Since the turn of the century, respectful, intellectual debate has increasingly disappeared from public discourse. While much has been written about the causes, what I want to focus on here is the damaging effect this decline has had on democratic societies like ours, and what needs to happen to reverse this trend.

As the one-year anniversary of Oct 7 and the start of the Israel-Hamas war approaches, many British schools find themselves navigating an extremely sensitive situation: whether or how to mark the occasion. For educators, this decision carries heavy implications, not just in terms of the event itself, but also in how it will resonate with their diverse student populations and their broader communities. 

This summer, I had the privilege of participating in the Bridge Builders Programme (BBP), an experience that far exceeded my expectations. I had hoped to gain a deeper understanding of the Israel-Palestine conflict, but what I truly left with was so much more than that.

It was a profound sense of connection, solidarity, and hope for a future where people, no matter how different, can come together to transcend their differences and cultivate peace.

During the school year, days speed by, and there is hardly time to stand still and think. The SNS conference made sure there was plenty of opportunity to reflect on the past year in the serene surroundings of Cambridge colleges. As well as talks from several organizations in the field of social change, there were many conversations with the other participants.

The October 7th 2023 attack in Israel and the hostages taken was a deeply shocking and upsetting event, and the ensuing and ongoing war and humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza has also been deeply shocking and upsetting. The one-year anniversary will need to be marked with sensitivity and respect for all those who have been affected. Here is our advice to teachers.