could not wait to share their experience of life-time with their friends and families. In this way out of many,one more exchange programme held by St. Mark's Girls Senior Secondary School winded up leaving an imprint of our cultural heritage on a new place of the globe.

The TRIO Connect – Indian, Dutch, Polish - (27 May to 3 June 2017)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - The TRIO Connect - Indian, Dutch, Polish : Click to Enlarge

“Study hard, learn as much as you can both culturally and academically, but always remember to make time for putting that cultural knowledge to use. Travel, grow and live in the moment.”

‘One-of-a-kind’ student exchange programme was specially designed by Ms. Eline Westerhout and Ms. Sarah Koopmans of Christelijk College Nassau-Veluwe, Netherlands, for the students of St. Mark’s Girls Senior Secondary School, India and Copernicus Upper Secondary, Poland. A delegation of 8 students of class IX and 2 teachers, Ms. Anjali Handa and Ms. Jasjit Kaur Mehta of our school recently visited Harderwijk, the Netherlands from 27 May to 3 June, 2017.

The students participated in interactive sessions for the project World War 2. Besides the academics and cultural lessons, the students were fortunate to explore the country. The occasional trip to places of interest were definitely highlights of the exchange experience. Our students were taken on a guided tour of Harderwijk city, a walk through the city of Amsterdam where they saw the Jewish historical museum and also the Rijksmuseum (National Art Gallery). They walked through the woods of Kamp Westerbork and Verscholen Dorp, saw the beautiful Hetloo Palace and spent a memorable evening at Giethoorn. During their stay they also witnessed a theatre show by the Dutch students, wherein our students also performed the famous folk dance of Punjab – Gidda. The students also got the opportunity to meet Mr. Piet Edelman, an eye-witness of Second World War, during an interview session. Last but not the least, the students as well as the teachers had a wonderful stay with their host families.

The exchange programme provided a unique and fruitful learning experience outside the limits of a classroom, through which the students understood the true meaning of freedom and liberation.

Caste System in India - (1 June 2017)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Caste System in India : Click to Enlarge

The rapid development of computer and Internet technologies has dramatically increased the ways of teaching and learning. The effective use of internet has reduced the physical barriers among the teacher and the learner.

Ms. Arpita Dutta, a social science teacher of St. Mark’s Girls Sr. Sec. School, took a step with the help of Skype to teach the young learners of Lycee Elie Cartan School, France about the caste system that exist in India on 1 June, 2017. The face to face interaction between the students and the facilitator brought many queries about the caste system, which were answered by the facilitator.

Indo-Dutch Polish Collaboration - (May 2017)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Indo-Dutch Polish Collaboration : Click to Enlarge

Skype Session with France - (17 May 2017)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Skype Session with France : Click to Enlarge

Students of Class X and XII of St. Mark's Girls Sr. Sec. School had an Interactive Skype session with their counterparts of Lycee Elie Cartan, Lyon, France. We had a feedback session of their homestay programme with us in the month of April. During the session, the students talked about the deep bond created as a result of such collaborative programmes. The students had a great time interacting with their friends, and sang songs in both Hindi and French, this reviving the bonds of friendship.

Skype Session with the US - (May 2017)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Skype Session with the US : Click to Enlarge

The world is but a global village where the woes and worries of one could a cause of concern for the other. Students of Class IX who are actively participating in the project Finding Solution to Hunger, Poverty and Inequality had a Skype session with Sunburst Youth Academy, Los Alamitos, Los Angeles wherein they discussed some serious and thought provoking issues like Food Security and Unemployment. They also shared their views on wasteage of food and obesity. All in all, it was a wonderful experience for students at both the ends as they not only learned about the problems faced in both the countries but also came to know about each others daily routine, thus creating bonds of friendship.

Cultural Exchange Programme : India Meets Hungary - (23 April to 3 May 2017)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Cultural Exchange Programme : India Meets Hungary : Click to Enlarge

Click here for more Snaps . . .

“Culture is the widening of the mind and the spirit” - Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru

Exposing young minds to various cultures is so vital towards personal growth. To achieve this very end, a delegation of 10 students of Classes X to XII and 2 teachers, Ms. Anjali Handa and Ms. Monika Sehgal of St. Mark's Girls Senior Secondary School recently visited Veres Peter Gimnazium and Arpad Gimnazium, Budapest, Hungary from 23 April to 3 May, 2017 for a Student Exchange Programme. The main purpose of this homestay programme was promotion of cultural knowledge, creativity and intercultural understanding among the students and awareness towards the similarities and differences between the Asian and European culture.

Through this international collaboration, the students got an opportunity to expertise with each other’s educational system. They got acquainted with various aspects of the Hungarian culture and tradition through group activities, presentations and guided city tours of Budapest, Szentendre and Esztergom, under the assistance of the Hungarian teachers Ms. Ivett Hegedus and Ms. Kinga Belley. Our students attended pottery, cooking and Hungarian folk dance lessons. A cultural programme was displayed by our students which included a video on India, a presentation on Delhi and a folk dance performance.

The students went for a guided tour of the Parliament of Hungary, the world’s third largest Parliament building. In Szentendre, the students enjoyed a visit to the open-air Village Museum and the Marcipan Museum. A ship tour on river Danube, visit to Lake Balaton, a tour of Budapest Zoo & Botanical Garden, the oldest zoo park in Hungary and one of the oldest in the world, and the Thermal Baths of Budapest, all were a unique experience for our students.

Thus, the homestay programme of the Indian students with Hungarian families has developed a better understanding of the diversity in culture and appreciation of one’s own culture and nation, thereby strengthening the relationship between the two schools and the two countries.

Inter-Cultural Homestay Programme - (2017)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Inter-Cultural Homestay Programme : Click to Enlarge

Click here for more Snaps . . .

Bond Beyond Boundaries . . .

The new academic session 2017-2018 commenced with St. Marks Girls Sr. Sec School hosting 17 student delegates from Lycee Elie Cartan for a homestay programme. They were accompanied by their teachers, Ms. Laurence Barbier and Mr. Pierre Yves Barnier.

The main objective of this inter-cultural homestay programme was to promote cross-cultural learning and greater mutual understanding between the two nations, thereby strengthening the Inter cultural bonds between India and France. The delegates enjoyed the warm hospitality of the Indian hosts, feasted on the Indian delicacies and also got a taste of the Indian lifestyle. The French students and teachers attended English and French classes which helped them to understand the Indian education system better. They attended Art and Dance workshops, learning traditional Indian art and dance forms and also had a cooking session, getting hands on experience of the Indian way of cooking. The student delegates visited the SOS Village and a Residential School and Training Centre For The Blinds to spend some time with the underprivileged children and made some generous donations. The delegation was taken on a tour of Delhi during their stay here, whereby they visited some of the monuments like Jama Masjid, Red Fort, Rashtrapati Bhawan, Qutub Minar, Lotus Temple and India Gate, getting a glimpse of the heritage of Delhi. A visit to Iscon Temple, Bangla Sahib, Sisganj Gurudwara and Birla Mandir mesmerized the guests with their religious and spiritual fervor. Shopping at Dilli Haat, Chandni Chowk, the malls and the local markets with their hosts was a memorable experience for all.

A visit to the Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort in Agra mesmerized the French guests with the rich heritage of India.

Cultural Exchange Programme : India meets Finland - (22 to 29 January 2017)

“When we build a culture of understanding and uphold human dignity, we build a better world” - Ban Ki Moon

To make a better world and to keep the bond of friendship strong, St. Marks Girl’s Sr. Sec. School, Meera Bagh hosted Finnish delegates from 22-29 January 2017. A group of 8 students and a teacher coordinator Ms. Hannele Puolakka from Lappeenrannan Lyseon Lukio, Lappeenranta, Finland came for a home stay program. During the eight day stay the Finns attended some lessons and activities at school, and got an opportunity to understand the Indian Educational System as well as share their way of teaching-learning process with us. The Finnish delegates along with the Indian hosting partners also visited the Embassy of Finland, New Delhi.

To have a glimpse of Indian heritage they visited the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort in Agra, Qutab Minar, Lotus Temple, Moti Bagh Gurudwara, Lakshmi Narayan Temple, Iscon Temple and India Gate in Delhi. They had a wonderful time shopping at Dilli Haat and other local markets. Dressing up in traditional Indian attire and applying henna on hands gave a feel of Indian Culture to the Finnish girls. They enjoyed the Indian songs and dances during the cultural programme and also presented a treat of their songs and dances to our Indian students. The goodbye was a promise to grow the friendship stronger with such collaborations.

Delegate from Sunburst Youth Academy, California - (December 2016)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Delegate from Sunburst Youth Academy, California : Click to Enlarge

It was another memorable day for the students who participated in the project Girl Rising when they met the teacher coordinator Mr. Allen Witten from Sunburst Youth Academy, Los Alamitos, California. The students were awarded certificates by Mr. Allen for their commendable work in the project. He was given a school tour and a memento by the Principal Ms. Sheena Kalenga to mark the friendship and collaboration that exists between the two schools. He also discussed about the new project that he would like to initiate with our teachers.

India Sri Lanka Exchange Programme - (December 2016)

Creating a better world requires teamwork, partnerships, and collaboration, as we need an entire army of good people to work together to build a bright and beautiful world. With the objective to strengthen such connections and collaborations, our students got an opportunity to meet the student – teacher delegation from St. John’s College, Jaffna, Sri Lanka. The delegation was on their 5 day reciprocal visit to St. Mark’s Girls School. Through this association, the students got a chance to interact with their peers and learnt more about each other’s country. The Sri Lankan students and teachers thoroughly enjoyed the Indian hospitality showered upon them by their hosts. The enthusiastic boys of St. John’s College had fun during the Sports Day celebration and participated in the athletic events. They also went for Delhi heritage tour and visited Dilli Haat. The warm feelings and experiences shared by the guests on the day of the Closing Ceremony made everyone nostalgic. The friendship fostered between the two schools would go a long way in bringing minds and hearts together.

India - Denmark Student Exchange Programme - (3 to 10 December 2016)

Culture is a window reflecting the history, society and the spiritual world of a nation. Cultural exchanges bridge the gap to enhance the mutual understanding and friendship between the people of different nations. It knocks aside our differences and builds upon similarities.

On 3 December, 2016 eleven students and two teachers of Nordskov skolen, Haslev, Denmark visited our school to complete the second phase of the cultural exchange programme. Our students had visited their school in the month of May this year. It was a learning experience for the Danish students, as they were staying with their Indian friends. Eating Indian food and visiting some important places of the city. They developed immense love and affection not only for their friends but also for their families.

It was a seven day stay and the Danish left for their country on 10 December, with parting tears in their eyes.

The UN had recognized long ago cultural exchange as the ultimate exchange between humans.

Indo-Malay Meet 2016 - (14 to 19 November 2016)

True education involves knowledge of the culture, language and food of other nations. Edmund Burke once said, ”Education is not just a parcel of books but an intercourse with the world, with men and with affairs.” To achieve this very end St. Mark’s Girls Sr. Sec. School, Meera Bagh organised Indo-Malay Meet from 14 to 19 November 2016. The school initiated the cultural immersion programme wherein 15 students from 3 Malaysian schools namely, Sekolah Menengah Sains Selangor, Sekolah Menengah Sains Muzaffar Syah and Sekolah Menengah Sains Seri Puteri attended the programme. They were accompanied by Ms. Noor Ezah Binti Abu Bakar, Vice Principal of Sekolah Menengah Sains Seri Puteri and Ms. Kalthom Binti Parmar Head of Department Maths and Science from Sekolah Menengah Sains Muzaffar Syah.

The main objective of this Inter-Cultural Homestay Programme was to promote cross-cultural learning and greater mutual understanding between the two nations, thereby strengthening the inter-cultural bonds between the different parts of Asia. The delegates enjoyed the warm hospitality of the Indian hosts, feasted on the Indian delicacies and also got a taste of the Indian lifestyle. The Malaysian students and teachers attended English,Maths and Geography classes, which helped them to understand the Indian Education System better. They participated in Paper Recycling, Art, Music and Dance workshops, learning traditional Indian art and dance forms and had a cooking session, getting a hands on experience of the Indian way of cooking. The delegation was taken for a heritage tour of Delhi during their stay here, whereby they visited some of the monuments like Qutub Minar, Lotus Temple and India Gate, getting a glimpse of the heritage of Delhi. A visit of Gurudwara Bangla Sahib mesmerised the guests with their religious and spiritual fervour. Shopping at Dilli Haat, Janpath and the local markets with their hosts was a memorable experience for all.

The visit of the Malaysian delegates left an indictable mark in the minds of our students as they learnt acceptance and endurance of the vivid culture across the tangible boundaries of their country.

Student Exchange Programme : Indo-French Connection - (25 September to 5 October 2016)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Student Exchange Programme : Indo-French Connection : Click to Enlarge

"Experience gained through travel is a more important source of knowledge than books."

To achieve this, St. Mark's Girls Sr. Sec. School, Meera Bagh sent a group of 15 students of classes IX, XI, XII accompanied by their teacher coordinators, Ms. Anjali Handa and Ms. Jeetu Bhalla to visit Lycee Elie Cartan School in Lyon, France from 25th September to 5 October 2016 for a student exchange programme. The main aim was to learn the culture, creativity and intercultural understanding of the Asian and European countries. The students through this collaboration got a first-hand experience of their culture and educational system. The students attended a few classes of Maths, History and also tried their hands on making a silk bracelet in the stitching class. They also visited a bakery and experienced the making of Baguette and Macaroons. A city tour of Lyon, caves in the Alps “La Grottes de Choranche” was an exciting experience. The Indian and French students also together wrote and recorded a wonderful song on their experience in French, Hindi and English lyrics. A special thanks to Ms. Laurence Barbier and Mr. Pierre-Yves Barnier without whom this Indo-French amalgamation would not have been possible.

The team also visited the City of Lights :Paris. They visited Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysees, Louvre Museum, Cruise on River Seine, Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame and the Gigantic Eiffel Tower. The experience by the students will remain as a memorable journey in their lives. Thus, this programme of the Indo-French students developed a better understanding, respect and appreciation of the diverse culture that the two countries experienced.

Sri Lanka Student Exchange Programme - (25 September to 4 October 2016)

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."

10 students and 2 teachers, Ms. Vaneet and Ms. Garima of St. Mark's Girls Senior Secondary School recently visited Sri Lanka from 25 September 2016 to 4 October 2016. The students and the teachers visited St. John's College, Jaffna, Sri Lanka, a school which shows the path of education not only to the privileged but also to the victims of civil war. It is truly said "True guidance is like a small torch in a dark forest".

The students of our school actively took part in learning their best practices and teaching the primary students there. A cultural programme was displayed by the students which included a video on India, a presentation on our school and a dance performance by the girls of our school. The students were also pleased to meet the Consulate General of India to Jaffna, Mr. Nadaraja and also visited the famous Jaffna Public Library.

After a four day stay in Jaffna, the students as well as the teachers set out for Colombo and Bentota to explore the amazing beauty of Sri Lanka. The sound of ocean waves and the beautiful sky brought a smile on each face. Also, the students enjoyed picking up turtles in the turtle hatcheryat Bentota. The students also visited many temples like the Nallur temple, Kalutara temple and Gangaramaya temple. They also visited the famous light house and the Indpendence Square in Colombo. The whole trip was a great learning experience for all.

After all "the whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows."

Visit to Sunburst Youth Academy - (20 July 2016)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Visit to Sunburst Youth Academy : Click to Enlarge

'Girl Rising'- an initiative for empowerment of little girls all around the world, an awareness campaign in the virtual world, a step towards a radical change in the society's perception of what girls are capable of - has been fulfilling for both the schools involved in it, St. Mark's Girls Sr. Sec. School, New Delhi and Sunburst Youth Academy, Los Alamitos, California. The project aims at a collaboration between two countries different from each other in all aspects, coming together for a cause that is problematic and disruptive for all global citizens. The contentment of the course was reflected when the teacher coordinator Ms. Vaneet Kaur of SMGS visited Sunburst Youth Academy and met the cadets, the teacher coordinator Mr. Allen Witten and the Director Ms. Deni Baughn on 20 July 2016. The students of SMGS had prepared beautiful cards and dream catchers for their peers at Sunburst Youth Academy which were handed over by their teacher. The coordinators of both the countries along with the Director Deni Baughn discussed the teaching strategies and best practices of their school. Moreover, they also talked about the changing trends in society as far as women are concerned. Enamoured by the efforts made by the Indian friends, the cadets sent 'Thank you' cards for them. Due to the heartwarming meet in Los Alamitos, a reciprocal visit by Mr. Witten is anticipated in December.

Video Conference Session with with Lycée Elie Cartan, France - (26 May 2016)

Face-to-face online interactions always have a long term impact on young minds. To have a greater impact, a Skype Session was organised for the students of class XI and XII of St. Mark’s Girls Sr. Sec. School, working in the AEC Project 'Language - A Mantle of Communication - Level 2'. They had a friendly and interesting Skype Session with their French partners in the project. Students shared information on school systems, holidays, weather etc. and discussed the progress of the project. They taught each other words from their own language, trying to pronounce them. Students of both the schools sang a patriotic song in their native language.

The teacher facilitator of Lycée Elie Cartan, Lyon, FRANCE, Ms. Laurence Barbier, highlighted on the French language. It was quite an interactive session, and a good learning experience for our students.

Cultural Exchange Programme : India meets Denmark - (13 to 21 May 2016)

Click here for more Snaps . . .

The Moroccon traveller Ibn Batuta considered experience gained through travels to be a more important source of knowledge than books. To gain knowledge about other cultures and to share one’s own, make you more dynamic.

To achieve this very end, a delegation of 10 students of classes X, XI and XII, escorted by their teacher coordinators, Ms. Anjali Handa and Ms. Arpita Dutta visited Nordskov School, Haslev, Denmark from 13 to 21 May, 2016 for a Student Exchange Programme. The main purpose of this homestay programme was promotion of cultural knowledge, creativity and intercultural understanding among the students and awareness towards the similarities and differences between the Asian and European culture.

Cultural education creates a constructive basis for encounter and discussion, for co-existence and cooperation. Through this international collaboration, the students got an opportunity to expertise with each other’s educational system. They got acquainted with various aspects of the Danish culture and tradition through group discussions, presentations, dance recitals, and a guided city tour of Haslev and Copenhagen, under the assistance of the Danish teacher Ms. Helene Tind and the Principal, Mr. Rene Jorgensen. In Copenhagen, the students had fun and adventure at Tivoli Gardens and enjoyed the Canal Tour. They visited famous sites like Stevns Klint, a white chalk cliff which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Faxe Limestone Quarry in the Zealand Region.

The students not only visited famous sites they also got a chance to visit a boarding school at Haslev and meet Mr. Knud Erik Hansen, the Mayor of Haslev. They enjoyed interactive sessions for the AEC projects, “Language - A Mantle of Communication - Level 2” and “Tribes around the World”. Our students attended Maths, Danish and Biology lessons, and learnt to play Round Ball from their Danish counterparts.

Thus, the homestay programme of the Indian students with Danish families has developed a better understanding of the diversity in culture and appreciation of one’s own culture and nation, thereby strengthening the relationship between the two schools and the two countries.

IMPRESSIONS OF DENMARK

“Denmark is known for its stunning coastlines, cosmopolitan capital, contemporary designs of the structures and rolling country sides.
We had an exchange programme with Denmark. We arrived at Copenhagen on 13th May 2016. The city is full of open spaces and is ideal place to stroll and ride the bike. My host lived in the heart of a beautiful countryside near Haslev, which is about 60km from the capital. I along with my host explored the long distance, picturesque trails on foot. One could actually sense the beauty of nature. During the trip of 8 days, we along with the Danish teachers and friends visited their school, got an idea about their education system, and attained a lot of knowledge. We visited a church, a cliff, which is a UNESCO world heritage site, situated on the shore, where Denmark shares its border with Sweden. In Copenhagen we took a cruise ride along a canal and saw the little mermaid statue, beautiful churches, royal castles, ancient wooden boats and the colourful canal houses painted yellow to red. On the last day, we had farewell dinner. It was heartbreaking for all of us because I did not want to leave my Danish friends and Denmark. Upon our return, I have a bag full of beautiful and precious memories. I’ll never forget this exchange programme which gave me an opportunity to know the rich heritage of Danes and experience their lifestyle.” - By Shivi Thareja (Class : X-A).

“What I have realized in one week at Denmark is that it is a nation with happiness scattered all around with some best quality of life. Beyond the capital and the bigger cities, Denmark offers a mix of lively towns like Haslev, where we stayed, medieval churches, ancient castles, the sleekest modern design one will see and the people who invented Lego-who could ask for more?“ - By Bharti Mishra (Class : X-B).

“Denmark has been one of my best trips I have ever been to. It is one of the most beautiful , clean and peaceful country and with warm, funny and kind people. I am glad that I got an opportiunty to stay at a complete stranger's house because it made me learn a lot of things that I wouldn't have been able to learn if I had stayed in a hotel. I got to learn about their daily life routine and how they treat their guests. It's just shocking how straight forward they all are.

I had a lot of fun and made so many new friends that I couldn't have even thought of. Altogether, it was a great experience that I will never forget.” - By Jaspriya Kaushik (Class : XII-A).

Skype Session with the Malaysians - (14 May 2016)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Skype Session with the Malaysians : Click to Enlarge

A video conference was conducted for our students of XI and XII with the students of Merlion International School, Surabaya City, Indonesia 14.05.16 with the objective of exchanging information about the grievances of the indigenous people of both India and Malaysia. The students indulged in the discussion with great gravity and also provided their inputs regarding how these people can be helped to streamline themselves with the mainstream society while preserving their own cultures. It was an incredible bonding exercise and learning experience.

Video Conference Session with Nordskov School, Haslev, Denmark - (11 May 2016)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Video Conference Session with Nordskov School, Haslev, Denmark : Click to Enlarge

You relate better when you talk face to face....

A video conference on Skype was organised on 11 May, 2016 between the students of Class X, XI and XII of St. Mark's Girls Sr. Sec. School visiting Denmark and their Danish hosts. It started with a meek greeting and then went on to a happy exchange of ideas. Both the groups had many queries to clear. The Indian students proudly inquired whether they could bring spices or any other food items from India as gifts. The ice breaking session went on for half an hour and ended up with both sides anticipating the meeting in Denmark. It was quite an interactive session, thanks to the Danish teacher facilitator, Ms. Helene Tind.

Video Conference with the U.S - (27 April and 4 May 2016)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Video Conference with the U.S : Click to Enlarge

2 Skype sessions were held for the students of XII participating in the project- Girl Rising, with the teacher coordinator from U.S - Mr. Allen Witten, history teacher at Sunburst Youth Academy, Los Alamitos, California on 27.04.16 and 4.05.16. They provided a platform for both the schools to both chalk out the sequence of events that would happen in the course of the project and improvise on the previously given ideas. They were warm interactions and helped in establishing the groundwork for the course of action.

Video conference session with Silute Vydunas Gymnasium, Lithuania - (27 April 2016)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Video conference session with suite vydunas gymnasium, Lithuania : Click to Enlarge

“Social media is an amazing tool, but it’s really the face-to-face interaction that makes a long term impact”

To have a greater impact on young minds, the students of class XI and XII of St. Mark’s Girls Sr. Sec. School, working in the AEC Project 'Language - A Mantle of Communication - Level 2' had a short face-to-face online session with their Lithuanian partners in the project. They were thrilled to meet their e-pals and enjoyed briefing them about the main languages of India. They discussed the progress of the project and indulged in translations of common words and short sentences to Sanskrit and Hindi. Our students even sang a song in Hindi for their e-pals.

The teacher facilitator of Silute Vydunas Gymnasium, Ms. Lolita Kucinskiene, highlighted on the Lithuanian language, the oldest surviving Indo-European language, which is closely related to Sanskrit. It was quite an interactive session, and a good learning experience for our students.

Video Conference session with O Parque Bilingual School, Portugal - (19 April 2016)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Video Conference session with O Parque Bilingual School, Portugal : Click to Enlarge

“Conversation ignites the passion to seek knowledge”

To ignite the learning process, the students of Class XI of St. Mark's Girls Sr. Sec. School, working in the AEC online project 'Starting from Scratch : Coding made easy' were given the opportunity to participate in a Skype session with the students of O parque Bilingual School, Portugal on 19^th April, 2016. The students' shared their work which they made using scratch. It was great to see projects developed by the Portuguese counterparts and discuss each others ideas during this short video conference. It was quite an interactive session, and a learning experience for our student, thanks to the Portuguese teacher facilitator, Sandra Costa Macedo.

Malaysia truly Asia !!!! - (March 2016)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Malaysia truly Asia : Click to Enlarge

Click here for more Snaps . . .

True education involves knowledge of culture, language and food of other nations. Edmund burke once said, ”Education is not just a parcel of books but an intercourse with the world with men and with affairs”. To achieve this very end a group comprising of ten students and two teachers Ms. Anjali Handa and Ms. Shruti Sharma went to Sekolah Menengah Sains Selangor (Kuala Lumpur), Sekolah Menengah Sains Sultan Ahmad Shah (Pahang) and Sekolah Menengah Sains Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra (Kelantan) for a Student Exchange programme. Through this international collaboration, the students got an opportunity to expertise with each other’s educational system. They got acquainted with various aspects of the Malay culture and tradition through interaction, presentations, dance and musical recitals, and a guided city tours of Kuala Lumpur, Kuantan and Kelantan.

They were enthusiastic visiting The Petronas tower (Twin tower) , Central market,Aquaria,Petaling street, KLCC at Kuala Lumpur, UNESCO World heritage site of Melaka city, Batik factory and TC beach at Kuantan, Min house camp, Chineese temple, Handicraft village and Craft Museum, Royal Custom museum ,wet market at Kelantan.

Our students got an opportunity to not only showcase their own talent in terms of art and dance but also witnessed Sundanese art and dance forms which was a rare privilege for them. They also got a chance to learn about Traditional Malay dance, Dakir Barat and lifestyle. It leads to a better understanding of the diversity in culture and appreciation of one’s own culture and nation. It has not only strengthened the relationship between the schools and the two countries, but also created a bond with the people of Malaysia.

Student Exchange Programme to Singapore and Malaysia - (March 2016)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Student Exchange Programme to Singapore and Malaysia : Click to Enlarge

It is said that competition makes us faster but collaboration makes us better. Alone we can do so little and together we can do so much. It is for one such collaboration that 10 students and 2 teachers Ms. Meenu Khurana and Ms. Vaneet Kaur went to Boon Lay Secondary School, Singapore and SMK Kempas, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. The Student Exchange Programme gave a chance to our young learners and their peers in the link schools to connect, communicate and collaborate, making them culturally patient, respectful and understanding. Moreover, they also got a sneak peek into the life style and education system of Singapore and Malaysia. Our young aspirants not only had a great learning experience but also visited many beautiful places with their host buddies. They were amazed to see Merlion, Esplanade, Marina Sands, Universal Studios and many other places worth visiting in Singapore.

Apart from this, they also got an opportunity to visit Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Kempas, Johor Bahru, Malaysia which has been felicitated as a Microsoft Showcase School. They also got a chance to meet the Education Minister of Johor Mr. Jais Sarday along with other heads of the Education Department. It was truly a wonderful experience wherein our young ambassadors of peace and friendship displayed their own culture by putting up a Bengali dance performance, and also presented presentations on their alma mater and motherland. It was a proud moment for the school as an MoU was signed between SMGS and SMK Kempas for Student Exchange Programmes in the future and for working together in different online projects.

Our students also visited Nusajaya, Iskandar, Danga Bay and Legoland in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. The bonds forged with their peers in the partner school will remain with them for a life time and the knowledge gained would enable them to be more confident and patient.

12^th ASEF Classroom Network Conference at Sofia - (February 2016)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - 12th ASEF Classroom Network Conference at Sofia : Click to view the entire Article

An article by our student

Oishee Roy of Class XI,

sharing her experiences

at the

12^th ASEF Classroom Network Conference at Sofia, Bulgaria

published on their website.

Learning beyond Boundaries : A Home Stay Programme - ( 11 to 20 December 2015)

In an endeavour to connect and collaborate with the students across the globe Learning beyond boundaries was organized by St. Mark’s Girls Sr. Sec. School, Meera Bagh, New Delhi. The school initiated a cultural immersion programme wherein 10 students from Boon Lay Secondary School, Singapore along with their teachers Ms. May Yong and Mr. Umar Hamid, and the Principal Mr. Tan Chor Pang attended the programme from Asia and 15 students from Christelijk College Nassau Veluwe, Netherlands and their two teachers, Ms. Sarah Koopmans and Ms. Elina Westerhout attended the same from Europe.

The main aim of this 10 day long event was not only to connect with their peers in the East and West and to learn about their culture and life but also to introduce them to Indian art, architecture, culture, education system and lifestyle. The student delegates visited the SOS Village in Bawana to spend some time with the underprivileged children and made some generous donations.

To have a glimpse of the flavours of India and to witness its rich heritage they were taken to Dilli Haat and for city heritage tour respectively. To incorporate the best practices in each others teaching and learning system, the students attended various classes like dance, art, paper recycling, English, History and games. The Dutch students showed presentations about their motherland to their Indian and Singaporean counterparts. They also taught ‘Kwartet’ – a game of cards for four.

The delegates were much excited to visit Agra and Jaipur which are famous for their architectural excellence. It was truly an enriching experience not only for the student delegates from Singapore and Netherlands but also for Indian students.

12^th ASEF Classroom Network Conference, Sofia, Bulgaria - (16 to 20 November 2015)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - 12th ASEF Classroom Network Conference, Sofia, Bulgaria : Click to Enlarge

The 12^th ASEF Classroom Network Conference that took place from 16 - 20 November 2015 in Sofia, Bulgaria was attended by our Global Coordinator, Mrs. Anjali Handa and student representative Oishee Roy. The conference was organized in collaboration with 32 Secondary Language School “St. Kliment Ohridski, supported by the Sofia Municipality, the Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria.

Themed “Coding for Education”, the conference aimed to promote the topic of Coding and the usage of technology and online-based tools in secondary and high-school education. The 1^th ASEF ClassNet Conference emphasized on :

professional enrichment for participants
presentations of ClassNet Projects and Awards
discussion and development of future ClassNet Projects
igniting fresh collaborations

The project initiated by St. Mark’s Girls Sr. Sec.School “Language: A Mantle of Communication” was nominated as one of the 6 Outstanding Online Collaborations to compete for the 2015 ASEF ClassNet Awards. The project aimed at knowing the roots of languages across the globe and how languages have borrowed the lexical items from other languages.. A presentation was given by the student representative along with the teacher coordinator on the overview of the project. Our project was awarded the Merit Certificate for the same by Dr. Ludmila Dimitrova, Governor for Bulgaria in the presence of Ms.Leonie Nagarajan, Director, Education Department, Asia Europe Foundation.

Student Delegation to Indonesia and Singapore - (October 2015)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Student Delegation to Indonesia and Singapore - At Butterfly and Insect Garden : Click to Enlarge

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Student Delegation to Indonesia and Singapore - Bandung : Click to Enlarge

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – St. Augustine

Our school believes that for better learning and communication, the students must get a view of the world. Keeping this in mind, 5 students of our school attended a Symposium on Art and Dance at SMK NEGERI 10 BANDUNG, Indonesia. The students went along with their teacher escort Ms. Vaneet Kaur. Our students got an opportunity to not only showcase their own talent in terms of art and dance but also witnessed Sundanese art and dance forms which was a rare privilege for them. They also got a chance to learn about West Java’s culture and lifestyle. Vanshika Kaushik of Class X gave a Kathak performance that mesmerized the audience. The students also visited other schools in Bandung namely SMK NEGERI13 Bandung and Ar–Rafi Elementary School in Bandung. Apart from Indonesia, the students also visited Singapore and were astound to see the cosmopolitan country which is as big as a city. They enjoyed themselves and had great fun at the Underwater World at Sentosa Island ,where they also witnessed the Dolfin show and Wings of Time. The whole travel experience enabled them to be culturally and socially patient, respectful and adaptable along with attaining knowledge of other worlds.

Learning Beyond boundaries - (September 2015)

Click here for more Snaps . . .

Visit to Finland - (16 to 22 August 2015)

The students of our school engaged in the AEC-NET Global Projects were invited to Lappenrannan Lyseon Lukio, Lappeenranta for a Student Exchange Programme. A delegation of 10 students of classes IX, X and XI, escorted by their teacher coordinator, Ms. Anjali Handa visited Lappeenranta, Finland from 16^th to 22^nd August, 2015. The main purpose of this homestay programme was to promote inter cultural communication as well as global understanding among the students and create awareness towards the similarities and differences between the Asian and European culture.

Through this international collaboration, the students got an opportunity to expertise with each other’s educational system. They got acquainted with various aspects of the Finnish culture and tradition through group discussions, presentations, dance and musical recitals, and a guided city tour of Lappeenranta and Helsinki, under the assistance of the Finnish teacher Ms. Hannele Puolakka. They also got a chance to meet Mr. Kimmo Jarva, the Mayor of Lappeenranta. They also got a wonderful opportunity to visit the Green Campus of the Lappeenranta University of Technology and perform there some experiments in the Chemistry laboratory as well as meet primary level students during their visit to a Primary School in Lappeenranta.

The students not only visited famous sites like Sibelius Monument, Lake Siama, the Sand Castle, Lappee Church of Maria and the Old Town Hall, they also went to Rautionhovi accompanied by their hosts for a gentle walk in the woods for some adventure. They played traditional Finnish games, experienced the sauna, went for fishing and the cruise. The Finnish and Indian students together with their teachers, had a cooking session at school, getting hands on experience of the Indian and Finnish way of cooking.

Thus, the homestay programme of the Indian students with Finnish families taught our students tolerance and discipline, and further developed a sense of mutual respect. It lead to a better understanding of the diversity in culture and appreciation of one’s own culture and nation. It has not only strengthened the relationship between the two schools and the two countries, but also created a bond with the people of Finland.

Holiday Card Exchange Programme - (July 2015)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Holiday Card Exchange Programme : Click to Enlarge

Butterfly Symposium held in Villach, Austria - (13 to 21 June 2015)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Butterfly Symposium held in Villach, Austria : Click to Enlarge

Our school participated in the Butterfly Symposium held in Villach, Austria from 13 June 2015 to 21 June 2015. It was conducted by Mrs. Edith Flores Wolff of Germany and Mr. Edmund Huditz, a teacher of the host school, Peraugymnasium Villach. Four students of class XII namely, Anjali Lakra, Deeksha, Prachi Chaudhary and Shriya Parmar, accompanied by a Biology teacher, Ms Anjali Handa attended the symposium. It was a great learning experience for everyone. The participants not only got to learn a great deal about butterflies but also about Austrian culture and lifestyle. They got an international platform to showcase their talents and also met many teachers and students from other countries.

The symposium represented a rainbow of cultures. Our delegation landed in Graz, Austria on 13 June 2015 in the morning and toured the beautiful city. They visited the much known Clock Tower which was at a hilltop and other places of attraction in Graz. The teacher and the students were met by their hosts in Hauptbanhof station in Villach. The following day was spent with the respective host families. All the participating schools met at Peraugymnasium on 15 June 2015. Each school gave an introduction followed by a tour of the school guided by the Austrian students. Later, in the evening, a tour of Villach city was conducted by Ms. Sybille Zederbauer. The following day, students gave presentations about their school and the local butterflies in their country. A discussion was conducted by Ms Edith on the topic of butterflies.

Then an excursion to Dobratsch National Park with a lecture by the butterfly experts of the Park was held. It was a very picturesque site at the Dobratsch National Park . Later, in the evening , a cultural programme was held where in the Indian students danced to the beats of Indian traditional as well as modern songs. The Austrian students showcased their singing talents. It was an evening to remember and cherish. On June 17, 2015 a skype conference was organized with a young and talented butterfly expert, Claude Sinner, who told about his project label-butterflies.com. It was his first interaction with school students and teachers, and a highly informative session. This was followed by a tour of Ossiach lake by ship. The beauty and cleanliness of Austria marvelled everyone.

On 18 June and 19 June, participants visited Nockalm Road and Friesach respectively. On the evening of 19 June 2015, a farewell dinner was held and participating teachers and students were awarded certificates. The following day was spent with host families and finally in the morning of 21 June 2015, Ms Anjali Handa and the participating students bade farewell to their wonderful hosts and boarded their flight back to Delhi. It was a wonderful and memorable trip !

We host delegates from I.T.S. Deledda-Fabiani, Trieste, Italy - (8 to 16 April 2015)


Click for more Snaps . . .

St. Mark's Girls Sr. Sec. School, Meera Bagh hosts delegates from I.T.S Deledda-Fabiani, Trieste, Italy.

The new academic session 2015-2016 commenced with St. Mark’s Girls Sr. Sec. School hosting 6 student delegates from I.T.S Deledda-Fabiani, Trieste, Italy for a homestay programme. They were accompanied by their teachers, Ms. Cristina Simeoni and Ms. Monica Nicoli.

The main objective of this Inter-Cultural Homestay Programme was to promote cross-cultural learning and greater mutual understanding between the two nations, thereby strengthening the inter-cultural bonds between Asia and Europe. The delegates enjoyed the warm hospitality of the Indian hosts, feasted on the Indian delicacies and also got a taste of the Indian lifestyle. The Italian students and teachers attended English and Geography classes, which helped them to understand the Indian Education System better. They participated in Art and Dance workshops, learning traditional Indian art and dance forms and had a cooking session, getting a hands on experience of the Indian way of cooking. A ‘Language Session’ was also organised for the Italian students as a part of the ASEF project ‘Language - A Mantle of Communication’.

The delegation was taken on a tour of Delhi during their stay here, whereby they visited some of the monuments like Jama Masjid, Red Fort, Qutub Minar, Lotus Temple and India Gate, getting a glimpse of the heritage of Delhi. A visit of the Hindu and Jain temples, Gurudwara Sis Ganj and Bangla Sahib, mesmerised the guests with their religious and spiritual fervour. Shopping at Dilli Haat, Chandni Chowk, the malls and the local markets with their hosts was a memorable experience for all.

During their stay in India, the guests also went for a 4-day tour to Varanasi, Khajuraho, Orchha, Jhansi and Agra, getting closer to the history of India. The delegates had unique experiences, getting an opportunity to attend a Hindu wedding and a traditional religious ceremony, there by getting acquainted with the Indian culture. Ms. Anjali Handa, our Global coordinator acted as a link between the two schools.

Our school visited Singapore and Malaysia - (31 March to 9 April 2015)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Our school visited Singapore and Malaysia : Click to Enlarge

The students of our school visited Singapore and Malaysia as a part of student home stay programme from 31 March to 9 April 2015. The purpose of the visit was to get an in depth knowledge about the culture and lifestyle of Malay and Singaporean students. The students performed a Gujarati dance and gave a presentation showcasing the history and objectives of our school. In Malaysia, they visited the capital city Kuala Lumpur along with Melacca and Johor Bahru. Moreover, they visited various places in Singapore including Universal Studios, China town, etc. The students visited four schools on their visit to these beautiful countries i.e Sekolah Menengah Sains Muzaffar Syah in Melacca, Sekolah Tun Fatimah in Johor Bahru, Pioneer Secondary School and Nanyang Girls High School in Singapore. Overall, it was a great learning experience for the students and gave them an opportunity to enhance their knowledge about the cultures and lifestyle of their Singaporean and Malaysian counterparts.

IMAGZZ - Making myself Heard - (2015)

It was an online project in which almost 22 countries participated.The students of Class X and XI participated in this project. They wrote about art,architecture, crafts, sports and all those things that were of great interest to them Apart from writing blogs, the students of different countries collaborated together to write a poem and also designed an online magazine that later came out in the print version. The best articles and blogs of all the participating schools were printed in the magazine. Such a platform gives voice to the thoughts and opinions presented in the form of videos, presentations,photos,poems and write ups.

Video Conference with Experimental Senior Secondary School, Vietnam - (24 December 2014)

Our students of class IX interacted with students of grade IX of Experimental Secondary School, Hanoi, Vietnam on 24^th December 2014, the eve of Christmas through Skype Chat. They were delighted to meet their cheerful friends as well as their teacher Ms. Chau Ha Pham. It was a short face-to -face online introductive session, with students wishing each other Merry Christmas and discussing about Christmas celebrations in their country. Being a new collaboration, it was yet another step towards exchange of culture.

Video Conference Session with Herfoelge School, Denmark - (16 December 2014)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Video Conference Session with Herfoelge School, Denmark : Click to Enlarge

Our students of class X working in a penpals project with students of Herfoelge School, Denmark, interacted with their penpals through Skype Chat on 16 December 2014. It was a short face-to-face online interaction, giving the students a chance to know about each others’ culture and educational system. Our students also thanked their penpals and Ms. Inge Sewerin, the teacher coordinator of Herfoelge School for the wonderful Christmas gifts and cards sent by them. Our school has been working in close collaboration with Herfoelge School for more than 4 years now and we hope such sessions would help to strengthen the bonds further.

Video Conference Session with Hopetown Girls’ School - (24 November 2014)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - Video Conference Session with Hopetown Girls’ School : Click to Enlarge

Our school has always been active in enhancing interaction among students, both at international as well as domestic level. Another step in this authentic practice was taken when a Video Conference was organised for students of class VIII through skype chat. The session was held on 24 November 2015 with Ms. Ratna Kalra, teaching in Hopetown Girls' School, Dehradun, India and her students. Being the beginning of a new collaboration, a team of 10 students of of both schools indulged in self introduction and healthy discussions on various activities held in their respective schools, with greater emphasis on Environment related activities. They discussed about the examination system followed by the two schools, and differences in the methodology of teaching.The students participated enthusiastically in this interactive event and look forward to having more such sessions which will strengthen the bonds between the two schools.

Visit to Italy : Student Exchange Programme - (27 September to 8 October 2014)

A delegation of 11 students of classes X and XI, escorted by their teacher coordinator, Ms. Anjali Handa visited Italy from 27 September to 8 October 2014. These students have been working actively in online Global Projects on the platform of ASEF Class Net and had been invited for a Homestay Exchange Programme by 3 schools, namely, I.I.S. Galilei-Vetrone in Benevento, Istituto Tecnico Industriale in Colleferro and Istituto Tecnico Statale in Trieste. The main aim of this face-to-face exchange programme was to promote inter culturalism and global understanding among the students.

Through this exchange, our students got an opportunity to communicate and collaborate with the Italian students as well as expertise on each other's educational system. They got acquainted with various aspects of the Italian culture and tradition through group discussions, presentations, sports activities, dance and musical recitals, and a guided tour of Venice, Trieste, Benevento, Naples, Colleferro, Gorga, Rome and Vatican City. They were accompanied by their hosts and teacher coordinators, Ms. Cristina Simeoni, Ms. Maria Antonietta Sessa, Ms. Daniela Ianni and Ms. Anna Dello Iacono. They even got a chance to meet the Mayor of Trieste, Mr. Cosolini, in the Town Hall.

The homestay programme of our students with Italian families taught them tolerance and discipline, and further developed a sense of mutual respect. It lead to a better understanding of the diversity in culture and appreciation of their own culture and nation. This Cultural Exchange programme has not only strengthened our relationship with the Italian schools, but has also created a bond between the people of the two nations.

I-MAGZZ-Making Myself Heard - (July 2014)

As a part of the AEC- Net program, almost 100 students of class X and XI of our school recently participated in a Global project titled- “I-MAGZZ-Making Myself Heard”, initiated by St. Mark’s Sr. Sec. School, Meera Bagh. (The same was also taken as an ISA Activity). It gave the students a platform to voice their thoughts and opinions on topics of their choice in the form of poems, presentations, posters, videos and photographs.

The project enlightened the students about the culture and heritage of various countries as well as bringing forth some forgotten facts about their own country. The teacher responsible was Ms. Vaneet Kaur. The project acted as a cyber-classroom shared by students and teachers to build stronger bi-regional networks and partnerships in the course of exchanging their thoughts. The young minds participated in many activities that helped them think out of the box, one of such being the “I-magzz poem”, where the students honed the skills of Frost and flared their writing skills by creating mesmerizing verses expressing their gratitude towards this project. Another activity titled “The multi lingual Thank you Tree” provided ebullience to the students where they posted different words in different languages. Moreover, the student participants collaborated together to design the cover page of the magazine which was printed and a copy was sent to each participating school. The best articles and blogs of all the participating schools were printed in the magazine.

A Visit to The Netherlands - (17 to 24 May 2014)

St. Mark's Girls School, Meera Bagh - A Visit to The Netherlands : Click to Enlarge

The students of our school engaged in the AEC-NET Global Projects were invited to Christelijk College Nassau- Veluwe, Harderwijk for a Student Exchange Programme. A delegation of 11 students of classes X and XII, escorted by their teacher coordinator, Ms. Anjali Handa visited Netherlands from 17^th to 24^th May, 2014. The main purpose of this homestay programme was to promote inter cultural communication among the students. The students got an exposure to the teaching and learning methodologies in Dutch schools by attending the classes during school hours. They also got acquainted with various aspects of the Dutch culture through group discussions, presentations, sports activities, cooking session, and a guided tour of Amsterdam, Harderwijk and Giethoorn (the Venice of Holland) under the assistance of Ms. Eline Westerhout, Ms. Sara Koopmans and Ms. Corrie Ter Wee.

Click for more Snaps . . .

A visit to Dagupan City, Philippines - (22 to 28 April 2014)

St. Mark's Girls School - A visit to Dagupan City, Philippines : Click to Enlarge

The students of our school, engaged in the school Eco Club activities were invited to the First International Green Camp 2014 at Dagupan City, Philippines. A delegation of 6 students of class X and XI escorted by their teacher coordinator, Ms. Anjali Handa visited Philippines from April 22-28, 2014. The theme of the camp was: "Clean and Green Environment, Our Global Assignment."

The camp aimed at gathering together educators and students for a simple yet significant purpose of working together for the love of our one and only Mother Earth. The camp served as an avenue to extend and strengthen the spirit of unity and camaraderie among various Asian schools from Indonesia, Philippines and India. A number of meaningful activities like river clean up, tree plantation, group painting, fishing and presentation of environmental initiatives were held.

Click for more Snaps . . .

Video Conference Session - (17 April 2014)

A video conference was held with the students of CHRISTELIJK COLLEGE NASSAU-VELUWE, HARDERWIJK, NETHERLANDS. A group of 11 students of class X and XII of our school would be visiting this school for a Homestay Programme in the month of May 2014. The main purpose of the chat session was a face to face interaction of our students with their Dutch friends who would be hosting them during this Exchange Programme. The students of both the schools introduced themselves. The Dutch students also discussed the itinerary and their plan of action in detail.

A Video Conferencing Session - (5 March 2014)

Our school has always been active in enhancing interaction among domestic and international students. Another step in this authentic practice was taken when a video conference for the same was held on 5 March 2014 with Ms. Ammani Jeya Pirathaba, teaching in Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Kempas, Johor Bahru, Malaysia and her students. A team of 12 students of Class IX and 10 were enthusiastic participants in this event. The students broadened their horizons by discussing the cultures of the two diverse countries as well as issues of Disaster Management in their country, as a part of the AEC Global Project, 'Disaster Prevention and Relief Team (DPRT)'. It was a fun-filled and enlightening opportunity for them.

St. Mark’s Girls Sr. Sec. School, Meera Bagh hosts students from The IX General Lyceum of Athens, Greece (9 to 16 December 2013)

St. Mark's Girls Sr. Sec. School, Meera Bagh hosts students from The IX General Lyceum of Athens, Greece : Click to Enlarge

Click for more Snaps . . .

St. Mark’s Girls Sr. Sec. School hosted 10 student delegates from The IX General Lyceum of Athens for a homestay programme. They were accompanied by their Principal, Ms. Ioanna Psina, their Vice Principal, Ms. Tereza Rozaki and their Maths teacher, Mr. George Rent.

The main objective of this Inter-Cultural Homestay Programme was to promote cross-cultural learning and greater mutual understanding between the two nations, thereby strengthening the inter-cultural bonds between Asia and Europe. The delegates enjoyed the warm hospitality of the Indian hosts, feasted on the Indian delicacies and also got a taste of the Indian lifestyle. The Greek students and teachers attended English and Maths classes, which helped them to understand the Indian Education System better. They participated in Art and Dance workshops, learning traditional Indian art and dance forms. They also learnt recycling of waste paper during the Paper Recycling workshop, getting a hands on experience of recycling.

The delegation was taken on a tour of Delhi during their stay here, whereby they visited some of the monuments like Qutub Minar, Lotus Temple, India Gate and Bangla Sahib, getting a glimpse of the heritage of Delhi. They also went for a One-day tour to Agra and visited the famous Taj Mahal and Agra Fort. Shopping at Dilli Haat, the malls and the local markets with their hosts was a memorable experience for all. The Greek delegates had unique experiences, celebrating birthdays and attending wedding ceremonies, getting aquainted with the Indian culture.

St. Mark's Girls Sr. Sec. School, Meera Bagh hosts students from Sekolah Menengah Sains Muzaffar Syah, Melaka, Malaysia - (14 to 25 November 2013)

Click for more Snaps . . .

To reciprocate the hospitality shown by the Malysian delegates to our students during the FRSIS, 2012, St. Mark’s Girls Sr. Sec. School hosted a student delegation from Sekolah Menengah Sains Muzaffar Syah accompanied by Ms. Rosnah Osman, the Vice Principal. They were also accompanied by Ms. Samsiah Radiman of Sekolah Sultan Alam Shah, Putrajaya and Ms. Safiah Awang, the Vice Principal of Sekolah Tun Fatimah, Johor Bahru.

The main objective of this Inter-Cultural Student Exchange Programme was to promote cross-cultural learning and greater mutual understanding between the two nations, thereby strengthening the inter-cultural ties. The delegates enjoyed the warm hospitality of the Indian hosts, feasted on the Indian delicacies and also got a taste of the Indian lifestyle. The delegation was taken on a tour of Delhi during their stay here, whereby the architecture of some of the monuments like Qutub Minar, India Gate and Lotus Temple was a treat to the eyes. Shopping at Dilli Haat and local markets with their hosts was a memorable experience for all.

The delegation also visited Agra and Jaipur to see the famous Taj Mahal and Amber Fort to name a few. Ms. Anjali Handa, our Global coordinator acted as a link between the two schools.

Geofest 2013 - (9 to 12 November 2013)

St. Mark's Girls School - Geofest 2013 : Click to Enlarge

Six students of our school - Mahima Negi (XI-A), Namrata Pandey (XI-A), Mannika Kumar (XI-A), Sanjana (VIII-B), Parisma Malik (IX-C) and Ayushi Singh (X-B) got a wonderful opportunity to participate in Geofest 2013 organised by CMS Rajajipuram Campus, Lucknow from 9 to 12 November 2013.

Our students excelled in various events. Events during the Fest included: CREATE YOUR TASTE ( Collage Making), GEOTALK (Debate), GEOTECH (Web designing), MODEL DISPLAYING, VOICE & VISION AND GEOTOONS.

Participation of our students in various events gave them an opportunity to compete with students of various states and countries of the world.

GEOFEST endeavours to work towards saving the planet from man made problems and awakening the conscience of the people to protect the planet Earth from further decay.

Well known educationist and founder Chairman of CITY MONTESSORI SCHOOL, Mr. Jagdish Gandhi was admired by the students for his spiritual attainment.

The overall experience at CMS was quite enriching and knowledgeable for the students.

Our two very talented students Namrata Pandey (XI-A) and Mannika Kumar (XI-A) bagged the III position in CREATE YOUR TASTE COMPETITION (Collage Making).

11^th ASEF ClassNet Conference - (28 October to 1 November 2013)

SMS Girls School - 11th ASEF Classroom Network Conference : Click to Enlarge

The 11^th ASEF Classroom Network Conference (ASEF ClassNet Conference) that took place from 28 October to 1 November 2013 in Bali, Indonesia was attended by our Global Coordinator, Mrs. Anjali Handa. The conference was organised in collaboration with Khatulistiwa Pendidikan Indonesia (KPI), supported by the Provincial Office of Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economic of Bali.

Themed “Creative Classrooms Go 4G : Teach Green, Learn Green, Act Green, Live Green”, the conference aimed to encourage the integration of ICT, art and local culture in environmental education. The 11^th ASEF ClassNet Conference emphasised on -

professional enrichment for participants
presentations of ClassNet Projects and Awards
discussion and development of future ClassNet Projects
exchange of information and best practices on green actions

The teachers, educators and the organisers also became a part of the ASEF Green Action exhibition and bag exchange activity at Pasar Bedung in Den Pasar, Bali, which was a wonderful experience.

A visit to Athens, Greece - (29 September to 7 October 2013)

SMS Girls School - A visit to Athens, Greece : Click to Enlarge

Click for more Snaps . . .

The students of our school, engaged in the AEC-NET Global Projects were invited to the 9^th ATHENS GENERAL LYCEUM, Athens, Greece for a Student Exchange Programme. A delegation of 12 students of Class X escorted by their teacher coordinator, Ms. Anjali Handa visited Athens from 29^th September to 7^th October 2013. The main aim of this home-stay programme was to create awareness towards inter-cultural similarities and differences between Asian and European countries, thereby leading to a better understanding of the diversity in culture and appreciation of their own culture and nation. This was achieved through various activities, presentations, lectures, discussion sessions and dance programmes held at the Lyceum under the assistance of the Principal, Ms. Ioanna Psina and the Vice-Principal, Ms. Tereza Rozaki. The students got an exposure to the teaching and learning methodologies in Greek schools. The home-stay programme of the Indian students with Greek families taught our students tolerance and discipline, and further developed a sense of mutual respect.

Our students were also invited to the 4^th PRIMARY SCHOOL in Athens by Ms. Foteini Veneti, the AEC Coordinator of the Project SENSES, thereby getting an opportunity to meet primary level Greek students as well.

The students also visited the famous Greek National Archaeological Museum, the “Technopolis” - an Industrial Gas Museum, the Temple of Poseidon at Sounio, the Acropolis Archaeological Site and the New Acropolis Museum, the Greek House of Parliament, the cultural centre ”Melina Merkouri” at Thissio, the Monastiraki Flee market and a traditional Taverna in Plaka.

This Cultural Exchange programme thus helped in strengthening our bonds with the people of Greece.

Video Conferencing Session - (17 May 2013)

SMS Girls School - Video Conferencing Session : Click to Enlarge

A Video Conferencing Session was organised through Skype Chat, for students of classes IX and X, in the school’s Conference Room on 17^th May, 2013. During the session, our students introduced themselves to their partners of Nayang Girls’ High School in Singapore. The main purpose of the video chat was self introduction and face-to-face interaction among students of the two schools, before they become penpals. Nayang Girls’ High School is a unique school with students participating in various Global Classroom Programmes and by collaborating with such a school, we want to give opportunities to our students to embark on learning experiences that open their eyes to the world beyond the boundaries of India, thereby contributing as world citizens.

Geofest International - 2012

The talented students of our school participated in an international event 'Geofest International‘ conducted by City Montessori School, Lucknow. The purpose of Geofest International was to make bond of togetherness and sustain the beauty of our mother faith. Its aim was to cultivate a captivating sense of connection to the whole of the creation. It was an honour for our students to put forth their talents in front of Dr. Gandhi and 51 schools of India as well as of the world. Various events like create your taste, Geotoons, Geotalk, Geotech , Nation Geographic Olympiad, Mind Bending quizzes and Voice and Vision (dance) provided great exposure to our students. Geofest brought all the students together and blessed them with great messages of world peace, unity and togetherness. Our students brought back from Lucknow large trophies of pride for winning , honour of participating, and memories of love for Geofest. With each and every school fighting for victory, our school brought laurels to the school.

Voice & Vision (DANCE) - II Position
1. Jasneet Kaur Bhatia (XI-B)
2. Shivangi Arora (XI-A)
3. Srishti Sondhi (XI-C)
4. Arushi Mishra (IX-B)
5. Ayushi Sharma (IX-B)
6. Shambhavi Prabhakar (IX-C)

GeTalk (DEBATE) - Commendation Prize
1. Shivangi Arora (XI-A)

Trip to NASA - (2012)

SMS, Girls School - A trip to NASA : Click to Enlarge

Students of St. Mark’s Girls Sr. Sec. School, Meera Bagh went to USA during summer vacations. Group of fourteen students and a teacher visited number of places of historic importance in US. Students visited Empire state building, Nigara Falls, Times square. They had the guided tour of New York city. They had fun and adventure at EPCOT center and Universal studio where they enjoyed number of rides and 3D shows. They also visited Ellise island and Statue of Liberty.

The big learning experience for students is the visit to Kennedy Space center where students got a chance to interact with an astronaut. Students also experienced space shuttle launch through simulation. Students got to see rocket launching sites. Number of activities were done to make students learn about space science. This was indeed an experience of life time for students as it gave them an opportunity to learn about culture of new country and how NASA is carrying out different space programmes.

A visit to Malaysia (2012)

SMS, Girls School - ../images/beyond_curriculum/global_events/malaysia_2012/1_s.jpg : Click to Enlarge

The students of our school were invited to be a part of the Fully Residential Schools International Symposium 2012 at Sekolah Menengah Sains Muzaffar Syah Melaka, Malaysia, along with reputed schools from Italy, Netherlands,Australia,Thailand,Singapore,Brunei,Portugal,Laos,Indonesia and Czech Republic.Our school was the only representative from India, with 84 schools participating in all. A delegation of 11 students escorted by a teacher visited Melaka and Kuala Lumpur from 27 March to 5 April 2012.

AEC NET-Cultural Exchange With Singaporeans

A few students of Millennia Institute, Singapore visited our school on 2^nd December2011 along with their teacher coordinator, Mr. David Toh. They were taken around the school classrooms, laboratories, art room, music room and library by some students of class IX and X as well as the teacher coordinators, Ms. Komal Gujral and Ms. Anjali Handa. They had interactions with the school Principal and Vice-principal, getting an exposure to the Indian education system and the extra-curricular activities held in the school.

Later, they visited Dilli Haat along with the teacher coordinators and students, gaining knowledge of the rich heritage of India. They saw diverse forms of art and crafts exhibited there, and relished a variety of Indian foods. On the whole, it was a memorable day for all, students and teachers of both the schools that joined hands in friendship.

AEC-NET - Ireland

Cinderella in German language

Students of AEC-Net Project-East Speaks West, West speaks East enacted another famous fairytale- Cinderella in German language this year. In Indian attire during the summer vacations, the students of the group directed as well as enacted the play all on their own with cooperation of their project coordinator Edith Flores Wolf through online sessions and project leaders.

The project underlined the idea of learning by doing and also gave an opportunity to the students to learn the fourth language-German apart from Hindi, English and Sanskrit. The enactment of Cinderella in German not only encouraged the students to learn German but also helped them explore an innovative way to learn a new language. In all, the students enjoyed learning the language and staging the play which provided them an International explosive.

SMS Girls School - Global Events : Click to Enlarge

Indonesians Delegates visit to St. Mark’s Girls Sr. Sec. School (15 July 2010)

Indonesians Delegates visit to St. Mark’s Girls Sr. Sec. School : Click to Enlarge

A group of 11 students and 2 teachers from Indonesia visited our school on 15^th July 2010 as a part of Cultural Exchange Programme. The students have been doing the Global projects as a member of AEC-NET forum from August 2009.

The delegated were extended a warm welcome and thereafter, were taken for a visit to the miniature of India’s Fine Art Galleria “Delhi Haat”.

The visit left an indictable mark in the minds of the girls as they learnt acceptance and endurance of the vivid culture across the tangible boundaries of their country.

International Friendship's Day Celebration

Students of St. Mark’s Girls Sr. Sec. School, Meera Bagh were invited to be a part of International Friendship's Day Celebration along with reputed schools from Italy, Denmark, Philippines and Germany at Pioneer Secondary School, Singapore. The Delegation consisted of 5 students escorted by one teacher - Ms. Komal Ghai. The Delegation was marked by a Welcoming Ceremony by the school and introduction by the teachers and students from different parts of the world. The Exchange Programme included discussion on our Education Systems and AEC-NET Projects to improve our teaching and learning methodologies and aimed at giving exposure to the blooming youth of our country. The students also got an opportunity to visit The Millenia Institute and Singapore Institute of Polytechnic. The stay with people from different communities taught the students to be tolerant and accommodating to various cultures and develop a sense of mutual respect and understanding without any discrimination on the basis of caste , creed or colour. The Programme also consisted of Cultural performances and Presentations by students from different countries. The students also got an opportunity to visit the Night Safari, Santos Island, Chinatown, Tea Chapter etc. The Delegation helped to foster a strong bond and lasting friendships between people across the world through such Cultural Exchange Programmes.