United in Oxford – A Salem Student’s Unforgettable Round Square Experience

The Round Square Organization was founded in 1966 based on the philosophies of Kurt Hahn, the founder of our school, Schule Schloss Salem. These ideals soon influenced educators and schools around the world, creating a global Round Square community. 59 years later, in the year 2025, Round Square schools around the world again gathered in the historic buildings of Oxford to celebrate an essential value of Round Square: being the power of inspiring voices. As people coming from diverse backgrounds, ethnicity, language and religion, we were able to share our history and experiences and inspire each other with the values of our cultures at this event. 

We were first welcomed by a grand party full of music and laughter, which calmed my nervousness and filled my heart with excitement. Throughout the days of this event, we held meetings every day and engaged in numerous interesting events, discussions, activities and debates. As a team, we experienced countless clashes and arguments, which tested our ability to communicate, listen and respect different points of view. These challenges, however, later became the unbreakable bond between every individual in the meetings. The debates were held in the Oxford Union, a place that stands as a historical symbol of free speech and intellectual challenge. As a team, we were able to stand together on the same stage where some of the most influential thinkers once stood to defend our ideas through the debates, although these were not meant to be competitive, it truly brought us together as friends and strengthened our bond. 

Not only was this event intellectually challenging and inspiring, it also provided a great opportunity to make friends and explore the astonishing city of Oxford. Over a few short days, I got to know people that will be my life-long friends. Together, we debated, exchanged ideas, and went on walks around Oxford seeking out Ben and Jerry ice cream. I am truly proud to have been a part of the Round Square community both globally and at Salem. I will never be able to forget the experience that I had during this event, both Oxford itself, and the friends that I made. Saying goodbye was hard, but now we get to spread the ideas of Round Square and our own experiences further and inspire even more people.