Changemakers Conference Brings 270 Students to Düsseldorf to Turn Ideas Into Action

By Phoebe Z, Grade 10

The 4th annual Changemakers Conference took place from the 5th to the 7th of March at the International School of Düsseldorf. More than 270 students from 33 schools across Europe attended in this event. The conference provided an inspirational atmosphere where new ideas could be exchanged by applying the tools, models and skills offered to initiate meaningful changes in the students’ communities and beyond.

“Now I’m exploring new areas of change,” said grade 10 student Anastasiia S.

Changemakers are individuals who actively take measures to tackle a societal, natural, environmental or economic issue which generally falls under the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. 

“Throughout the conference I realized that change is often more collaborative … it’s about communication, persistence and working with others.” said Hyun L., a grade 10 student attending the conference.

Across the three days, guest speakers were invited to present their projects and their unique approaches towards problem solving. These speakers demonstrated how small steps can evolve into sustainable impact. The invited presenters included Suji DeHart from Mad Courses, representatives from Inspire Citizens, and mental fitness coach Chris Larsen.

Anastasiia explained that the speaker presentations “helped me understand what exactly I’m planning to achieve and what is important to me.”

Students were actively participating in the interactive workshops led by both student and adult Changemakers. Participants introduced their own projects and engaged others through hands-on activities. This approach optimised the qualities needed for a Changemaker. Moreover, students fostered collaboration and a strong sense of responsibility.

“It was really interesting and eye opening,” said Isaac S., grade 9. The workshops prompted him to “learn more about my values and finding a purpose.”

The theme this year was ‘Bridge to Impact’, which focuses on guiding students through the process of turning ideas into action. Over the course of the conference, the participants explored three stages of change making. Firstly, discovering concrete issues and justifying why they matter and are personally significant to them. Secondly, taking inspiration from existing systems and methods develop real-world solutions. And finally, taking measurable steps toward creating change. In combination, this strategy propelled Changemakers past the “thinking phase” and established a connection towards action.

“What stood out to me was how (the workshop) focused on managing stress and avoiding burnout while making change,” said Hyun. “It gave me practical techniques and… changed my perspective on productivity and impact.”

“That showed me how we could potentially create better outdoor classrooms at our school… to work effectively,” said Justus Q., grade 9.

A total of 26 MIS Changemakers and 3 teachers attended in the conference, focusing on different topics of interest which included: Anti-discrimination, anti-bias, animal protection, building bat and bird houses and reducing food waste. On the closing day of the conference, MIS Changemakers drafted a “We Will Statement”. First, the process began with identifying a central problem using the Iceberg Model before ideas of specific solutions were generated. Next, by implementing the Compass Model of Sustainability, the ideas are compiled, evaluated through weighing the positive outcomes against the potential negatives and discussing the practicality of each. Following the careful selection, only 1-3 most feasible and poignant solutions are left. 

Hyun mentioned that observing the methods that other schools took made students realise that “solutions need to fit specific environment,” and “being flexible and open to different approaches,” benefits their own projects.

The discussions together with students from other school introduced varying perspectives and gave students motivation to carry on their projects. These conversations sparked original thoughts and assisted the Changemakers to reflect on adaptions or areas of improvement.

“I learned about social entrepreneurship which… brought me to the next steps of the outdoor learning space. I want to continue being a changemaker,” said Kaia L. ,grade 9. “Actions will make the most change.”

Overall, the conference was a reminder of the potential to all attendees that they have the ability to drive positive change. All the students with strong individuality are equipped with the tools, skills, and motivation, to successfully to make a difference and empower others.

“Small consistent actions can build up to something significant over time; it’s about valuing the process and the people involved,” said Hyun L.