School Identity / Activities

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Our Identity

The Nelson Mandela School is an international bilingual state school for students from grade 1 to 13. Students can graduate with either the bilingual Abitur or the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma. They can also obtain all Berlin school-leaving qualifications (BBR and EBBR and MSA – middle school certificate) and language certificates in two levels.

We have a story. We named our school after Nelson Mandela because his life serves as a guide for mutual respect among all members of our school community and as a base of all social interaction. What started as a bilingual school has become an international community with families from all parts of the world.

For all of us –- students, teachers, social pedagogues, educators, all who work for the school and parents – the name Nelson Mandela has evolved into a symbol of internationality, democracy, tolerance, openness, critical thinking, and social responsibility.

Our school is diverse. We promote friendly, positive, and creative interactions and welcome the many backgrounds and perspectives our school brings together. We support and appreciate everyone’s unique qualities.

Tolerance and respect are foundations of our school. These values are supported and continually expanded by democratic structures and processes.

Our school is a place for lifelong learners. All members of our community contribute to the variety of learning mirrored in all curricular and extracurricular activities. As part of our school program, we develop objectives and standards, which are continuously discussed, evaluated, and reviewed to adapt to our ever-changing needs.

In keeping with Nelson Mandela School goals, this identity statement is based on contributions from all members of the school community.

Confirmed by GK12/17, SV, 2/18, GEV, 6/18, SK 10/18.

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School Development Group

All students, parents and teachers are welcome to meet once a month (for dates, see the school calendar) to 1) discuss issues or new concepts concerning our school community and 2) to introduce these issues and concepts to the various school committees for voting.
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School Inspection

School programme

School programme 2020

Links

 

APPEAL FOR DONATIONS OVAHEREO GENOCIDE FOUNDATIONOvaherero

The Ovaherero Genocide Foundation in Namibia is the central commemoration and documentation center of the Ovaherero people of the colonial German genocide of 1904-1908, the first genocide of the 20th century. To commemorate the victims of the genocide, the Foundation is developing memorials along the sites of Ovaherero and Nama resistance to the German Empire. One such site is Ozombou-Zovindimba near the village of Otjinene, where the first extermination order against the Ovaherero was announced. Near this place there is a tree on which Ovaherero prisoners were hanged during the genocide. It was given the name: Omuti-ngauzepo maumana otjiwaņa tjetu (The tree must be removed because otherwise it will destroy our community).
https://ogfnamibia.org/

The Ovaherero Genocide Foundation would like to open up this site as a memorial and is organizing a commemorative event from October 6-8, 2023.

To this end, the Ovaherero Genocide Foundation, together with the Society for Threatened Peoples, is asking for your generous donation. The official appeal for donations is attached. A donation receipt will be sent in February 2024. The donation can be transferred to the following donation account:

Account holder: Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker
Bank für Sozialwirtschaft
IBAN: DE07 2512 0510 0000 5060 70
BIC: BFSWDE33HAN
Verwendungszweck: Ovaherero Genocide Foundation

Nandi Mazeingo (Director Ovaherero Genocide Foundation) and Roman Kühn (Director Society for Threatened Peoples) with thanks for your generous donation.

 

Project Music Swap Lap

The students of 7a, 7b, 8a and 9c, together with their music teacher Mr Theuner, took part in the Music Swap Lab project for the first time in 2023 and played the Sleeping Beauty Waltz by P. I. Tchaikovsky digitally with the musicians of the Bremen Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra and many others. The project enabled us to get to know classical works in a practical way and at the same time to play together with a large professional orchestra, and all the students enjoyed it very much.

Perhaps you will recognise one or the other!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0m_h1w0PU4k

 

 Delegation trip to Kalpitiya / Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka

In the context of a cooperation project with the department of education for sustainable development of the district office Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf and Kalpitiya traveled from 22.1.23 - 29.1. 23 the district councilor Oliver Schruoffeneger, Svenja Arenz from the staff office, Michael Böker as subject teacher for biology and chemistry from the Friedensburg-Oberschule, Tino Schott from the Gottfried-Keller-Gymnasium with the subjects history, PW, ethics and Detlef Wingerath from the Nelson-Mandela-Schule as teacher for fine arts and drama to Sri Lanka. Dilsiri Welikala from Kite Surfing Lanka supervised the trip on site. A meeting with the ambassador Holger Seubert in the embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Colombo formed the prelude. We visited the Muslim School in Kandakuliya, St. Sebatiens School Kandakuliya, St. Annes School Thalawila, RCT School Kalpitiya, Mune School and the Muslim School Paliwasturai. The theme here, besides the impressive hospitality, was the EducationBox#2030 and a very moving exchange. This took place, for example, in exhibition rooms on the reuse of plastic waste, or after dance and mime performances on the topic of microplastics and marine protection. The delegation successfully organized a workshop with all teachers and representatives of the city administration in the city hall of Kalpitiya. We planted mangrove trees with the students of the participating schools and carried out a beach clean-up activity. 

The next steps for further cooperation within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals were bundled and outlined in school cooperation projects.

 

THINKING OF ALL THE WOMEN IN THE WORLD WHOSE FREEDOM IS RESTRICTED

 As teachers at the Nelson Mandela School, we want to share this video showing our solidarity with all women in the world whose rights are not respected.

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School Life

WannseeForum “Mitmischen Possible” 2023

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In the week from 18.09.2023 to 22.09,2023 students from the Nelson Mandela Secondary School, accompanied by Ms. Reiß-Schmidt and Mr. Theuner, took part in the WannseeForum "Mitmischen Possible". This was a seminar that took place in cooperation with EPIZ. The Nelson Mandela School was one of four schools that took part in the seminar. The pupils took part in the workshops: Rap, theater, film and writing on creative projects and were able to exchange ideas with the pupils* from the other schools and make new friends. The results of the project work were very impressive and really successful. There was also a presentation on the work of the SV and student participation, and a discussion with two activists from BUND-Jugend. The WannseeFORUM was a great experience for everyone involved and we all had a lot of fun, we would like to thank the organizers from the WannseeFORUM Foundation and the participants from EPIZ. We hope that we will be able to integrate some of the findings from this exciting week into our everyday school life. (Report from a student)

NMS PRIDE DAY 2023

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Empowering the LGBTQIA+ community in the education system is an important step towards fostering inclusivity, understanding, and acceptance in society. By promoting education and awareness, we can challenge stereotypes, reduce discrimination, and create a more inclusive environment for all individuals. With the NMS Pride Day 2023 on June 15, 2023, we saw with great pleasure how the school community of both campuses came together to celebrate each and every one’s individuality. We offered a wide range of thematic workshops and activities to support and empower people of all genders and sexual orientations.

Pride Day was celebrated by the entire school. Many classes at the NMS Primary, as well as the Pride WUV, worked hard during the past weeks to prepare for the day. Beautiful artwork created for the day was exhibited in school and during the parade. The Pride WUV performed the world premiere of their song “Vibrant Colours” that was brilliantly co-created with songwriter Chalice Phoenix. Ms. Kwai led several classes through beautiful renditions of “This is Me”, “A Little Respect” and “I am what I am”. Oshri returned for a second year to read stories and sing with the students and had everyone mesmerised. Lex Kartanė, also for the second year, helped students create their own unique Pride pins with the support of student and parent volunteers. The library created a beautiful stand with books and information related to Pride month as well as information about being an ally. In addition, there was a display of zines made by students together with Lex Kartanė that are normally displayed in the library.  There was a dress-up photo booth where students could get their photo taken by parent and P30 volunteers and plenty of colouring. One NMS parent even created an NMS Pride colouring sheet specifically for us! Philip Wade kept us dancing at the disco and P23 and P30 students made sure everyone’s faces were made up for Pride.

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The Pride March over to the Secondary, accompanied by a police escort, and parent and P30 volunteers, brought our NMS Pride to the streets and enabled the whole school to come together as one school and show our Pride together.

At the Secondary campus, we started the Pride Day with an assembly on the school yard for all students Y7 to Y12. The Intersectional Student Union moderated the opening.  Short introductory speeches were held, music was played, and the structure of the day was explained. Right after the assembly, all classes started with their workshops and activities which lasted all morning - and some all day. Students and teachers were involved in watching and discussing films, discussions with experts, awareness workshops, several art and design activities, music workshops and preparations for the final assembly of the whole school.

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We collected money at both campuses for two initiatives (Rainbow Women of Kenya and Let’s Walk Uganda) and together made several hundred euros.

Remember, creating an inclusive and empowering educational environment for the LGBTQIA+ community requires ongoing efforts and a commitment to addressing biases and discrimination. By integrating these actions into educational institutions like our school, we can contribute to a more inclusive society that embraces diversity in all its forms.

We would like to thank everyone who prepared and organised this year‘s NMS Pride Day and all students, teachers and families who create safe spaces, celebrate differences, and live diversity every day at NMS.

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The core organizing team: Philip Wade, Felix Theuner, Goran Subotic, Tanya Mokdad, Kai Linke, Lex Kartanė, Tom Hyland, Stephanie Greenwald, Florentine Baumann, and the Intersectional Student Union.

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Basketballfest 2023 (Video By David Nassim)

 

 

 

 

 

Return visit from Sri Lanka 2023

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The Nelson Mandela School had the honour of receiving a delegation from Sri Lanka. Detlef Wingerath warmly welcomed the delegation, setting the stage for a day of meaningful discussions.

Headmaster Dr Bauer warmly welcomed the representatives of the Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf district's Sustainable Development Unit, four students from Kalpitiya, a teacher, a headmistress, a coordinator, an artist and the esteemed mayor of Kalpitiya. The meeting was characterised by insightful discussions on the critical issues of 'no-plastic' initiatives and UNESCO school projects and provided a platform for shared learning and understanding.

The day continued with a hands-on screen printing workshop led by the advanced art class, engaging our guests in a creative exploration of artistic expression. The workshop not only showcased the capabilities of our school, but also provided a unique opportunity for artistic collaboration and cultural exchange.

A comprehensive tour of the Nelson Mandela School building gave the delegation an insight into our academic facilities, learning spaces and the vibrant student life that characterises our community.

Plans for a joint dance theatre piece to be performed in Berlin in March 2024 are eagerly awaited. This joint project promises to be a celebration of cultural diversity.

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Climate - WE MUST #ACTINTIME.

 climate clock4 Climate Clock

Climate Clock image used with kind permission of Climateclock.world. Permission granted on 02.11.2021.