It’s our passion for education that brings us together.
On 7th January 2018, 105 Nepali teachers, 24 LRTT Fellows, and representatives from Volunteer Initiative Nepal (VIN) came together at Peoples Academy school, Kathmandu, to embark on 4 days of teacher training to improve the quality of education of all students. Below is a transcript of the speech Team Leader, Rachael Bakhos, gave to all the participating Nepali teachers at the opening ceremony.
“On behalf of LRTT Team Leaders, Program Leaders, and Directors, I would like to warmly welcome you to this conference. We would like to thank you for inviting us into your beautiful country, Nepal, which has already found a way into our hearts. From the breathtaking snow-tipped Himalayas, to the bustling city of Kathmandu, from the smell of freshly cooked momo’s and offerings of sweet tea, to the polite exchanges of ‘namaste’, we are deeply humbled by your hospitality.
Before you there are 24 dedicated and amazing teachers who have travelled from far away places to be here in Nepal. They have come, not because they were forced to, but because they truly wanted to be here with you.
Their skills and talents, much like your own, are diverse. They are teachers who work patiently with very small children, and those who make their primary school classrooms seem like wonderlands where anything can happen. There are classical ballet teachers, scientists, mathematicians, story-tellers, and musicians who, by some beautiful form of fate, have found themselves together in Nepal, united by a single passion for education and a collective vision to collaborate with all of you.
The fact that you are here today is also a testament to your own dedication and passion for your craft. Please be assured that we are already in awe of the amazing work you do as teachers.
It is for this reason that this conference will be a creative and warm exchange of culture and professional ideas. We are as eager to learn from you as much as you are eager to learn from us. Although we may come from very different places, LRTT recognises that those who choose to become teachers find themselves in a global community of people who are striving against all odds to influence and empower generations of intelligent, creative, thoughtful, and independent young people who will hopefully become game changers in a quest for a more peaceful and equitable world. Despite all our differences, this is what makes us the same.
We look forward to our next few days together and hope that you will benefit from this conference as much as we will. Thank you.”
The start of the LRTT teacher training conference in Nepal coincides with three other programs taking place in Ghana, Malaysia, and Uganda this January. If you’re a teacher from Australia or New Zealand inspired by Rachael’s words and interested in contributing to the work LRTT is doing, visit lrtt.org/fellowships to find out more about becoming an LRTT Fellow in January 2019.
Special thanks to Rachael Bakhos for writing and sharing this wonderful and inspiring speech. You’re a true ‘don’, Rachael!
