‘Festival of Hope’ at Dhirubhai Ambani International School Brings Together Students, Educators from Across India

The International Baccalaureate (IB) – ‘Festival of Hope’ — a global youth initiative bringing together diverse voices and experiences from across the world — is being organised in Mumbai on Wednesday under the theme ‘How Technology Promotes Diversity, Inclusion and Equity’ to celebrate the ‘resilience, creativity, and determination of youth’.

Eighty-seven students and 148 educators and guests are attending the festival at Dhirubhai Ambani International School (DAIS) from 56 schools across India. DAIS is International Baccalaureate (IB) World School.

During the festival, Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma Programme (DP) students will lead presentations on their projects, with ideas ranging from accessible parks to climate change.

At the event, 26 students from these schools will be showcasing 13 stories of ‘Hope’ and 20 projects as part of the exhibition. Teams from IB reaching on the day of the event will also hold interactions with students.

“Education holds the key to transforming lives, breaking barriers, and shaping a brighter future for all. In education, technology is a key enabler to make learning more accessible, exciting and enjoyable. Technology has permeated every aspect of our existence and holds incredible power to shape a brighter future for all in promoting diversity, inclusion, and equity,” said Isha Ambani Piramal, executive director, Reliance Retail Ventures Limited, and Director, Reliance Jio Infocomm, in her keynote address.

In today’s digital age, giving wings to hope is technology, she said. “It is an honour for Dhirubhai Ambani International School to host the Festival of Hope. Hope is a powerful thing. It is an instrument of change. The first step to a new reality, a brighter tomorrow,” she added.

The event will be followed by an educators’ meet with the director-general (DG) IB Olli-Pekka Heinonen, which will be attended by 108 educators from across the globe.

“The Festival of Hope started with the vision to support impactful ideas and conversations that translate to positive action. The exhibits by the students in New Delhi and Mumbai have proven to be powerful testimonials of this vision. We at International Baccalaureate believe in facilitating high quality education for a better and more peaceful world,” said Heinonen while addressing the gathering.

He further said IB’s partnerships with Delhi Board of Secondary Education (DBSE) and Haryana School Education Board (HSEB) will help deliver high-quality education in state-run schools.

“We are also expecting a 31 per cent increase in the implementation of our programmes across India as we keep empowering learners to thrive and make a difference. What we have experienced over the last few days was truly phenomenal and has strengthened our conviction in the potential of the students, and in the IB curriculum,” he added.

The IB leadership attending the event includes Oli Pekka Heinonen; Mathew Costelo, chief business development officer; Timothy Logan, festival’s project co-lead; Jennifer Olivia Bahrami, global head of communication and marketing; Mahesh Balakrisnan, development and recognition manager, India, and Nepal-IB; and Nicole Bien, chief academic officer.

Abhimanyu Basu, Dean and CEO, DAIS, said the festival is an initiative towards guiding all stakeholders to achieve the IB Learner Profile — with focus on developing knowledgeable and caring young people. “We hope that the spirit of hope and positivity that we have witnessed here today seeps into our lives and makes a difference in our communities,” said Basu.