Think Local, Reach Global: Student Reflections from a Unique Action Summit
What does it really mean to think globally and act locally? And how can it be possible for young people to take the steps to initiate and develop influential initiatives working towards bettering our world?
These were some of the courageous questions tackled on Saturday, May 3, when Herlufsholm School was given the great honor of hosting one of three Student Action Summits for the Institute for Global Learning. This international event, with participating students and teachers from Canada, Denmark, Sweden, and the United States, was organized by nine high-school students with the objective of directly empowering other students to stoke passion and purpose through interconnection.
The planning process was almost entirely student-led, teaching us invaluable lessons in collaboration, leadership, creative problem-solving, open-mindedness, and communication. While this type of leadership role was a giant leap outside of our comfort zone in terms of what we were used to exerting in school events, we quickly learned to take responsibility through the support of our teacher Ann Hansen and staff from the Institute for Global Learning. We developed our self-discipline and evolved to wisely delegate tasks, at times having to adapt to challenges such as new additions to the agenda, challenging deadlines, and the always tricky coordination of groupwork. It was a rare, priceless opportunity for us to have so much say in the shaping of an event of this scale. We put an immense amount of thought and care into making the summit as enriching as possible for the visitors, and we are proud of what we developed and the impacts it had.
Our efforts amalgamated into a theme focused on how local, community-based action with a focus on the topics of human rights, sustainability and well-being could grow into global impact—from roots to branches that extend across the globe. That is why our slogan was “Think Local, Reach Global: Action that Echoes!” Lærke, one of our student leaders and our keynote speaker spoke to this idea: “Local action creates momentum. It shifts mindsets. And most importantly, it makes change visible. Tangible. Possible. When we act locally, with purpose and intention, we’re not just reacting to problems, we’re building a future.”
This summit was a thought-provoking and enriching learning experience for students to engage in productive, engaged dialogue about their own efforts in taking local action and development as global citizens. Our opening plenary began with an acknowledgement of place, including Denmark’s complex history with colonialism and the deep, rich history of the spaces we found ourselves in. Then, we shared some of Herlufsholm’s related initiatives to give some inspiration to the visiting students, including the Herlufsholm Award of Distinction, Volunteer Week, and other means for widespread, democratic student influence on the different aspects of the school. As Karla, one of our student leaders, explained, “At our school, leadership isn’t just about titles or roles. It’s something we actively work on developing—through the responsibilities we take on, through how we support each other, and through real experiences that push us outside of our comfort zones.”
During the breakout sessions, passionate students spoke enthusiastically about many of the inspiring initiatives they carried out in their local communities. Topics ranged from urban greenery for sustainable cities, dance in relation to mental health and leadership, gender equality in elite sports, and finding one’s own political voice. In these sessions we learned that meaningful change doesn’t have to be large in scale—even the smallest spark can start a blazing trail for abundant, innovative solutions.
A really special part of the day were the two dialogue sessions, which we ourselves led as students. Sitting in small, mixed groups with people from all over the world, with different backgrounds and viewpoints, we created a space to speak freely, listen actively, and reflect honestly. It was awe-inspiring to hear about all the wonderful initiatives students were starting, such as fundraisers fighting for indigenous rights, entrepreneurship combating food waste, and efforts to improve literacy and the education system. And in these sessions, it wasn’t about being the loudest—it was about listening and understanding each other. In doing so, we each learned that dialogue itself can pave the path for monumental change through fostering curiosity and empathy.
The closing plenary began with the creation of a “Community Action Plan,” where each school group came up with something they wanted to take with them and possibly apply to their individual schools or personal lives. The goal here was to take action that resonates, even if it was something as simple as starting a recycling initiative or creating a place for students where their voices could be heard. After this, students embodied these visions and made personal, achievable commitments to hold themselves accountable in collective group artwork.
This day left us with endlessly valuable insights and experiences that we will take with us for many years to come. It was a huge eye-opener, allowing us to expand and broaden our horizons by meeting and connecting with young people who had traveled across borders to cultivate the common interest of initiating change.
As a society overall, we need more of this: more dialogue, more development, more change. We hope to take this marvelous energy that filled the conference rooms and let it echo out into the rest of the world.
