Cultural Exchange - Learning Beyond the Textbook

The world is a vibrant tapestry, woven with countless cultures and traditions. The process of cultural exchange enriches our lives through fostering an understanding and respect for diverse communities. 

Cultural exchange breaks down barriers, helping us to eliminate prejudices we may have towards those unknown to us. Imagine immersing yourself in a Japanese tea ceremony in Hayakawa Town or walking the cobblestoned streets and enjoying the Christmas Markets in Prague. Exciting, right? 

Our children have been a part of a special cultural exchange during Indonesian lessons. We are delighted to participate in the Australia-Indonesia Youth Exchange Program (AIYEP) and host the talented Sonia Slovenia Kayukatui and Ajeng Mawarni Putri at St Clare of Assisi. Both Sonia and Ajeng reside in different Indonesian regions. AIYEP links youth in Australia and Indonesia through a social, professional, and cultural exchange. It is a chance for all participants to grow their intercultural skills and professional experiences, and international networks - which has been operating between both Governments. 

Both have arrived with a wealth of cultural knowledge, freely sharing this with our wonderful students for the past three weeks. Children that learn about different cultures at an early age, both inside and outside of education, express greater empathy to diverging views, values, and practices later in life. This allows them to interact in a wider range of social groups and feel more confident in themselves, as well as in pro-social interactions with others. Our students have learned about everything Indonesian and continue to nurture this, not only theoretically, but in practice.

Finally, a big thankyou to all of the AIYEP’s that were placed in Canberra and came along to our Fete to dazzle us with a Cultural Indonesian Dance. It was a lovely opportunity to celebrate our learnt school language beyond the textbook!