BIS Abu Dhabi Times Term 2

1 Issue #02

Principal’s Note

SECOND ISSUE PRINCIPAL’S NOTE After the success of our first edition of the BIS Abu Dhabi Times, we are delighted to see our 2nd edition come to life and share it with you.

In the past few weeks the school building has been closed as part of the measures to stem the spread of coronavirus.

However, school activities continue through our Virtual School Experience and students are still gaining as much as possible in this new situation.

This magazine is produced each term and it a real pleasure to look through these pages and reflect on so many wonderful achievements from the last few months.

The International School Awards are held each year in London and it was wonderful to see BIS Abu Dhabi acknowledged with an award in London, further enhancing our reputation as one of the leading international schools in the world. Our exceptional students have also won many awards themselves this term for their essay writing, examination success, service and ice skating, to name just a few of their achievements.

The term saw more than 140 BIS Abu Dhabi students join our Duke of Edinburgh’s International Awards programme, the world’s leading youth achievement award. The award plays a critical role in our students’ development outside of the classroom and gives them an international accreditation of their experiences.

It was wonderful for our community to have the opportunity to come together and celebrate our International Day, the last large event we were able to hold prior to the

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school closing and taking up our learning online. To see 88 nationalities represented at our Parade of Nations was incredible to watch. The costumes, the flags and the camaraderie on our sports field really showcased the United Nations of Abu Dhabi here at the school. We then had the opportunity to sample some amazing delights at The Taste of BIS Abu Dhabi, a definite annual favourite in our school calendar.

Our students have again excelled in competitions. Chess seems to be in our students’ blood, and they outdid themselves at the Abu Dhabi Schools Chess Open, when our A and B team ended up competing against each other in the final. We are also incredibly proud of the success of our swim teams; with the school team and so many individual swimmers winning events. Across a wide range of sported at the BSME U13 games in Dubai in January, BIS Abu Dhabi students also excelled and brought back numerous trophies for their efforts.

It is wonderful to be able to share the joys of being part of a school and a community such as this. We excitedly look forward to re-opening the school (when the time is right) and reuniting the BIS Abu Dhabi family in person once more.

Until then, please do stay safe.

Warm regards, Patrick Horne Principal

Contents

WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING AT BIS ABU DHABI 14 10 8

YEAR 3 ECOVENTURE

DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD

18

PETTING ZOO

7

4 5 6 6

18

INTERNATIONAL DAY

FESTIVAL OF SPORT

20

5

CHESS OPEN

16

YEAR 5 DRESS UP DAY

COMMUNITY AWARD HEADTEACHER’S COMMENDATION AWARD CAMBRIDGE ESSAY COMPETITION EXAMINATION SUCCESS

7 12 17

ICE SKATING SUCCESS

HOUSE DAY

CHOIRFEST SPORTS ROUND-UP YEAR 7 CAMP IN SCHOOL

19 21 22

YEAR 6 SUSTAINABILITY TRIP JUILLIARD DRAMA VISIT WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

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Be Ambitious

We Won an Award!

In January, BIS Abu Dhabi were delighted to win an award for Community Initiative at the prestigious International Schools Awards 2020 event held in London.

The International School Awards 2020 aim to recognise and raise awareness of some of the very best initiatives being implemented by international schools today.

There were over 250 nominations from leading international schools around the world, and BIS Abu Dhabi was one of three shortlisted for the Community Initiative award for a sustainability/architecture project completed by Year 6 students during the 2018/19 academic year.

Sustainability, Architecture and the City was a joint research project between Abu Dhabi University (ADU) and Year Six students at our school, which culminated in an exhibition of the students’ research and innovative designs. The partnership of our two academic institutions provided a valuable opportunity to raise awareness of architecture, design and sustainability amongst the community and most importantly, to make a difference to and inspire future generations.

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The project culminated in a four-day exhibition in the main lobby at ADU; this was open to the general public and showcased the students’ learning incorporated in scale architectural drawings and models, prototypes of sustainable and environmentally friendly design ideas and presentations.

This award further enhances BIS Abu Dhabi’s reputation as one of the leading international schools in the world.

Be Ambitious

Headteacher’s Commendation Award Congratulations to this wonderful group of Year 10 students who became the first recipients of the new Headteacher’s Commendation Award. The group collectively produced a presentation about their experiences in Tanzania which they gave to students in Years 2, 3, 4 and 5 to help the younger students understand BIS Abu Dhabi’s commitment to the Tanzanian community.

They were nominated for the award by Mr. O’Neill, Head of Extended Learning, and by Mrs. Bailey-Carter, a Year 2 teacher, who wrote “The students gave a wonderful presentation with information and pictures from every day of their trip. My students were mesmerised by their stories and had so many questions to ask at the end.’’ A huge well done to you all!

Ice Skating Success BIS Abu Dhabi students Leila and Amandine took part in the annual figure skating competition ‘Skate Abu Dhabi 2020’ on 6th-8th February.

Both the girls did an outstanding job, their achievements are very impressive.

Leila from Year 7, came first in speed skating, second in her programmes and third for footwork.

Amandine from Year 13, performed her Platinium Level Artistic skate and came first place in her event.

Congratulations to Leila and Amandine!

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Be Ambitious

Cambridge Summer School Essay Competition Congratulations to Khadyja in Year 8 and Alif in Year 10 on winning notable mention in the Immerse Education Essay Competition. As a prize, they both achieved a partial scholarship to the Educational Summer Programmes at Cambridge University.

Khadyja won a place to study Architecture and Alif won a place to study Creative Writing.

The judges commented on the extremely high quality of essays that they received this year. Alif and Khadyja’s pieces have been recognised as two of the highest quality entries.

Well done Khadyja and Alif, we are very proud of you!

Examination Success Year 12 students, Hagir and Matilda, received their certificates and medals in February for scoring the highest marks in the United Arab Emirates in the 2018/19 Economics and Art & Design GCSEs respectively.

Congratulations to them both on their efforts.

They are now continuing to soar the academic heights in our International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.

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Be Ambitious

Abu Dhabi Schools Chess Open In February, BIS Abu Dhabi hosted the Abu Dhabi Schools Chess Open for the second successive year. The competition, a team event, involved 55 players from 6 different schools – Amity, BSAK, Cranleigh, Raha, Repton, and BISAD. Such is the popularity and relative strength of chess at BIS Abu Dhabi, that we were able to field three teams (of 5 players) in the competition.

as this was the first inter-school event for some of the players.

BIS Abu Dhabi A team won the final, beating BIS Abu Dhabi B team 3-2, in a nail-biting finish that went to the last game.

Thank you to Mr. Kuzina and the teachers from the other schools for raising the profile of chess in Abu Dhabi.

BIS Abu Dhabi’s A and B teams won through to the final, after winning their respective groups.

BIS Abu Dhabi C, our third team, finished a creditable 9th place,

ChoirFest

BIS Abu Dhabi’s Primary and Secondary School choirs had a blast at ChoirFest ME 2020 in February. The students showed excellent team spirit supporting other choirs when they sang and became actively involved in the singing workshop led by Canadian a cappella choir Cadence.

An amazing experience and a fabulous job to all involved!

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Be Ambitious

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award At BIS Abu Dhabi, students from Year 9 and above have the opportunity to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, the world’s leading youth achievement award.

made their way across the varied and challenging terrain, not only testing them physically, but also giving them the opportunity to put their navigational and decision-making skills to the test.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award equips our students for life, by creating opportunities for them to develop skills, get physically active, give service and experience adventure. The award plays a critical role in students’ development outside the classroom. It also allows students’ achievements to be recognised worldwide, giving them an international accreditation of their experiences.

They had to arrive at various checkpoints throughout the day, with the last checkpoint being the overnight camp.

Not done for the day, the students then had to set up their camp, which included putting their tent up, cooking their own nutritious meal and looking after the tidiness of their camp and making sure they were rested, ready for the second day of hiking. Mirroring the first day, the aim for the students on day 2 was to make it through the checkpoints to the end of the journey.

The Adventurous Journey element, which makes up 25% of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, is designed to help students become more self-sufficient, but also incorporates elements of team-building through journey planning and navigational skills. The award is split into Bronze, Silver and Gold categories, with the Bronze students spending two days and one night away, the Silver students spending three days and two nights away, and the Gold students spending four days and three nights away.

Throughout Term 2, more than 140 students from Year 9 and above participated in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Bronze and Silver Awards. As part of their adventurous journey, in January and February students journeyed through the deserts of South Khatim and Fossil Rock. Starting out early in the morning, the students set off in their teams and

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Each day, the students walked for a minimum of 6 hours whilst also carrying out their “journey purpose”, which was selected by each individual and included activities such as making a music video, and a documentary detailing the flora and fauna they had seen on their travels. All this was then collated and presented to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award leaders at school. A real sense of achievement was felt by the students upon this accomplishment.

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Community

International Day In February, we celebrated our annual International Day. The day started with our Early Years Foundation Stage students leading the parade, followed by a Parade of Nations made up of our Primary and Secondary students. This year’s parade consisted of 88 different nationalities, and all of the students looked wonderful in their national costumes and colours of their country’s flag.

Parents in the audience enjoyed cheering the parade on as each country passed by proudly waving their flags and props.

After the parade, students visited The Taste of BIS Abu Dhabi, organised by our Parent Teacher Association.

Each and every stall was beautifully decorated, with fun activities to participate in and delicious treats to taste.

Primary students enthusiastically collected flag stickers to complete their passports, after preparing which countries to visit prior in class.

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Everyone also enjoyed entertainment from some amazing students and parents in the Main Hall. The attentiveness and applause at the end of each dance and song proved how much the students enjoyed the cultural performances from different parts of the world.

Thank you to all those that helped to make this year’s International Day such a success!

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Sport

Sports Round-up Term 2 was full of sporting opportunities for the students of BIS Abu Dhabi with multiple sports and competitive fixtures on offer within the Team Falcon extra-curricular programme.

Our U9 and U11 students participated in the Abu Dhabi International School Sports Association (ADISSA) boys football and girls netball leagues. It was great to see the large number of students training every week, and everyone is extremely proud of how they performed throughout the term.

Secondary students participated in the boys rugby and girls football leagues, and had weekly ADISSA fixtures. The students excelled in these leagues, with performances and results continuing to improve yearon-year. BIS Abu Dhabi’s Team Falcon have become a real force in these two sports due to the commitment of the students and the quality of the coaching and training offered every week.

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The swim teams really demonstrated their prowess during Term 2. The Secondary squad were ADISSA champions which is a huge achievement as there is always some fierce competition. Our Primary squad have also been doing extremely well with lots of medals across the events. The dedication and team spirit from this team is evident and are key parts to their ongoing success.

Sport The BSME U13 games in Dubai was an opportunity for BIS Abu Dhabi students to demonstrate their skill, talent and superb team mentality. After three days of gruelling competition against nineteen other schools from the Middle East, BIS Abu Dhabi’s Team Falcon finished in fifth place. The boys finished runners-up in Volleyball, with Max from Year 8 winning the most valuable player (MVP) award for the entire competition.

At the start of Term Two, BIS Abu Dhabi netball teams participated in the BSME Netball competition in Abu Dhabi. Our U15 girls squad finished runners-up in the tournament. Again, BIS Abu Dhabi students did us proud!

BIS Abu Dhabi’s Team Falcon are a real force to be reckoned with on the sports field and in the pool. The commitment of the students and the quality of the coaching and training offered every week are leading to amazing successes. Also, very importantly, the coaches are extremely proud of the way BIS Abu Dhabi students conduct themselves at the various fixtures – their commitment to doing their best, plus their respect for their opponents, is a real credit to everyone involved.

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Sport

Festival of Sport During a glorius week in February the PE department held Sports Days throughout the week for each area of the school. The week began with our youngest students from Nursery to Year 2, where the students showcased how good they have become at running, jumping and throwing.

Students from Year 3 through to Year 13 then focused on a variety of track and field events. The events included 60 and 200 metre sprints, long throw, javelin, standing long jump, shot put and relays. It was lovely to see so many parents at school supporting the students. It really was a wonderful week of celebrating sport at BIS Abu Dhabi!

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Beyond the Classroom

10th Anniversary House Day It has been 10 years since BIS Abu Dhabi first opened its doors to 323 students in 2009, and the school celebrated its 10th anniversary in style during our annual House Day in January. BIS Abu Dhabi House ethos brings a sense of belonging, pride and teamwork across the school community that we have been so proud of building over the last 10 years.

The event ensured that our students were at the heart of the celebrations, and the theme of the day, “10,� was reflected in all the activities throughout the day. Every activity revolved around the number 10 and students from Nursery to Year 13 were involved in bringing to life this important milestone.

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In Nursery and FS2, students took part in events building birthday cakes, creating and solving jigsaws and lots of other activities. They were assisted by students from Year 11 which enhanced the sense of community and teamwork right through the school. Across other areas of the school, students took part in a variety of activities including sports, construction, code breaking, quizzes, science challenges, computer coding and even treasure hunts! Each activity all linked back to the theme of 10.

After a truly fantastic day of competition, it was Willow who came away with the House Day trophy, collecting the most House points and retaining the trophy for the second year running.

Beyond the Classroom

Year 7 Camp in School At the end of January, 81 students slept under the stars on the school field as part of the Year 7 camp at school. Day one consisted of team building activities and before bed, marshmallows were toasted, campfire games were played and songs were sung on what was a perfect night for camping.

The next day, camp activities continued; kayaking, orienteering, team building, nightline and abseiling followed breakfast. The students developed leadership, communication and collaborative skills whilst having fun. It is safe to say all of the students had a great time and it will be an experience they will remember for a long time to come!

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Beyond the Classroom

Petting Zoo In January, Nursery students had a visit from the Animal Care Centre Petting Zoo as part of their curriculum on Understanding of the World.

The students had a wonderful time holding and learning about snakes, rabbits, guinea pigs and even a prickly hedgehog! They got to feed a goat his healthy carrot sticks and played with a big tortoise and a really long iguana. They had the best day ever!

Year 3 Ecoventure Year 3 students visited Saadiyat Beach Rotana Resort and Villas, as part of their topic, ‘What’s Beneath my Feet?’. During their visit, students learned about the ways in which the Rotana group of hotels are striving to raise environmental awareness amongst their guests and support the preservation of natural resources.

The students spent time collecting ‘nurdles’, which are small plastic pellets about the size of a lentil, billions of them are used each year to make plastic products and end up washed up on our shores. A special thanks to the Saadiyat Beach Rotana Resort for their support of this great initiative.

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Beyond the Classroom

Year 6 Sustainability Trip In February, Year 6 students visited Masdar City as part of their learning about sustainability and architecture.

During the trip, they toured the area, experienced the innovative wind tunnel; tested the driverless cars and electric buses. It was a fantastic way for them to experience first-hand sustainable design and lifestyle choices in action.

The students were then able to bring their learning back to the classroom and identify ways they can incorporate sustainable options into their own lifestyles!

They discovered that traditional Arabic methods of cooling were adapted to Masdar City, for example, they placed the buildings close together to create shade, they used mashrabiyas to offer effective protection against intense sunlight, and used clay building materials as they do not absorb the heat.

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Beyond the Classroom

Year 5 Dress up Day As part of the Year 5 English Curriculum on traditional tales featuring legends, the Year 5 teachers thought that The Legend of Robin Hood was a perfect example and would inspire a debate of whether or not Robin Hood was in fact a Hero or a Villain.

The students enjoyed an adventure day where they got to come to school dressed as a hero or villain from a traditional tale. There were some wonderful examples such as the Woodcutter from Hansel and Gretel, Frodo from The Lord of the Rings, many knights and even Robin Hood himself.

The students participated in an orienteering activity that took the students around the school grounds, a poetry activity which told the story of Robin Hood and a crosscurricular activity which taught the students more about the adventures of Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men.

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Art

Juilliard Drama Curriculum Specialist Visit In January, BIS Abu Dhabi were thrilled to welcome Jono Waldman, Drama Curriculum Specialist from the Juilliard School in New York, on his first visit to the school.

Mr. Waldman taught several classes, observed lessons, and led a professional development session for staff.

Head of Creative Arts, Ms. O’Connor said “what an experience, for both students and staff. Jono brought a wealth of knowledge and creativity to us all. We have had so much fun learning from him and really look forward to welcoming him back again as our Juilliard link for Drama”.”

We are extremely excited that Mr. Waldman will be joining us again as part of a series of visits working to continue to develop and enrich our students’ artistic aptitudes and divergent thinking skills. Through this partnership, our aim is to continue to elevate the provision of the arts within the whole school and the surrounding community for staff, students, and their families.

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Where are they now?

BIS Abu Dhabi Graduate

Tanya Mathur

What ambitions did BIS Abu Dhabi inspire in you?

Do not dream small. I remember Mr. Kenning trying his level best to get my to apply to Oxbridge but I just did not believe that I would ever make that grade. Surprisingly, I was able to get one point higher than the Cambridge requirement. I do not regret my decision of coming to the University of Warwick at all, however Mr. Kenning’s attitude showed me that one must believe in oneself and aim high.

Which university and degree did you choose, and why?

I am currently at the University of Warwick, studying Politics and International Relations. I find the subject matter extremely interesting. I do not necessarily think that I would like to pursue a career in this field however, the degree has helped me develop a transferable skill set that can apply to most professions out there.

What made BIS Abu Dhabi special for you?

The friendly environment at the school made it a great place for growth, learning and fun. The relationship we had with our teachers, one where they were always approachable for both academic and non-academic issues, made studying a lot more fun. The synergy between students and teachers at the school is one that is very rare to find, it is extremely important for a child to wake up every morning and want to go to school.

Which school club, activity, trip or project inspired you the most?

I think most BIS Abu Dhabi students that have visited Tanzania would answer this question in the same way. Tanzania was one of the most incredible opportunities I have ever been offered.

From the volunteer work, to the safari, the people, to the food, it was one of the most wholesome experiences that I have ever been a part of. It also helped me develop a transferable skill set that I can still reference when applying for positions. The memories that I made on the trip will be some to keep forever.

What is the most important lesson you learned at BIS Abu Dhabi?

I learned that nothing great comes easy. One has to put in the time and effort to be able to achieve one’s vision. This ethos was embedded in me by the time I left school for university.

However, I also learned that one cannot just focus on one’s goals. One has to create a balance between work and play. This is something that I started in school by involving myself in after school clubs and I continue this at university too.

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How did the IB Diploma help your experience at university?

The IB helped me develop concepts of critical and independent thinking, written and verbal communication and skills of organisation, time management and independant learning. My degree is based on independant learning, with a heavy focus on essays and presentations. This requires good time management skills which I believe, I developed through completing the IB Diploma.

What has been your proudest moment since graduating?

At university, I am Project Manager of a social enterprise named Project Baala, under the wing of Enactus UK. The social enterprise has its head quarters in New Delhi, India and I was tasked with leading a team to expand its operations to Ghana and Pakistan. After a year of hard work, the team was able to impact the lives of 1300 girls between the two countries.

Watching videos of the girls was one of the proudest and most heart-warming moments of my life. After the project, one of our local project partners asked me to join her as co-founder of a Ghanaian NGO. Do check us out. We go by the name of IGEAenterprise (Investing in Girls Education in Africa).

What are you doing now?

I am in my final year at the University of Warwick.

BIS Abu Dhabi Graduate

Gabrielle Faure What made BIS Abu Dhabi special for you?

The community. BIS Abu Dhabi is diverse from the different cultural backgrounds of students and teachers, to the different quirks and personalities of every individual - younger or older. That is what made it special for me. It’s a school that models what the world is like; where different people can come together to learn from each other and accomplish things together.

Which school club, activity, trip or project inspired you the most?

The Tanzania Expedition definitely inspired me the most.

I’ve been on three separate expeditions and was one of the few to go on the very first. I had the opportunity to learn so much about my peers, myself and about a beautiful culture and its people. I enjoyed being creative with the fundraising process, working towards a common goal through team effort and gaining a new perspective on charitable work and the implications of it.

What is the most important lesson you learned at BIS Abu Dhabi?

From a young age I have always been very shy and quiet.

I used to rarely speak my mind or attempt to go for opportunities that intrigued me. Studying at BIS Abu Dhabi really helped me come out of my shell. That being said, the most important lesson I learned was to believe in myself; to prove to myself what I am capable of, as opposed to not even trying.

What ambitions did BIS Abu Dhabi inspire in you?

BIS Abu Dhabi showed me that it’s all right to have more than one ambition and that it is also ok if you haven’t quite found what your ambition is. I’m still discovering what my ambitions are, but BIS Abu Dhabi inspired me to keep doing the things that I feel passionate about. So I try to get involved in volunteering in anyway I can, I still sing, I still do drama and I’m doing a degree I really enjoy. Wherever that leads me has yet to come to fruition!

Which university and degree did you choose, and why?

I am currently in my 3rd year studying for a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy with Politics and International Relations at the New College of the Humanities (NCH). The reason for picking my university and degree go hand-in-hand. I was looking for a university that would be best to study philosophy (after really enjoying Theory of Knowledge) but I also wanted to do politics (and I wasn’t looking to do a PPE course).

One of the reasons I chose NCH is because I loved one of the books written by the current Master of the college A. C. Grayling (a popular British philosopher and author) and there is a great philosophy faculty. What better place to studyphilosophy than a place where you’re surrounded by philosophers!

I also love that the tutorial system maximises the contact hours between students and professors. The college is small and feels like home, which makes the stress of doing a degree all the more worth it!

How did the IB help your experience at university?

The IB Diploma taught me a lot, but there are 3 core skills I learned that have really helped me cope with the demands at university: (1)Time Management. Not only managing my time in terms of my workload but in terms of balancing the demands of university and my life. It can be difficult at times to keep track of all your responsibilities at once, and the IB Diploma gave me a head start on how best to approach that difficulty.

(2) Organisation. At university you find yourself doing more than just university related work.

I have had a job on the side and other commitments such as volunteering to give mentoring support. You need to be able to organise all your priorities so that you can keep up with all your responsibilities and doing the IB Diploma has improved my confidence in organising efficiently.

(3)Multitasking. This skill really links to the first two. The IB Diploma requires you to do so much at once, which is why it helps you to be a well-rounded individual. So being able to do more than one thing and be dedicated is a great discipline.

My university has an extra diploma programme other than my degree that I am doing, and so being able to multitask efficiently has been very valuable.

What has been your proudest moment since graduating?

Being at university involves a lot of learning and exploring and much of that involves learning about yourself. When I was going through a rough patch, I turned to writing lots of poetry.

My proudest moment was when I finally had the courage to attend an open mic event in London to voice a piece I had written and that in turn gave me the courage to start a poetry blog. It was both exhilarating and healing and is something I try to do as often as I can.

What are you doing now?

Now in my final year, the most important thing I have been working on is my philosophy dissertation. In light of all the protests and petitions to push for action against climate change, I am writing a thesis related to environmental philosophy. Specifically, I am exploring what our duties are towards nature, if we have any? As well as my dissertation, I am in the process of thinking about the next step after I graduate and I am currently considering the Civil Service or Teaching as potential careers.

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360 VIRTUAL REALITY TOUR Enjoy a tour of BIS Abu Dhabi from the comfort of home with the new BIS Abu Dhabi 360 Virtual Tour. Scan the QR code to begin your journey.

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