EmpowerED Voices: A Dialogue for Change

The EmpowerED initiative held its first event, a student dialogue, on Sunday evening via Zoom, bringing together students from across İstanbul.

The student dialogue was on SDG4: quality education and students have focused on topics like artificial intelligence, inequalities in education and new national curriculum.

The dialogue hosted 29 students from six different schools across İstanbul. Held in small breakout rooms, the format allowed each student the opportunity to share their opinions with their peers. While some passionately voiced their thoughts on the new curriculum, others remained quiet until the final moments before sharing their brilliant ideas. Regardless of their approach, all participants engaged actively, demonstrating attentive listening and an openness to understanding diverse perspectives.

"Everyone in our group participated in the discussion, and we truly talked about various topics from different perspectives," said a student from Mehmet Emin Resulzade high school.

Having students from different backgrounds kept the dialogue going and students had a change to gain insights on global issues at a local perspective. Participants left with a smile on their faces and many different points of views. "It was great to exchange ideas on the topic and get to know different perspectives, making it a wonderful opportunity for personal growth and expanding one's social network" a student expressed her pleasantness.

Behind the scenes, the initiative worked tirelessly to organize this dialogue and secure permission from the Ministry of National Education (MEB) to involve students from different schools. The initiative's advisor, Mrs. Oliver, highlighted the team's dedication, stating, "This has been their dream since they were in prep. They worked incredibly hard to make it a reality."

With its first event of the year, the EmpowerED initiative brought together students from diverse backgrounds, offering a fantastic opportunity for those interested in discussing global issues and exploring new perspectives. When asked about upcoming events, team member Eda mentioned, "A new student dialogue is coming in mid-January, where students will discuss gender inequality." So, maybe this one could be your chance to empower!