Bridging Theory and Practice: Year 12s Engage with Brazil's Foreign Minister

A group of learners from our Year 12 History, Geography, Economics and Business IBDP classes recently had the exciting opportunity to attend an International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS)  Raffles Lecture by H.E. Mauro Vieira, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil. Hosted by the IISS  just a few days before the upcoming BRICS summit in India, Foreign Minister Viera outlined Brazil’s foreign-policy approach amid continued strategic competition. 

From Classroom to Real-World Application

Expanding on the learning that has been happening in class, our Year 12 learners got to hear from Foreign Minister Viera as he shared more about the opportunities and challenges faced by governments worldwide as they grapple with the pace and scale of geopolitical and geo-economic change. He stressed the importance of multilateral organisation, cooperation and patience when dealing with global issues. Brazil’s traditional relationship with the United States was highlighted, as well as its increasingly significant trade and investment links with China, ASEAN and the European Union. Brazil was also presented as being in a unique position to serve as a  link between the BRICS countries and other regional groupings to ensure that all voices were heard on the importance of a rules-based international order, climate change, UN Security Council reform and sustainable development. 

What Were Our Learners’ Biggest Takeaways?

Callum: Attending this lecture definitely gave me a better understanding of how people in power think. The Foreign Minister was able to answer all of the questions in such detail. I learned a lot about Brazil’s neutrality and their position as a BRICS country. 

Charlotte: Going to the lecture showed me how the things we are taught in class are applied in the real world. Attending talks such as this one can really help deepen our understanding of our subjects as we can identify topics taught to us in class being brought up. I found it most interesting when the Foreign Minister answered questions about the younger generations coming into politics. 

Aurelia: This talk allowed me to see firsthand how diplomatic speeches can be used to inform the public about a country’s stance and explain the decision making behind their new agenda and policies. I found it fascinating how a country can maintain political allies with two of the world superpowers, which have completely opposing world views and agendas. Brazil’s ability to maintain neutrality and perform unilateralism was very interesting to me as a learner taking part in the Model United Nations.

Peony: Since I take economics, I found this talk helped my understanding of countries’ global relations and how sometimes that can affect the strategies and decision making of governments.  Also, this talk deepened my understanding of what I have been learning about in economics such as policies and trading between countries. It allowed me to understand real world examples of concepts I learned in the classroom.

Taking Lessons Back to the Classroom

Learners can really benefit from their teachers’ networks and professional connections just like this connection which came about from our Individuals and Societies teachers.  In this case, these connections meant that our Nexus learners could witness politics in action, link real international issues to their subject areas, and hear a national perspective on matters of global significance. Thank you to the teachers who organised such an insightful trip, and to the learners who came fully prepared and committed to applying their learning outside the classroom.