AMSTERDAM – Berlage Lyceum 23-12-2011
Our second school! Another pilot, but 2.5 months after the first one. Three hundred students longing for their Christmas break, but what a day it turned out to be! This time, we selected one single venue, so after the introductory part in the class rooms all classes came to the auditorium.
We had invited Wijnand Boon, who has started his journey, on foot, too Cairo. He organises his accommodation through social media. Due to an injury, he is currently in Holland and therefore he could enthusiastically tell the students of Berlage about his journey.
Our kick-off host was Dance4Life’s Jurre, subbing for Nigerian rapper Geoffy George who could not make it because of laryngitis. But Jurre certainly put on a good show.
The highlight was definitely a performance by Sarina Voorn (as known from “The Voice of Holland), who sang Labi Siffre’s “Something Inside So Strong”. One lady, one guitarist and what a voice… Goosebumps all over.
After this wonderful performance all students took their balloons and cards with wishes on them and left the building to gather outside. Three hundred balloons were then released, a wonderful sight!
After the morning programme we moved on to the first lesson: telling life stories. Apart from regular classes, Berlage Lyceum also has transition classes, welcoming students who have come to the Netherlands directly from abroad. The curriculum is tailor-made, preparing for the second, third or even fourth grade. Some of these students have experienced quite hefty things end the sheer fact that for the first time in their lives they could tell each other about the traumatic events they had witnessed was quite emotional and created a very special atmosphere on this very last day of 2011.
The local Amsterdam newspaper devoted an article on the event:
http://www.dichtbij.nl/amsterdam-zuid/regio/artikel/2225397/leerlingen-berlage-zetten-zichvoor-vrede.aspx (in Dutch)
Ilaina Verheijen
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