echo insights esprit ecolint les anciens et pas so old... quoi de neuf? coming up or just been insights

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1 insights echo WORLD PEACE DAY 2007 insights Hedgefunds - an interview with Michael Huttman Decanting the next vintage The Annual Education Conference quoi de neuf? Greek Theatre Annual Fund launch Une bonne nouvelle sportive esprit ecolint Spirit distilled Global Affairs - Genève internationale Journée de la Francophonie les anciens et pas so old... A word from the Alumni Association President Class notes Glancing back coming up or just been 2007 events A vos agendas Kermesses 2008 ecolint magazine in partnership with the Alumni Association N o 1 OCTOBER 2007

2 introduction I am delighted to have been asked to write an introductory article for the first edition of echo. I am at the start of my fifth year as Director-General and, after a long career in national education systems, count myself very fortunate to be now helping to run such a diverse, innovative and endlessly fascinating institution. Much has happened in the school over the last few years. Demand for places, both from Geneva s international community and from members of the resident community wishing an international education for their children, has grown exponentially. We opened a brand new campus the aptly named Campus des Nations in 2005 and look set to have over 4,000 students during the current school year. We now have a record 136 nationalities and 86 mother tongues within our student body. We have also managed to achieve all this without sinking into the kind of bureaucratic uniformity one associates with large organisations. We do not just tolerate diversity of educational provision within the Foundation; we actively encourage it. For much of the time our students are chiefly conscious that they are members of their class, year group, educational programme or individual school. They are also conscious of being members of a wider campus - LGB, La Châtaigneraie, Nations. But they are still above all members of the International School of Geneva, the world s oldest and largest international school and one for which most of them hold a great affection. They are also, we hope, like many former generations of students, marked for life by their experiences at the school, with a respect for those different from themselves, an openness of spirit and a commitment to the values that the school has held dear throughout its long history and that the world needs more than ever at the present day. The school is buzzing with educational initiatives. There are more extra-curricular activities and special projects, many linked with other countries, more work that brings together different school subjects and much use of new technologies. We are also renewing our place at the heart of international education with a prestigious annual Ecolint Education Conference. One of the purposes of this magazine is to keep you up to date with a few of these developments. The International School of Geneva has a distinguished history. Out of it arose the International Baccalaureate which is now at the heart of international education for many thousands of students in over a hundred countries around the world. The school has also sent out into the world tens of thousands of its own students, many with the same commitment as our founders of trying to make the world a better place, and many of them succeeding, in small and sometimes even big ways, in all the continents of the world. Long may Ecolint continue to fulfil this role! I very much hope that you enjoy reading in this magazine about what is happening both to the school and to its former students. Nicholas Tate Director-General Michaelene Stack, Director of Development at ISG caught up with Michael Huttman, (LGB 78), on a trip to London. Mr Huttman is the Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer of Millennium Global Investment Limited, which he founded in He agreed to be interviewed, as it just so happens that from the 1970 s class years there are several high profile hedge fund specialists, including : Fabian Pictet (LGB 77) of Fabian Pictet & Partners, Jonathan Lourie (LGB 79) and Stuart Fiertz (LGB 79) of Cheyne Capital to name just three. We were wondering if Mr Huttman could shed some light on whether this career choice sets a trend amongst alumni or if it is purely coincidental There is a great deal of mythology about hedge funds. How would you best describe what you do? Hedge funds are total return investments, with flexibility to invest across diverse financial instruments so you aim to generate returns in all financial markets: both bull and bear markets or at any point in a market cycle. Hedge funds provide the fund manager with considerable flexibility to select assets and to short (that is to sell assets they do not actually own). Hedge fund managers do not manage assets. Hedge funds managers are often compared to the hunters of the financial markets. Why London (as opposed to anywhere else in the world)? London has enjoyed a healthy dominance in the hedge fund sector over the last 10 years but there is a chance that Geneva could give it a good run for its money, in terms of expertise, geography and language. However, I chose London mainly because of expertise and geography the London desks can wake up with the Far East and go to bed with the US and language is not a barrier, as English is the lingua franca of the financial markets. echo N o 1 OCTOBER 2007

3 Are we training hunters? insights Ecolint alumni in the Financial Markets Based in London, Michael is a dual national of Switzerland and Great Britain, married to Ecolint alumnae Nadine Kveim-Huttman, with whom he has two sons (who boast their very own melting pot of five nationalities and three religions). What for you characterises the International School of Geneva? Diversity. The two most important qualities gained from your time at the school? Openness and tolerance. Best memory? I really enjoyed the Student League of Nations but I have to say that my best memories are of my class. We were no more than and we were such a tight-knit group who knew each other so well. Worst memory? Being a candidate of the Swiss Maturité and having to cram for the second part of my exams over the final Summer holiday when all of my friends had finished their IB exams and were phoning up to invite me to go sailing or just meet up! Is Ecolint in any way responsible for your choices? Ecolint alumni are to be found everywhere. Ecolint exposes individuals to a huge diversity of origins, outlooks and ways of responding to opportunities and challenges. The result of which is a huge openness and sensitivity to both differences and communalities. This seems to feed an ability and willingness to explore avenues not usually considered : something of an essential for a hedge fund manager. The school also recognised each student as an individual some may excel academically, others in sports or art but the school nurtured all students and it also endorsed, if not encouraged, students to take risks, that is to say to try and endeavour towards a goal. If the goal was not attained despite best efforts the school encouraged students to learn from the experience. You were not expected to excel at everything but you were expected to endeavour. Learning in this way to calculate the extent of the challenge the risk to deal with failure and to expect to learn from the experience and to be resilient in the face of failure are important attributes for a hedge fund manager. What do you think are the biggest challenges facing students about to leave Ecolint today? The world appears more certain today more co-operation at the global level, less global tension, more of the basic needs of humanity being met, almost 25 years of global economic growth with «blips» which have not been as deep as those previously experienced and where economic cycles are increasingly attenuated. However, for the individual the world is a less cosy and comfortable place we are each thrown into a highly competitive job market where your competition may just as well be in Mumbai or Moscow as in your own neighbourhood. Many of the traits gained from the education and social environment that was and is Ecolint focus, risk-taking, resilience will be critical determinates of individual success. Particularly where these are applied with the sensitivity of years of negotiating your way through the hugely diverse and complex learning arena that is an Ecolint playground or quadrangle. Founded in 1994, Millennium is an independently-owned global alternative investment management company and one of the longest established European-based firms in the alternative investment industry. Key facts: As of 30 June 2007, circa USD 11 billion in AUM (Assets Under Management) from a global institutional client base including, pension fund and corporate clients from Continental Europe and the UK, United States and Canada. Over 60 experienced professionals in five locations : London, Geneva, Guernsey, Miami, Singapore (and soon New York). London focuses on trading, risk management and systems development. Guernsey and Geneva are dedicated to operations, settlement, reconciliation, reporting and investor relations. Miami focuses on analysis of special situations in the Americas. Singapore and New Delhi focus on Asian investment opportunities.

4 Decanting the next vintage insights By Krista Clausnitzer, Development Associate, ISG ISG students spring from, and often return to, the four corners of the Earth. It is always interesting to know what our graduates go on to do. This article focuses on the students who stay on post-16 years to study. ISG students are very fortunate in having excellent resources in the form of University Counsellors at each Campus to assist them with their often difficult and lifechanging decisions about what they want to do after graduation. There are Counsellors responsible for over-seeing the applications to the UK, North America and Swiss, French and other European or worldwide destinations. I met with the Counsellors at LGB and La Chât and am extremely grateful for their time and insights. ISG students graduate, aged 17-19, with either a High School Diploma or, more commonly, the International Baccalaureate (IB) or the Maturité suisse qualifications. Both of these are available in bilingual options, which half of our students usually receive. The IB is increasingly viewed as an international qualification of choice, particularly in the UK where a number of high profile schools recently dropped A-Levels in favour of the IB. Although ISG is a nonselective school, we send a large handful of students each year to the Hautes Ecoles of Europe, including Oxbridge and other Russell Group members in the UK, and many of the Ivy League universities in the USA. In 2007, ten students from La Chât alone were offered places at Oxford or Cambridge universities. A third of our graduates are going on to study at the World s Top 50 Universities (The Times, Higher Education Supplement). These results bear testimony not only to the quality of the students themselves, but also to the teaching and the guidance that they receive. ISG students are an incredibly mobile and international bunch, often applying to institutions in more than one country. In 2007, 99% of our 310 graduates are going on to further education: æ 20 are taking a gap year before further studies. æ 20 are going to the Worlds Top 10 universities. æ 100 accepted places at the World s Top 50 Universities. æ 25 are going to the University of Geneva (ranked 39 th ). æ 1/3 will study in Switzerland,1/3 in the UK, 1/4 in the USA and Canada. æ Other study destinations include : 19 to Europe (Spain, France, Holland, Belgium, Denmark and Norway), 4 to Asia (Japan and India), 4 to Africa (South Africa and Kenya), 4 to Australia and NZ and 2 to South America (Argentina and Costa Rica). The experiences of ISG students, the values and self-belief that they pick up at school, usually serve them well for life after school. Perhaps due to the greater inherent differences of all the nationalities and the bonds that develop in finding common ground, community spirit flourishes. Graduates tend to keep in touch not only with each other but also with the school. The alumni network is very much alive and kicking, providing many social and professional opportunities and offering a strong and vibrant community that helps to meet and greet newly arrived students at universities worldwide and, later on, secure work placements and introductions in all fields of specialisation. One of the proclaimed cornerstones of an ISG education is that the diversity of our programmes and the coexistence of our different educational traditions provide an excellent all round international education. This stands children in good stead wherever they go on to complete their education. It is reassuring that the reality bears strong witness to this particular cornerstone both in terms of the excellent institutions that graduates attend and the diversity of the destinations that they choose. At ISG s three campuses, there are currently about 310 graduates each year : 130 from La Châtaigneraie and 180 from La Grande Boissière. Campus des Nations, which opened in 2005, will have its first graduating class in 2008 of approximately 40 students. echo N o 1 OCTOBER 2007

5 Repenser l Ecole face aux mutations du monde contemporain insights d Othman Hamayed, Directeur de l Education, EIG Ce moment privilégié où la réflexion philosophique interpelle les praticiens et décideurs du monde de l éducation a été créé à l initiative de M. Nicholas Tate dès son arrivée à la direction générale de l Ecole Internationale de Genève en collaboration avec l Organisation du Baccalauréat International et l Association des Ecoles Internationales. Ces conférences présentent deux caractéristiques distinctes : d une part, elles encouragent la réflexion sur l éducation dans un contexte social, culturel, économique et politique en constante évolution et, d autre part, elles se concentrent sur les défis communs que doivent relever aussi bien les systèmes scolaires nationaux que les écoles internationales. Elles s adressent donc à un public beaucoup plus large que celui des écoles internationales, comme en témoigne l intérêt de participants venant d horizons géographiques et professionnels de plus en plus variés. En 2006, le thème de la conférence avait anticipé les grands débats sur la question de l identité culturelle en traitant de «l Ecole à la croisée des cultures» avec la participation du Professeur Iso Camartin, auteur suisse à qui l on doit de nombreux ouvrages sur le thème de la diversité, du Professeur George Walker, ancien directeur général de l Organisation du Baccalauréat International, et de M. Malcom McKenzie, directeur d Atlantic College. La conférence de 2007 fut consacrée à la question des langues dans le contexte de l éducation, une problématique qui donne lieu à débat dans les systèmes scolaires d éducation nationale comme dans les écoles internationales. L actualité est riche d exemples où cette question revêt une importance cruciale. M. Charles Beer, Président du Conseil d Etat, a aimablement accepté d ouvrir la conférence pendant laquelle nous avons eu l honneur d écouter le Professeur Claude Hagège du Collège de France, éminent spécialiste francophone des enjeux 3 ème Conférence sur l Education Centre de Conférences du Bureau International du Travail à Genève le 12 janvier 2008 de 8h30 à 17h portant sur les langues et auteur de nombreux ouvrages en la matière, le Professeur Fred Genesee de l Université McGill, expert renommé dans le domaine de l enseignement des langues, le Professeur François Grin de l Université de Genève, spécialiste en économie de l éducation et évaluation des politiques publiques, et la Professeure Hannelore Lee-Jahnke de l Ecole de Traduction et d Interprétation de l Université de Genève, experte dans le domaine de la traduction, de ses effets et de ses enjeux. Un compte-rendu de ces interventions se trouve sur le site La Conférence de janvier 2008 se propose de «Repenser l Ecole face aux mutations du monde contemporain». Des conférenciers de renom ont accepté l invitation de notre école et viendront stimuler la réflexion des participants. Ainsi, aurons-nous le privilège de recevoir le Professeur Howard Gardner de Harvard Graduate School of Education, le Professeur Philippe Meirieu de l Université de Lyon, M. Norberto Bottani, ancien Directeur du Service de la Recherche en Education de Genève, Mme Monique Seefried, Présidente du Conseil de Fondation de l Organisation du Baccalauréat International. Le programme détaillé de la prochaine conférence sera publié dans le courant de l automne, mais vous pouvez d ores et déjà manifester votre intérêt par conference@ecolint.ch ou par fax +41 (0)

6 To the heart of the matter our Greek Theatre quoi de neuf? By Jean-Guy Carpentier, LGB Campus Principal, ISG We are proud of who we are and where we come from and, for close to half a century, the Greek Theatre at La Grande Boissière campus has been symbolic of the spirit of Ecolint. Built with the help of teachers, students and alumni, the original amphitheatre was constructed in It was dug out of the hillside behind our Grand Bâtiment. Twenty years later, a committee of staff, students and alumni began to build our Greek Theatre that we know today. Inspired by the Greek theatre of Epidaurus, in 1953 Mr Robert Stump built and exhibited in the art studio the first model of what was to become our Greek Theatre. Works started in This new «ancient» structure was inaugurated in What is certain is that «Des centaines d élèves ont pelleté, pioché, poussé des brouettes ou taillé des pierres pendant deux ans», according to M. Pol-Simon at the inauguration of the Greek Theatre in June, year. I am also grateful to the Parent Teachers Association who agreed to match, franc for franc, further donations to a value of 100,000 Sfr. The challenge is to match the generosity of our existing donors to raise the remaining 199,000 Sfr in this academic year to enable us to complete the renovation. We want the Greek Theatre to be resplendent when we host the 2009 World Reunion. The Greek Theatre is a priority for our Alumni Annual Fund here at LGB. We also have left it to some of the LGB Class 73 to share with us what they think is important and why we need to assure the future of the Greek Theatre. l Over the years the Greek Theatre has suffered from its constant exposure to the elements. Rain, ice and sunshine have taken their toll on the concrete and stone structure. Seats and steps have been eroded and damaged. While the trees surrounding the theatre provide much-needed shade, their roots have begun to buckle the steps and have threatened the structural integrity of the upper levels. And over the years staff, students and alumni have been called to help in the restoration of this magnificent edifice and they remember it fondly we recently welcomed alumni David and Nicholas Korda, names familiar to many film fans, both of whom remembered being called on to roll up their sleeves and help carry stones to build the theatre. I am tremendously grateful to the small group of alumni whose generosity has made it possible to complete the renovation of the stonework and access to the theatre this Launching our Annual Fund in 2007/2008 echo N o 1 OCTOBER 2007

7 quoi de neuf? L Esprit Ecolint For those of us who attended Ecolint at La Grande Boissière, if we had to choose a symbol that could represent Ecolint, we believe most of us would choose the Greek Theatre, just as most people will choose the Statue of Liberty for the US, the Great Wall for China, and the Great Pyramids for Egypt. A symbol represents the values of its people, what they stand for, and what they believe in. We remember Ecolint as a place where Jews and Muslims shared food from the same table because their commonality was «sans porc», when the simple uttering of racial remarks was taboo ( and never even considered ), and when «human rights» were advocated on our campus years before President Carter used it as part of his values to lead the free world! Globalism, a more recent term, was alive already when we were at Ecolint and it continues to thrive. L Esprit Ecolint is about seeking commonality and accepting diversity : the commonality of human beings believing in and respecting the goodness of humanity, and the acceptance of the diversities in races, religions and cultures. Within this atmosphere of mutual respect and equality, the Greek Theatre was the gathering place for all of the more important functions of the school. It was where we listened to illustrious visitors like U Thant, where we watched as the first International Baccalaureates were presented by Lord Mountbatten and where just as importantly many of us «made out». It was a place where teachers sat below their students, a place where no one was «in front of» anyone else and a place where everyone could see everyone without having to turn their heads. Some of the Class of LGB 73 Each year we can make our school a better place. The launch of an Annual Fund is particularly attractive for Ecolint because gifts collected in one year will be spent in that year, providing an immediacy to the benefits (which is particularly important to the many families only with us for a short time). Every single Swiss Franc of your donation will go directly towards the goals set by your school ; there are no deductions for administrative costs or any other hidden costs subtracted from your donation. The various projects supported by the Annual Fund (including interactive white boards, writers and artists in residence, new lap tops, data logging equipment, Sports Centre equipment and student and staff study days and conferences) will only be able to happen to the extent that the targets are met. The projects for each school are determined collaboratively by the staff and then endorsed by the Campus Development Groups and Campus Principals. Amongst their other projects, all three schools would like more interactive white boards in their class rooms. Each white board (with a projector) costs CHF 6,000 which means that 20 gifts of CHF 300 would change one class room for the better forever. Students in the 4th grade commented that, «The white board allows us to save things from days or even months ago and come back to them», «The whiteboard has made it easy to correct Mr. C s spelling», «We now understand computer software more because we see Mr C doing it all the time.» The Annual Fund is voluntary, so people can give as little or as much as they wish. Participation is the key. In October 2007, a mailing will be going out to all parents, alumni and former families, board members, staff and administration members and our corporate and institutional partners. We hope that everyone will help us make our school an even better place by supporting our Annual Fund. For more information or to make a donation, please visit our website: / Supporting the school / Annual fund or call +41 (0) or development@ecolint.ch

8 Une bonne nouvelle sportive quoi de neuf? de Christine de Loriol, Communications Attaché, EIG Le nouveau Centre Sportif de La Châtaigneraie est maintenant en construction depuis le mois de juillet! La cérémonie de pose de la première pierre a eu lieu le 25 septembre en présence des membres des groupes de travail qui ont œuvré activement pour réaliser ce projet et des membres de la Fondation Hans Wilsdorf pour les remercier de leur important soutien. En septembre 2008, à l ouverture du Centre Sportif, parmi d autres événements, nous célébrerons les 100 ans du campus comme institution scolaire. «En 2007, le programme des compétitions sportives a impliqué plus de 29 équipes de diverses disciplines. Plus de 400 élèves ont participé aux compétitions et se sont inscrits dans les clubs sportifs des activités extrascolaires» nous raconte Michel Chinal, Directeur du Campus, «je suis très fier de ce développement des infrastructures sportives qui sera bénéfique aux élèves de tous les âges tout au long de l année scolaire.» M. Philippe Rossé, de l entreprise VVR, architecte responsable de la construction du Centre Sportif, nous a fait part des motivations de son bureau pour ce mandat et nous en avons profité pour avoir l avis de Mme Laura Schmoll (parent secondaire) et de Mme Lauren Roux (parent primaire) sur ce beau bâtiment et ce qu il va représenter pour la vie de l école. Laura Schmoll and Lauren Roux, La Chât Parents : What does the new Sports Centre mean for sports at La Chât? Most importantly, the new Sports Centre will mean increased facilities and an enhanced curriculum which will enable more students to participate more regularly in sports and fitness activities while at La Chât. The new facilities will also certainly help to relieve the academic scheduling pressures across the campus. What do you think students will love about it? Certainly the fact that a new, modern and attractive building will rejuvenate an area of the campus that has for far too many years looked neglected. Also, proper, spacious changing rooms and showers will be appreciated, as will the ample spectator seating for sporting events. Three things which spring to mind when thinking about sports at La Chât : æ A great way to bring the school community together, whether through participation or spectator support. æ An important part of the school philosophy which encourages confidence, well-being and a balanced educational experience. æ A history and tradition which dates back to the school s earliest days. M. Philippe Rossé, V V R : Connaissez-vous bien l EIG? Nous avons le privilège de travailler pour l EIG depuis de nombreuses années. Pour répondre au mieux aux exigences de l Ecole, nous avons participé à de nombreuses séances avec les utilisateurs et les membres de la Direction qui nous ont fait part de leurs besoins et de leurs projets et avec lesquels nous partageons les mêmes ambitions de réussite pour le futur Centre Sportif. En quoi le projet du Centre Sportif a-t-il captivé votre imagination? Le bâtiment du Centre Sportif de La Châtaigneraie a fait l objet d un concours en Le bureau VVR architectes a eu le privilège de proposer le projet qui a plu au jury, par la qualité de son implantation, par la générosité de ses volumes intérieurs et sa simplicité fonctionnelle. La réalisation d un Centre Sportif nous semblait offrir une occasion exceptionnelle de créer un lieu convivial de rassemblement, au cœur de l institution, pour la pratique des sports scolaires, de la compétition et les loisirs des élèves, ainsi que pour l organisation des manifestations de l Ecole. Nous avons conçu un bâtiment de qualité, techniquement performant, dans lequel nous l espérons, les utilisateurs vont se plaire et dont ils seront fiers. Trois choses qui viennent à l esprit quand on pense à l EIG : Notre modeste expérience de la vie sur le Campus nous permet de relever ce qui nous paraît être les points forts de l Ecole : æ La très grande diversité de la provenance des élèves constitue un «monde» en réduction où l apprentissage de l autre est un exercice pratique au quotidien. C est le privilège extraordinaire dont jouissent les élèves de l Ecole que d acquérir, dans ce contexte, un bagage scolaire, culturel et social, atouts indispensables pour vivre dans un monde de plus en plus ouvert mais exigeant. æ Le grand sérieux de l encadrement que peut offrir l Ecole par son corps enseignant et par son administration, témoigne de la compétence et de la motivation à dispenser les cours dans les meilleures conditions. æ Pour ce qui concerne La Châtaigneraie, le Campus dispose d un environnement magnifique dont le potentiel justifie pleinement les investissements futurs en vue de son développement afin d offrir aux élèves et aux enseignants les équipements les plus performants et agréables possibles. echo N o 1 OCTOBER 2007

9 esprit ecolint Spirit distilled By Diana Smith, Principal of the Primary School, La Châtaigneraie Our school is in its 84 th year. It is a wonder how it has continued to grow and thrive in such a fast changing world. Values seem to be at the heart of the matter. Whether we notice as we pass through or only after years of mature reflection, our school has values. It also has conviction and a strong sense of what it means to be part of the ISG community : to be exceptional, an individual and part of the world community. Our purpose is enshrined in our Vision for an International Education but more wonderfully it is felt and expressed by generations of students, staff and families : Excerpt from Chef Schaller (a teacher from ) «Dans une école internationale on peut et on doit rester français, anglais, etc, mais on est quelque chose de plus, on est membre d une communauté scolaire où les différences sont un enrichissement et où s élabore une synthèse de toutes les valeurs permanentes exprimées de façon différente selon le pays ou la culture dans lesquels elles s expriment» Text by Louis Johannot, (a student from ) «L école a un grand mérite : celui de donner à ceux qui y passent quelques années les moyens de se préparer à être des hommes forts, conscients de leurs responsabilités et ayant sans cesse devant les yeux l idéal de paix et de compréhension mutuelle qui est celui de l école.» Editorial that appeared in the ISG school magazine Fraternitas, in November 1930, by Jean Potter Chelnov (a student from ). «Between four walls we live together, and our problems are many. We are a very diverse group of people and our common life is an experiment. We are a sort of miniature world. Manners and morals, ideas and ideals, philosophies and principles vary to an astounding degree in our small community. Even our senses of humour clash. We are so very different from each other that our standard is not quite definitely set. The standards of a school rise up out of its prestige and the convictions left by its graduates as they go onward into life. Because of its transient nature, and the fact that it is made up of more or less cosmopolitan pupils who are unsettled and rarely stay for a long period of time, the difficulties increase. Our school has a unique problem, and when we complain of the lack of school spirit we do not look into the facts of the thing to see that its attainment is naturally most complicated. An achievement demands a clear-cut aim and whole-hearted striving. We should have before us our ideal mutual trust, good-will and understanding, in little details of our school life as well as in the greater ones. In common effort of this sort lies the only chance for a school spirit. How actually practical this would be could only be known in time. But in seeking to better understand one another, we are unconsciously fitting ourselves very well for the world. The world of today becomes, through science, more and more a unified community, with its conflicting and contrasting lands drawn together. In principle our school community illustrates in a small way the situation to come. In striving for that spirit we must have or produce unselfishness, broadmindedness and a sincere wish to comprehend the convictions of others in all phases of life. In doing this we are learning an art which may some day make us valuable as citizens of the world, and as seekers of international peace and prosperity.» «Why our school is special» by La Châtaigneraie primary students in Classes 4, 5, 6, June As they were coming to the end of their school year the La Chât students, aged 9, 10 and 11 years old, reflected on what they valued about their school and shared their thoughts. æ We have students from all around the world æ Avec toutes les différences de nationalité, on peut tous être amis æ We can learn several languages æ We have a very nice Principal æ On apprend beaucoup chaque année et on apprend des matières différentes æ We have a wonderful Arts Week æ We have a sports competition program with other schools æ We feel safe in our school, it is a home away from home æ Nous avons un Conseil d Etudiants pour résoudre nos problèmes æ We are caring because we help many charities æ Our Units of Inquiry are connected to the world so we understand world problems like war and famine æ It encourages good values caring and consideration towards each other æ The teachers respect the students. The students opinions are valued æ We get a lot more freedom we are responsible for our actions æ We respect each other no racism æ Our school recycles

10 Global Affairs au cœur de la «Genève Internationale» esprit editorial ecolint Depuis septembre 2006, dans le cadre du programme du Baccalauréat International, Conrad Hughes enseigne les enjeux de la «Genève internationale» aux élèves du Campus des Nations situé à deux pas de l Organisation mondiale pour la santé et le Bureau international du travail. Ils ont entre 16 et 18 ans et chaque semaine ils prennent le temps de décortiquer l actualité et de débattre durant ce cours des enjeux de la Genève Internationale. Ils découvrent la vie genevoise, le rôle des institutions internationales, des organisations non gouvernementales (ONG) et des missions installées à Genève. «Il s agit d ouvrir l esprit de ces jeunes et de leur permettre de prendre conscience de la complexité du monde et aussi de leur apprendre à vivre avec leurs différences» précise Conrad Hughes avec un sourire enthousiaste. Des intervenants éminents tels que Mme Louise Arbour, Haut-commissaire de l ONU aux droits de l homme ainsi qu une chercheuse spécialiste du Timor-Oriental ont ainsi sensibilisé les jeunes élèves aux questions des droits humains. Conrad Hughes, originaire du Swaziland, a décidé de mettre sur pied ce cours de Global Affairs car «quand je suis arrivé à Genève il y a deux ans, j ai été frappé de constater à quel point cette ville est un lieu de débats et la proximité des organisations une chance fantastique pour ces enfants originaires du monde entier. Une chance dont nous devons profiter.» Journée de la Francophonie, le 22 mars 2007 De Founex à Prangins, tout le monde parle français! d Olivier Revaz, Professeur à La Châtaigneraie Un programme qui a retenu l attention des médias! Oui, à La Chât tout le monde parle français, et plutôt bien d ailleurs. C est justement pour tordre le cou à des clichés tenaces que tous les élèves du campus de La Châtaigneraie se sont attelés le 22 mars 2007 à célébrer dignement la Journée Mondiale de la Francophonie, inaugurée par Son Excellence M. Libère Bararunyeretse, Ambassadeur de l Organisation mondiale de la Francophonie. A Founex toute la journée, puis au Château de Prangins dès 17 heures, l anglais était quasi banni des conversations. Nous avons voulu intégrer cette journée à notre programme de cours. Le Département de français, les professeurs francophones ainsi que 150 élèves des écoles primaire et secondaire se sont mobilisés pour préparer un programme riche d activités, de rencontres, de conférences et d expositions tels que la dictée et des échanges avec un écrivain, un ambassadeur, un économiste ou un cinéaste. Le théâtre a été largement mis à l honneur par des productions et des costumes ainsi que la gastronomie avec une démonstration de cuisine moléculaire par Denis Martin, le chef étoilé de Vevey. La soirée qui s est déroulée au Château de Prangins a été très réussie. Plus de 150 personnes ont suivi les animations des élèves, on a fait salle comble pour le «One Man Show» de Florian Raoult, ancien élève, et pour le concert de Jazz. Les artistes sont venus gracieusement pour soutenir la récolte de fonds en faveur du projet pour le Népal suivi par les élèves. Une belle réussite pour nous tous! Des informations complémentaires sont disponibles sur le site web Ecolint page News ou page Vie scolaire / activités humanitaires. 10 echo N o 1 OCTOBER 2007

11 les anciens et pas so old This year has been an eventful one for Ecolint alumni all over the world. There have been reunions in Colorado, Sydney, Vancouver, Toronto, London and Geneva and these are only the ones we know about. Regardless of whether they were organised by Class Years, local Chapters, or the Central Committee they are a testament to the sense of belonging to a worldwide community that was fostered by our time at this unique school. Thank you to all of those alumni who helped to organise these events. At the Annual General Meeting last year, the Alumni Association and the school agreed to a lump sum annual payment in lieu of Association subscriptions for all alumni. This will continue to be the case for years to come, so we will not be collecting subscription fees. The great advantage of this is that we no longer have to distinguish between those who have paid their subscriptions and those who have not. This publication is just one example of the considerable resources the school has put into developing a really effective alumni programme. Working with the Alumni Association, the Development Office has made great strides in this direction. If you are receiving information from and about the school first time in years then it is largely down to this investment. As always we need your help to make it even better. We are looking for class representatives to take a lead in developing the Class Year pages of our web-site, volunteers in the Geneva area who will help run the Alumni shop, as well as volunteers in Geneva and beyond who will help organise the next World Reunion in Finally the fact that we are no longer collecting membership fees does not let you off the hook completely. The Alumni Association is actively supporting the school s Annual Fund to be launched this Autumn which will be supporting projects on a campus or Foundation-wide basis. I would urge alumni everywhere to make a gift when the time comes. Sam Jarrell LGB 72 Alumni Association President A date for your diaries! 6 th WORLD REUNION in 2009 Thursday 25th to Sunday 28th June 2009 in Geneva The 5 th World Reunion which took place in 2004 welcomed over 600 alumni, family and friends back to our campuses. We hope for many more in 2009! If you want to make sure all your class are there at the class dinners, if you would like to see a particular event or activity arranged, why not join the Alumni Office in planning for this fantastic event? If you want to help us, please contact Fabienne Badibanga at the Alumni Office by phone +41 (0) , by fax +41 (0) or by alumni@ecolint.ch If you just want to keep an eye on the evolving programme, why not register now with our alumni community on http : // alumni.ecolint.ch Réservez les dates! 6 ème REUNION MONDIALE en 2009 du jeudi 25 au dimanche 28 juin 2009 à Genève La dernière réunion mondiale qui s est déroulée en juin 2004 a réunit plus de 600 participants. En 2009 nous voulons être encore plus nombreux à faire la fête! Si vous souhaitez réunir votre classe ou participer à l organisation d un événement particulier, rejoignez donc l équipe en charge du programme en contactant Fabienne Badibanga au bureau Alumni par téléphone +41 (0) , par fax +41 (0) ou par alumni@ecolint.ch Si vous souhaitez connaître des détails complémentaires, inscrivez-vous maintenant sur notre site http : // alumni.ecolint.ch echo N o 1 AUTUMN

12 Class notes les anciens et pas so old ISG sent out a Summer Greetings card in July Here are some of the responses we received : From Left to Right : Carol Gear, Dr Naren Gupta(S-in-L), myself, Dr Adrian Gear and Ranjana Kaul. Thanks for the Summer Greetings card received a short while back. It was nice to hear from you and for the opportunity to re-establish contact. I have settled in Montreal, Canada with my wife Ranjana and have a daughter Rina and son Ishan living in the US. My daughter is married to Naren Gupta, a surgeon at the University Hospital in Virginia. My son is still an eligible bachelor. I have, for the past nearly one year, been enjoying the joys of being a Grandpa. There are a number of Ecolint Alumni in North America and I have had occasion to meet several of them including classmates. I would be happy to hear from old friends from Ecolint in the 50 s. Vijay Kaul LGB left in 1956 José Bernardo Burle de Figueiredo Jr registered at our Alumni Website on the 1 st May José Bernardo Burle de Figueiredo Sr (LGB 63), his father, registered on 5th December We are waiting for José Bernardo Burle de Figueiredo Jr s uncle and cousin to also register! José Bernardo Burle de Figueredo Jr., La Chât 91 En Français or in English greetings are as warm. ( ) I received your postcard asking for communication. I was at Ecolint I am anxious to be able to find out about friends from those days. Gudrun Friis-Williams, LGB (1935 to 1940) Although my daughter was born some months ago (January 31 st, 2006), I would like to let my 1999 classmates get the news in case they haven t received it yet! Victoria Graham, LGB 99 Steven and I are happy to introduce our baby boy Sammy! Samuel Robert Walter Miller arrived with much fanfare on May 17 th 2007 at 8:04am weighing in at 7 lbs 10 oz and measuring 21 inches. We are doing well and so thankful to be surrounded by such loving family and friends. Vanessa Camilleri, LGB 91 Ecole Internationale , âgé de 90 ans. Universitaire à Paris, médecin, retraité depuis presque 22 ans. Suis encore en relation avec mon ami Klaus Dignovity, résident à Hambourg (R.E.A) un peu plus âgé que moi. Nous ne devons pas être très nombreux du temps de l ouverture de l Ecole Internationale à Grange Canal. Jusqu à sa mort, j ai rencontré Karol Meisels à chacun de ses passages à Paris. Il a marqué la prise de conscience du gamin de 14 ans. N oubliez pas mon amitié avec Léopold Goldschmidt, je vois son neveu qui vit aux USA. Gabriel Richet, LGB (1929 to 1931) Je n avais passé que trois années à l Ecolint, si mes souvenirs sont bons en primaire. Je suis veuf d une épouse péruvienne et suisse, ai deux filles Diana (1965) et Marina (1969). Après quelques années en Allemagne et principalement à New York, j ai été collaborateur pendant plus de 30 ans de la banque Ferrier Lullin & Cie aujourd hui Banque Julius Bär. Et je suis un «retraité» depuis 1994 déjà, et toujours bien occupé. Michel Brandt, LGB ( ) I look back fondly to my school years on your grounds. I was a Finnish / German teenager fresh out of Africa (Kenya). The school welcomed my uniqueness. My classmates mostly «displaced» and «international» like me. We shared similar souls. I was never to experience the calmness and sincerity and world culture anywhere else. Anna Kutterman, née Pawelzik LGB 79 ( ) Il y a bien longtemps que je n ai plus visité la Châtaigneraie et j ai entendu que beaucoup de choses y ont changé ( ) Je suis marié, avec une britannique, et j ai une fille de trois ans. J espère qu elle aura le même plaisir que moi-même j ai eu de pouvoir faire des études secondaires dans un milieu aussi convivial et fascinant que moi à cette époque. ( ) Mes années à l Ecole Internationale furent une base très solide pour faire face à la vie professionnelle, j y ai beaucoup appris et non seulement ce qu on était supposé apprendre lors de nos cours mais surtout sur les autres avec qui on partage notre planète. La diversité de cultures qui sont représentées dans un tel établissement devrait être un exemple, pour tout le monde, que l on puisse apprendre quelque chose de chacun et vivre en paix avec autrui. Après tout, est-ce qu on n est pas tous de grands enfants quelque part? Pavlik Frank Olsa, La Chât echo N o 1 OCTOBER 2007

13 les anciens et pas so old So many visits 2006 / 2007 We welcomed over 20 alumni and former families and staff through the Alumni Office at La Grande Boissière this year. Many of the visitors said they would be delighted to hear from their former classmates and teachers. Please do check out the list of visitors on the News pages of the alumni website http : // alumni.ecolint.ch or us at alumni@ecolint.ch If we have forgotten to list you please let us know! Rita George, LGB 62 News from the Antipodes Marcus Sherwood LGB 79 has a career (completely unplanned) background in aviation, communication and IT. Although remaining active, the battle of the bulge has begun but optimism (delusion) prevails. Marcus fortunes have been the relationships that he developed with people on his journey here. Marcus says that in many subtle ways Ecolint has been a steady keel throughout his life and it is with this in mind, coupled with life experience, that he looks to the future. Matt Balogh LGB 79 has a market research firm in Sydney, where his family includes a 17 year old son and 19 year old daughter. Matt still rides a motorcycle, flies a microlight aircraft and wears a hat whenever suitable. A teenager without morals, having failed maths and been banned from physics from 10 th grade onwards, Matt s major interests are statistics, quantum physics and religion. Rod Katz LGB 77 has been living in Canberra for 11 years and is still relatively sane, although unemployable. He has shown himself to be incapable of persisting in any endeavour, having been at various times a banker, lawyer, corporate finance person, transport research scholar, bicycle advocate and primary care-giver. Janet Dawson LGB 74 is working in environmental policy (now for the Dept. of Environment and Climate Change) and keeping busy ferrying her daughter Amy (10) to singing and dance classes and performances, including a recent school choir performance at the Sydney Opera House! Janet is planning a week in Switzerland in September, meeting up with her parents who will be holidaying in Geneva and hopefully catching up with some classmates still living in Geneva as well as Jane Ruth who will be visiting Wengen from the US. Janet Shaw LGB 58 and husband Bob are currently preparing for a trip to Europe, including taking their two small grandsons to Geneva and Provence. The whole family will be together for three weeks before further travels for about five weeks. They are also hoping to attend the World Reunion in Geneva in 2009! The Big Buzo Night Out Many of the Sydney Alumni will be attending the first of a series of plays written by the late Alex Buzo LGB 62, who was both a leader in the Australian Alumni group, and one of Australia s best know playwrights. The first event will be The Murphy Show, on the 4 th September For more information see : 13

14 Glancing Back les anciens et pas so old Andrew Rice / LGB 40 Andrew has had a career in the field of international development and organization. He served as the Chief Executive Officer for nearly twenty years at the Society for International Development (SID) and held several positions in the United Nations Association in the U.S.. It is fascinating to see how even a brief stint at the ISG can change lives and influence career choices. Andrew Rice attended ISG s LGB Campus from 1935 to 1936, aged 12 to 13, and with over 70 years of reflection, he shares some of his memories : Looking back, I realize how much the school s spirit of internationalism shaped my professional life. Ecolint operated in striking contrast to the Italian School next door where we could observe the students being trained in the tenets of Mussolini s fascism. I remember watching from the balcony of the Salle de la Réformation as Ethiopian Emperor Hailé Sélassié made his plea in vain to the League Assembly to stop the Italian assault on his country. Most of my memories are of less momentous occasions and revolve around everyday student life. Some are academic, such as studying German in French, thus improving my ability in both languages. Another is of M. Dupuy s geography classes where we meticulously copied maps of every part of the world. It may not have been the most «modern» way of teaching geography, but it left me with a solid grounding. Other memories are more lighthearted like the jam-filled «boules de Berlin» from morning breaks that gave me a taste for doughnuts that I have never lost. I had the excitement of playing the leading role in J.M.Barrie s «The Admirable Crichton», although my romantic scenes with Lady Mary left my parents in the audience stifling their laughter. I have lost touch with most of my friends from those early days, but the spirit of comradeship lives on. I sensed it especially in November 1963 when, by chance, I found myself revisiting the school when a memorial service was being held for the assassinated John Kennedy. As an American, I mourned his loss but it gave me great comfort to know that my feelings were shared by so many others. We were all citizens of the World and, for that, we owed much to the ISG. Shahnaz Radjy / LGB 00 Do you think that your fellow students and former teachers would be surprised to see you where you are today? Yes because I am in a developing country (Bolivia) and no because of what I am doing here volunteer work with two institutions (Red Cross and La Paz Children s Hospital) and starting up a communications company (A-TIC). They would recognise my idealism and involvement from school! Are there three words to describe you which might be familiar to fellow students and old teachers? Optimistic, overcommitted / busy, energetic. What if anything about your time at Ecolint contributed to getting you where you are today? So many things! It helped forge my desire to change the world and make it a better place, confirmed my belief in people s ability to be good and everyone s capacity to work together and get along, developed my leadership and organizational skills, set the foundation for my self confidence and impossible is nothing attitude Support our Gala Première in aid of children battling to complete their education 9 th March 2008, Victoria Hall, Geneva We will be celebrating our work and our collaboration with the ISG on the 9 th March 2008 with the Gala Première of a specially commissioned choral work from Scott Stroman ( More than 300 singers : students of all ages, parents, staff and friends of the school will take to the stage to support FOTIS. For more information about the concert, FOTIS s work or how to make a gift to support our work please visit What do you think are the biggest challenges facing students about to leave Ecolint today? Ecolint is a very special place where nationalities, backgrounds and cultures mingle every minute of every day as though it were the most natural thing in the world. In real life things are not always that easy! Cultures clash, nationalities disagree, people sometimes have very odd hangups and biases against others Having to deal with all that suddenly can be unexpected and difficult. 14 echo N o 1 OCTOBER 2007

15 coming up or just been Whatever our former students go on to do, the ISG experience seems be something that remains central as we learned from Shahnaz Radjy LGB 00 (daughter of Beatriz Crespo-Radjy LGB 57) when she came back to visit this Spring. How did you get into your current activity? I came to Bolivia to do volunteer work and by a series of circumstances ended starting up a communications company ( we do websites, video edition, DVDs, interactive CDs, printed materials, etc ). The communications bit I built up through all my activities at Ecolint, UPenn and the ILO, and the volunteer work is something I d always wanted to do. I chose Bolivia because that is where my mother is from. 10 ans après Rassemblement des Anciens à la Kermesse de La Châtaigneraie, le samedi 9 juin 2007 Dix ans après avoir terminé leurs études à La Châtaigneraie un formidable rassemblement d anciens élèves qui se retrouvèrent, grâce à Randel Tolentino et Thomas Meijer, au stand Alumni de la Kermesse, quel plaisir! D autres anciens élèves, de toutes les années, y compris des très récents et des professeurs ont pu échanger leurs souvenirs et reprendre contact au cours de cette magnifique après-midi ensoleillée, qui se prolongea dans la soirée par un somptueux buffet dans la salle polyvalente. Des visites impromptues des bâtiments nouveaux et anciens, rénovés et réaménagés furent organisées, et les anciens, émus, purent revoir leur vieille cafétéria «relookée» en salle d art, leurs chambres à coucher sous les toits, à présent dignes bureaux, yearbook room et autres Ten years on Organized with great energy by Randel Tolentino and Thomas Meijer, a large group of Alumni travelled to meet at the Kermesse ten years after having left the school, what a fabulous afternoon! The Kermesse was followed by a Buffet Dinner in the new building and Alumni, some very recent, others from ages ago, exchanged memories with staff and friends, and were able to visit the school, remembering with emotion their old cafeteria redesigned as an art room, their bedrooms which are offices now, and many more changes. What for you characterises the International School of Geneva? The International School of Geneva to me is a place where everyone is accepted for who they are and which embodies and fosters humanitarian spirit. The two most important qualities gained from your time at the school? Compassion and entrepreneurship. Best memory? Impossible to pinpoint just one best memory Going to Istanbul for a Math contest, the Youth Conference we hosted at the beautiful Human Rights building next to the President Wilson Hotel, going rafting on the Rhone with my class for Student s Day, Kermesses, dissecting a heart in Biology lab, busy cafeteria lunches, art classes, sitting on the green Friday afternoons waiting for Orchestra practice to start, the enormity of the playground in primary school, sharing my mid-morning snack with my cousin when I was in the «grown up» primary school playground and she was still in the kindergarten area. Andrew Clugtson, Justin Gaywood, Dirk Bettels, Randel Tolentino Already ten, twenty, thirty years on? Celebrating 10, 20, 30, 40 years? If you are planning a drink, dinner, reunion, gathering, please let Fabienne Badibanga in the Alumni Office know. We can help you advertise the date and location on our alumni website. alumni@ecolint.ch Tel. +41 (0) Fax +41 (0) echo N o 1 OCTOBER

16 2007 Events La Chât 97 9 th June Randel Tolentino Our 10 - year reunion started out as an discussion. We were all in different countries, all with different ideas on how to organise the event. Thomas Meijer, Charlotte Conway, Gabriella Evioni, Andrew Clugston and myself all agreed that doing something simple would be the best and that meeting at the Kermesse would be ideal. Then on to dinner at the Ubobba Restaurant in Geneva. We had excellent weather - one by one we arrived and gathered just outside the entrance of the New Building, next to the alumni stall and did what we came to do - catch up with old friends and former teachers and have a good time. We found ourselves right back in the thick of reminiscing at the restaurant until the late hours of the evening. With over half of our graduating class attending, many travelling from as far from the US, our reunion was a tremendous success. We all felt it all ended too soon, but a feeling was in the air of already eagerly anticipating the next reunion. coming up or just been LGB 75 / th June to 1 st July Meera Laurijssen The perennially young class of gathered at Café du Molard, climbed the Salève, walked in the old town and met at the Greek Theatre. We were pleased to see some teachers there and appropriately surprised, chagrined and amused at the various changes. At dinner in the Gitana in Bellevue we ate what else filets de perches. My thanks to all who came and participated it was great fun. Special thanks to Graham and Becky who came all the way from Australia, and Cathy from the States. Some have suggested the next reunion in 2012 in London to coincide with the Olympics.. Randel Talentino, Béatrice Hoesli (Art teacher) (first row) Meera Pathmarajah-Laurijssen, Graham Dawson, Eles (Peter Katzin»s girlfriend), Peter Katzin, Ganesh Sundaram, Per Mahler, David Smith; (second row) Mrs Holden, Norman Holden, Alan Cocconi, Cathy Brasher-Hwang, Marta Ruth, Rebecca Gaucci-Murray, Paul Thompson, John McArdle; (third row) Andrew Bassam, Liz Douglas, John Douglas, Frank Lunt, Mark Zhara, Caroline Head-Hempstead. La Chât from 55 to 57 - Michel Perrin, journaliste Ils étaient une soixantaine à se retrouver 50 ans après avoir fréquenté La Châtaigneraie (Collège Protestant Romand). D abord pour un repas au restaurant du Musée Olympique à Lausanne, puis un peu moins nombreux pour une visite de l école où ils ont, entre 1955 et 1957, accompli une partie de leur scolarité, voire préparé leur maturité. Certains avaient fait le voyage de l étranger. C est sur l initiative d un ancien élève, De gauche à droite : Hans-Peter Jenny, votre directeur Michel Chinal, Jaques Reusser, John Marinello, Ian Frank, notre directeur Yves de Saussure, Claude Thelin, Jean -Jacques Manz, Nicolas Kocsis, Fred Pierre-Louis, Lucas Sarasin, Jean-Marc Ferrier, Michel Perrin, Philippe Cornu, Marc-Henri Plan. Nicolas Kocsis, aujourd hui médecin à Lausanne, que cette réunion a été organisée. Après avoir quitté la Hongrie fin 1956, Nicolas Kocsis a passé trois ans à La Châtaigneraie avant d entreprendre ses études universitaires. Bon nombre des participants ne s étaient pas revus depuis cette époque, mais ils se sont presque tous reconnus! Les retrouvailles ont été particulièrement sympathiques et chaleureuses, chargées d émotion parfois. D autant que ceux qui avaient entre 15 et 19 ans à l époque ont eu la joie de revoir aussi leur ancien directeur, M. Yves de Saussure, accompagné de son épouse et de sa fille. Yves de Saussure a tenu à faire lui aussi la visite de la «Chât». Il a reçu du directeur actuel, dont l accueil chaleureux a été très apprécié, l ancienne clé de la maison! Si l enveloppe du bâtiment dans lequel ces anciens ont passé une partie de leur adolescence n a pratiquement pas changé, l intérieur, lui, a subi de profondes transformations. Cherchant ce qui fut leurs chambres, les visiteurs n ont trouvé que des salles de classes. L école, en effet, n a plus d élèves internes, alors qu ils l étaient pratiquement tous dans les années 50. Le site s est par contre enrichi de constructions nouvelles, spacieuses et claires, sur ce qui était alors les courts de tennis ou le terrain de football. Pour ces anciens, ce retour aux sources a ravivé de nombreux et bons souvenirs. Il y a été d autant plus apprécié que le temps, en ce 10 juin 2007, était particulièrement radieux. Une chance en cette année marquée par une météo capricieuse. 16 echo N o 1 OCTOBER 2007

17 coming up or just been LGB 72 / 73-6 th July to 8 th July Sam Jarrell Our latest Reunion in Jogny this Summer was a special event, perhaps not quite the numbers of Southampton in 2006 but what a location! The powers that be even had words with the weather man and managed to conjure up two days of glorious sunshine in the middle of what had been until then an été pourri. This picture was taken at the Greek Theatre following a wonderful boat trip. From the back left to the front right : Alan Sharpe, Bernard Reith, Frank Lunt, Ratko Djukanovic, Karin Bierstein, Michael Rowe, Vicki Verdin, Ivan Stamenkovic, Rajni Chopra, Ambi Sundaram, Jasna Illic, Claire Watson, Sam Jarrell, Janey Huber, Richard Corbett, Anne Feder, Yoram Singer La Chât Alumni Dinner 9 th June Jennifer Ellis, La Chât 06 In June I attended my first alumni dinner. Eager to find myself amongst my former peers, I waltzed into what might have been previously called the Salle Poly. Instead, I found round tables, delicately adorned Elaine Griffith, Fayruz Mandil, Jennifer Ellis with dark blue table cloths and yellow flower arrangements. I scanned the room. Not many of my peers but, rather, teachers. I spot Mrs Hatch, Mrs Hoesli, Mrs Wood, Mrs Curtin and others, all sitting down together and yet surrounded by students. Whatever the year, people were mixing freely. At the far end of the room, I spot a group of previous year s graduates : huddled, laughing over a half poured bottle of wine. Outside on the terrace, another group sits, laughing, chatting, forgetting protocol and school etiquette in the process. Yet nobody seems to mind, least of all our pedagogical leaders. Everyone is here to mingle, catchup and enjoy themselves. I hope that more of my graduating peers will come and discover for themselves that this annual dinner and other alumni events should not remain well-kept secrets. LGB Coming up for sixty(ish) 10 th to 12 th June 2007 They geared up in fine style for a turning sixty (more or less!) reunion and Geneva obliged with their very own spectacular fireworks display okay we did have to share it with 500,000 others and the Fêtes de Genève. Participants : Gowri, Prabha, Mrs. Sundaram senior and daughter Lakshmi Sundaram, Lila Dhami, Arda Yacoubian, Alexa and John Intrator, Riad and Zein al Khouri and their two great kids George and Mai from Amman, Leena Kaprio all the way from Helsinki, John and Penny Cole-Baker, Peter and Diana Wallace, David Beare, Steve Berent, Nalini Parthasarathy, Roseanne Wildman, Vivian Hakkak, Manu Araoz and Beth Ballin, Mirza Hussain Khan, Zafar Shaheed, Eashwar and Radhika Kumar, Simone Tabona Ray and Dev Ray. Some who couldn t make it sent greetings ( Margo Reiner Vangeli, Axel Horhager, Hannan Venkataraman, Philip Wheeler, Nandita Jhaveri, Trevor Blench, Jacquie Richardson ). Australia Chapter Matt Balogh LGB 80 Contact me at mbalogh@mcnairingenuity.com to get in touch with Australian Alumni. There are approximately 140 currently registered Ecolint Alumni in Australia. The Sydney Chapter of Australian Alumni tend to get together once or twice a year. Many of us are in Sydney, although there are also a good covering in Melbourne and Canberra, and some in various parts of the state of Queensland. From left to right in the back row : Marcus Sherwood and wife Barbara, Bob husband of Janet Shaw, Rod Katz, Colin, husband of Pam Brown, Carmel Balogh (Matt s wife), Alex and Harriet Hromas and Vida, Rod s wife. Matt Balogh is perched in the middle, while the front row comprises (l to r) Janet Dawson and daughter Amy, Pam Brown and Janet Shaw. For the 2007 Winter reunion, it was decided to try holding a get-together in Canberra, the nation s capital, and closer to Melbourne in order to encourage attendance by those living in all three cities. On Sunday August 18 th, Rod Katz (LGB 77), his wife Vida, and 10 year old daughter Jo hosted the event at their home. 17

18 à vos agendas coming up or just been Each year on our three campuses, many events are open to all members of our community. Please check the school website and the alumni website for dates or call the schools directly. Why not come and join us? Sur nos trois campus, chaque année de nombreux événements scolaires sont ouverts à nos Anciens junior et senior. Vous êtes cordialement invités à y assister. Dates and details will be updated regularly and are available on our websites : Alumni community at http : // alumni.ecolint.ch School website : All year All year All year 2007 Alumni dinners and get-togethers Campus visits Theatre shows, Drama nights November Semaine suisse November December 2008 Winter swap sales Alumni Escalade dinners around the world 12 January Ecolint Education conference in Geneva 9 March Friends of the International School (FOTIS) Gala Première, Victoria Hall, Geneva March March-April June June July - August Kermesses mai 2008 LGB Alumni Raclette dinner in Geneva Arts week & Vernissage Art IB classes Alumni dinners in Geneva Graduation ceremonies Summer programmes 14 juin 2008 Campus des Nations 21 juin 2008 La Châtaigneraie Humour A teacher asked some children to write about the sea... If you are surrounded by sea you are an island. If you don t have sea all round you, you are incontinent. (Wayne age 7) Sharks are ugly and mean, and have big teeth, just like Emily. She s not my friend any more. (Kylie age 6) This is a picture of an octopus. It has eight testicles. (Kelly age 6) My uncle goes out in his boat with pots, and comes back with crabs. (Millie age 6) When ships had sails, they used to use the trade winds to cross the ocean. Sometimes, when the wind didn t blow, the sailors would whistle to make the wind come. My brother said they would have been better off eating beans. (William age 7) Some fish are dangerous. Jellyfish can sting. Electric eels can give you a shock. They have to live in caves under the sea where I think they have to plug themselves into chargers. (Christopher age 7) Lipstick In School According to a news report, a certain school in Garden City, MI was recently faced with a unique problem. A number of 12 - year - old girls were beginning to use lipstick and would put it on in the washroom. That was fine, but after they put on their lipstick they would press their lips to the mirror leaving dozens of little lip prints. Every night, the maintenance man would remove them and the next day the girls would put them back. Finally the principal decided that something had to be done. He called all the girls to the washroom and met them there with the maintenance man. He explained that all these lip prints were causing a major problem for the custodian who had to clean the mirrors every night. To demonstrate how difficult it had been to clean the mirrors, he asked the maintenance man to show the girls how much effort was required. He took out a long-handled squeegee, dipped it in the toilet, and cleaned the mirror with it. Since then, there have been no lip prints on the mirror. THE MORAL OF THIS STORY : There are teachers and then there are educators. 18 echo N o 1 OCTOBER 2007

19 Kermesses 2008 LGB 31 mai 2008 Campus des Nations 14 juin 2008 La Chât 21 juin 2008 photos from kermesses

20 Fast forward editorial coming up in the next issue of echo in April 2008 Interview with the Korda brothers : David 54 and Nicholas 56, our very own alumni movie moguls Learning support: learn more about how our Learning Support Programmes and Learning Centres support students with differing learning needs Keys to success: how the University and College Advisors on each Campus help graduates decide where to go on to study A day in the life: views from a La Chât graduate 06 currently studying law at university in London Keeping up: school communications in the 21st Century Alumni visits (visits are posted on the alumni website) Our On-line Shop will be launched this Autumn We will be offering a range of clothing for all shapes, sizes and ages, each item sporting our school logo. Whether you are 6 or 60 years old, we are sure we have something for you! Check out http : // alumni.ecolint.ch for the launch of our new school clothing line! We look forward to seeing our logo wandering the streets of the world! Impressum echo magazine Michaelene Stack, Director of Development Fabienne Badibanga, Alumni Programme Secretary Krista Clausnitzer, Development Associate Blaise Demierre, Graphic Designer Christine de Loriol, Communications Attaché Nicolas Smiricky, Annual Fund and Alumni Data Officer Sandra Venturini, Administration Designed by : Blaise Demierre Printed by : Imprimerie genevoise SA Production : copies Copyright of the International School of Geneva, October 2007 Our address : International School of Geneva 62 route de Chêne CH Geneva School website : Alumni community : http : // alumni.ecolint.ch development@ecolint.ch Phone : +41 (0) Fax : +41 (0) alumni@ecolint.ch Phone : +41 (0) Fax : +41 (0) The International School of Geneva does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, religion or national origin in its admission policies or in the administration of any of its programmes. Submission of articles, letters and photos from staff, current and former students and their families are welcomed. echo is published twice a year by the Development and Alumni Relations Office, International School of Geneva and is also available on the school and alumni websites. For more information about echo or to submit information for publication, please contact : The Director of Development at the address above. If you would like additional copies of echo, please contact the Communications Attaché. The Development and Alumni Relations Office has made every effort to ensure that the information contained in this edition is accurate and complete. However, despite our sincere desire to avoid errors, we apologise that they do occur occasionally. Advertising echo magazine will be published twice yearly (in the Autumn and Spring). It has a distribution of 13,000 readers : current and former students and their families, our staff and corporate and institutional partners. The next issue is due out in April If you would like to advertise in echo magazine, please contact development@ecolint.ch or call +41 (0)