Category: UN Celebration

Underlying Santa Barbara Catholic School’s festive celebration of United Nations Day on October 27, 2015 was an urgent cause. Entitled, “Taking Action: Zero Hunger Challenge,” the whole-day celebration began with a parade of all levels and their chosen country’s flag and costumes around the school.

Everyone gathered at the Petrie Gym to watch the programme of their schoolmates’ specially prepared dance numbers. The K4 students opened with the classic, “It’s a Small World.” The Kindergarten to 5th grade classes showcased the traditional dances of Hawaii, Spain, China, the Philippines, Guam, and Hungary. Finally, the girls of 7B executed a dance to a modern hit song from India.

Before continuing the days’ activities, the Social Studies department of the school, specifically Ms. Margarita Pangelinan, (6th to 8th grade Social Studies teacher) the overall coordinator of the event who oversaw all preparations, highlighted the day as one not only for celebration and awareness, but also for action and contribution. All classes were encouraged join the Zero World Hunger Challenge, the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Agenda Goal 2 for their 2030 Agenda. The Challenge looks to “end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.”

Launched in 2012 by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the Zero Wold Hunger Challenge is collective action taken to end hunger, malnutrition, and unsustainable food systems. With the knowledge that in a village of 100 people, 82 would be from less developed countries, 51 would live on less than $2 a day, 13 would lack safe drinking water, 13 would suffer from malnutrition, 25 would live in substandard housing or be homeless, 10 would be jobless, and 7 would not have a college education, the school and its students realized their abundant blessings and the need to share them with the less fortunate. The students were able to donate funds and raised a total of $597.69, all of their own initiative.

In the afternoon, the Kindergarten to 2nd grade students visited their older brothers’ and sisters’ classrooms, decorated carefully to demonstrate the culture, history, and traditions of their chosen countries: England (6A), Spain (6B), France (7A), India (7B), China (8A), and Italy (8B). Each class prepared games, short dances, songs, storytelling, and prizes to educate and entertain their visitors. The highlight of the day was 8A’s Chinese Dragon Dance, which all classes gathered around the courtyard to watch towards the end of the school day, some for the second time but with as much excitement.