From the Director of the International School of Prague, Dr. Arnie Bieber
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
On behalf of the International School of Prague community, it is a pleasure to invite you to attend and participate in the 28th annual CEESA Conference this March in the beautiful city of Prague.
Described in ancient texts as “The City of 100 spires” and “The Golden City”, Prague is a true jewel in the heart of Europe. Here, in this wondrous city, you can walk through 1000 years of architecture in an afternoon. Overlooked by the magnificent Prague Castle complex, an ancient and colorful network of streets and alleyways crisscross downtown Prague. Bisected by the Vlatava River, but linked by many bridges, the ‘Old’ and ‘New’ Towns (two distinct yet vibrant areas) are home to many restaurants and bars, galleries, museums and boutiques.
We are excited that this year’s conference will take place in the center of this beautiful and historic city at the Intercontinental Hotel. This is important because we want participants to experience Prague as an integral part of the conference.
This year’s theme, Empowered Learners, is epitomized by our keynote speaker, Ziauddin Yousafzai, the father and mentor of Malala Yousafzai. Most of us are aware of Malala’s harrowing and horrifying experience when she was brutally attacked in an attempt to stop her and other girls in Pakistan from attending school. Certainly, Ziauddin Yousafzai played a crucial role in raising and empowering this brave activist who has become a role model to so many girls and people around the world.
The message of this year’s conference is that if schools are to be truly relevant to our students, we must offer them an education in which they can take the reins of their own learning with our guidance and support. This year’s CEESA Conference in Prague will offer a wide range of engaging and thought-provoking workshops and pre-conference opportunities designed to further shift our school cultures from compliance to empowerment.
I’m looking forward to welcoming you to beautiful Prague!
Arnie Bieber, Director
International School of Prague