Bigger, brighter, and better than ever, this year we’ve
seen LGBTQIA+ inclusivity at ISL shine. With a colourful
student body for Pride month and, most notably, act-
ing as hosts of the SGIS Pride conference, ISL has truly shown
us what it means to celebrate the rainbow.
The 21st of May marked the 7th annual Swiss Group of In-
ternational Schools (SGIS) Educators Pride Conference, an
amazing success thanks to all the hard work of ISL’s stu-
dent Pride Alliance and teacher DEI team. The ‘storytelling’
themed conference brought together over 100 participants
from international schools across Switzerland, in a day of
keynote speakers, workshops, and structured discussions for
both students and teachers. Offering a space to listen, learn,
and grow, this year’s conference was made sure to both cel-
ebrate our progress and challenge participants to think crit-
ically about the conference’s themes of visibility, protection,
and inclusion within their schools.
Starting off with informal networking and discussions, par-
ticipants were given the chance to explore an interactive
poster display. Storytelling-themed posters, LGBTQIA+ mov-
ie recommendations, and a “love is love” photo exhibit by
our very own Ms MacLeod lined the South Campus lobby;
all still on display for anyone who missed the event! On top
of this, both primary and secondary libraries have compiled
an LGBTQIA+ selection, inviting everyone to dive deeper into
the storytelling theme and see an inclusive representation in
their downtime reads.
Students and teachers then moved on to welcome back a fa-
miliar face to ISL, Leon Salin, for a keynote speech in which
he shared his personal story. Leon Salin is a trans man from
Vaud. He started his medical transition in 2018, taking hor-
mones and undergoing a mastectomy. Setting the scene for
the day, Leon’s speech included a special focus on the role of
educators in supporting him and other young people in living
their lives with authenticity.
From here, students and teachers then split off into a full day
of tailored workshops, led by various DEI coordinators and
educators from schools around Switzerland. This gave stu-
dents the chance to engage more personally with Leon Salin,
before continuing to a Book Club with Ms Amiee. The novel
“Dear Evan Hansen” was examined here, with topical themes
of LGBTQIA+ representation; the need for connection and to
be understood; and equally, the strength found in vulnera-
bility. Students then discussed rights, visibility and LGBTQIA+
Issues in a Discussion Workshop with Bea Knecht, a Swiss
software developer and entrepreneur, as well as a co-found-
er of Zattoo. Students then moved on to learn about queer
history and trailblazers through an interactive Bingo activity
with Michael Goodman, an SGIS pride coordinator. Returning
to a workshop with Ms Amiee, students ended the day with a
chance to discuss how stories, activities, and LGBTQIA+ rep-
resentations explored throughout the conference connected
with their own experiences and lives, focusing on how story-
telling can impact real-life issues and situations.
Meanwhile, teachers were busy in their own sessions tai-
lored to professional and curriculum development. Starting
off with Inclusive Curriculum Design led by Gilles Collong (an
SGIS Pride educator coordinator), teachers discussed and
shared different ways to integrate LGBTQIA+ content into
education. Teachers were then led by Mr Grocott into a dis-
cussion about Policy, Practice and Culture Change, focusing
on how schools can move towards integrating LGBTQIA+
support and affirmation on a structural level rather than pre-
dominantly in one off events, because no matter how influ-
ential the conference was, we can always do more to support
our LGBTQIA+ community!
Overall, the SGIS Pride conference was a great opportunity
for students and educators alike to share meaningful dis-
cussions, resources, and learning to work together to make
schools more inclusive and supportive of LGBTQIA+ mem-
bers. The conference sparked important conversations and
real progress, with attendees praising the events for creating
such an open, communicative space. But it doesn’t end with
that. By staying open and involved, starting conversations,
and learning from each other, we as students need to contin-
ue to put into action the vision the conference explores; we
have the power to keep making ISL more inclusive.
