This transformative summit united more than 250 international students from 9 African countries and 18 schools, empowering them to become active global citizens and future leaders. Together, they worked under one umbrella, making impactful contributions to their communities, both locally and globally.

AISA-GISS is not just an ordinary conference but an immersive experience that aims to inspire and empower participants to make a positive difference in their communities. It offers a unique opportunity for students to embark on a journey of self-discovery, service leadership development, and personal growth that will shape their lives and create a lasting impact.

Held from 15th February 2024 to 17th February 2024 under the theme: “Designing our future together,” the host, Al-Rayan International School, in collaboration with the Association of International Schools in Africa (AISA), thrilled participating countries/schools with an electrifying opening ceremony; an African culture of unity (Ti koro nko agyina-One head does not form a Council), a symbol for partnership, collaboration, and teamwork. This symbol emphasizes the importance of cooperation and collective efforts in realizing all goals. The attainment of the SDGs is a collective responsibility. No one nation (one head) can make it happen. It takes the concerted efforts of the entire world’s citizens.

The Guest of Honour was H.E. Hajia Samira Bawumia, 2nd Lady of Ghana, while the Keynote speaker was Mr. Daniel Dotse, the visionary CEO of Lead for Africa, who presented an empowering challenge that can ignite one’s passion to make a difference. He encouraged participants to brace themselves for an opportunity to step up, unleash their potential, and create meaningful impact in their communities and beyond.

Setting the stage for an empowering conference, the 2nd Lady, H.E. Hajia Samira Bawumia, expressed joy at seeing students across Africa coming together to explore innovative solutions to promote community service and foster international collaboration.

She was optimistic the summit would provide an avenue for them to learn from each other, exchange ideas, and forge partnerships that will have a lasting impact. “I encourage you to actively engage in the workshops, presentations, and service-learning activities using this day as a springboard for personal growth and collective actions.”

She was particularly delighted about the symbol for the summit (Ti koro nko agyina), describing the famous Akan proverb as the most appropriate and significant as it celebrates partnerships, collaboration, and the indomitable strength of collective effort. The symbol also emphasizes the critical importance of unity and shared responsibility in addressing the pressing global challenges that we face today.”

Mrs. Bawumia further encouraged the students to harness their power for meaningful change and open their minds to create a more sustainable and equitable world. “With hope as our guide, let’s come together like a symphony, playing in harmony for a brighter future. Let’s also embrace empathy and be encouraged to change the status quo.”

She commended the organizers of the summit, especially the Al-Rayan International School and their student leadership team, for leading the pursuit of knowledge, understanding, and empathy, recognizing that it is our collective responsibility to create a world that is more equitable and sustainable.

Speaking in an interview with the media, Dr. Fatma Odaymat, ARIS Director, said the School was thrilled to host the Global Issues Service Summit (GISS). “We are indeed happy to host this event because, at Al-Rayan, we believe in inspiring, empowering, and transforming. We are a diverse community committed to ensuring we create a better world using education, and that is what this conference inspires,” she observed.

“We take pride in advancing the promise of equality, justice, dignity, and sustainability throughout Africa. We believe we can create a better future for all by coming together, sharing ideas, and collaborating. It is actually what we do together collectively that makes us stronger.”

Dr. Odaymat seized the opportunity to urge stakeholders in the educational sector to use education to impact kids to know what they can do in the future. Let’s believe in the students and the power they have. They are the hope for the future, and if we do not develop educational programs and design them to empower them to understand their problems by using the curriculum, we will not be doing justice to them. We must understand the purpose of education.