It made a change to have something else to think about beyond the pandemic when the student council asked if we should hold an event to mark the traditional “Golden Autumn” celebrations in Moldova.

For many this would be far more preferable than an American-style Hallowe’en - we’re in Moldova, after all, so should we not celebrate the local traditions? 

Then again Golden Autumn has roots in the pre-1991 era in Eastern Europe and could potentially upset just as many as a Hallowe’en celebration because, particularly for the younger generation in Moldova, old Soviet events are seen as a painful reminder of the past and shouldn’t be carried forward as traditions with their children. 

These cultural issues crop up frequently in international schools, where the balance between the local culture and customs and the wider community have to be managed carefully - and in UK schools, too, there are likely to be times when events need to be considered in a wider cultural context.

This is perhaps even more pressing this term as we look to provide as many memorable moments as possible in the school calendar to make up for so many lost opportunities during the pandemic.

So how can we get this right and ensure that we provide opportunities to mark events that are both relevant to the local culture and also enhance our wider school curriculum, such as Holocaust Remembrance Day or Black History Month, without causing unnecessary friction with the community?

Schools celebrating cultural events with sensitivity

Here are some key ways in which I have learned to manage this issue.

1. Share your planned events at the start of the year

This is really important and gives your community an opportunity to see what the school is focusing on and why. Plus it means that any discussions can be had long before the moment.

It also avoids springing surprises when the school year is underway that could upset the school community and in doing so also disrupt your other tasks as a leader when there will likely be numerous other things on your plate.

A good guide for deciding which events you will celebrate is the UN International Days Calendar as it offers a good breakdown of what is coming up each year, and, given the global nature of the UN, it means that events can link to wider international-mindedness and global citizenship initiatives.

2. Be local and global

As noted, celebrating local events is vital to show that the school is aware of its setting and gives time to celebrating that.

For example, in Eastern Europe the return to school on 1 September and World Teachers’ Day on 5 October are well-established local traditional events that have transcended from Soviet times and are now incorporated into the school calendar and culture. 

All international teachers are amazed at how beautiful and special these celebrations are, and also they are important to the school community. We have also just marked Chisinau’s city day and in September Moldova will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its independence. 

Conversely, though, we need to be global in our outlook to acknowledge the diversity of our communities.

This has seen events like US Thanksgiving become a major event in our calendar, with a traditional thanksgiving lunch in the canteen, assemblies given by our US colleagues and the IGCSE history students debating with American teachers about US history. 

Furthermore, as a COBIS and Cambridge International school, supported by the British Council, we have made some very special moments with traditional UK events from our conkers championship to Shakespeare’s birthday to Remembrance Day commemorations. 

More days in education needed like these please! The 2nd Annual Heritage & Moldova Conkers Competition took place this morning for @HeritagePrimary The winner was...#Fun #Autumn @IntlTes @COBISorg @Schools_British @ISM_Plus @UKinMoldova @Fisher_FCDO @yorkshirejohn @CambridgeInt pic.twitter.com/QZz1ctLCgH

- Heritage International School-Moldova, Europe (@HIS_Moldova) October 22, 2021

The mixture of local and international traditions works well together and our communities see this as a hallmark of an international school and their children getting exposed to global cultures.

Remembrance Day, in particular, was a very powerful commemoration event - as it is in the UK - because it remembers all victims of war and doesn’t glorify conflict.

This approach to how we remember difficult epochs of history was welcomed in this corner of Europe and seen as more poignant and suitable for younger generations.

3. Avoid the generic

For the sake of avoiding upsetting anyone in the community, it is tempting to bunch celebrations and events together if they are roughly on at the same time of year and give them some very neutral, non-offending, all-encompassing name like Winterval or AutumnFest. 

We see this approach often used in schools in North America but unfortunately we also see the rise of polarised debates about this, with it being referred to as “cancel culture” by certain politicians.

It then still becomes a source of conflict for schools. Therefore the wiser strategy is to have the discussion and rationale of why certain chosen events are celebrated and commemorated, rather than taking this generic approach that usually ends up pleasing no one.

4. Involve students

Student councils are key to a successful events calendar because their innovation, energy and ability to mobilise the community and resources, when it comes to making an event special and memorable, cannot be topped.

If you know they are on board, it means you are already ahead. Because even if parents are concerned about a certain event, the fact that their children or the wider school community is on board can help to make it clear why it is being celebrated.

Our very mission as international schools is to develop students’ wider intercultural understanding and global experiences. We also want our students to have fun and engagement in their daily school life. We want them to go home shouting positively, “Guess what we did in school today?”

If we are mindful in what we choose and act with cultural sensitivity, respect, context and balance, we can ensure we do this without upsetting anyone in the process.

Rob Ford is director of Heritage International School in Chisinau, Moldova