Unity in Action: Celebrating UN Day 2025 at Sampoerna Academy

From Jakarta’s public parks to its refugee learning spaces, Sampoerna Academy L’Avenue marked United Nations Day 2025 with community-centered action. Across grade levels, students engaged in hands-on projects in collaboration with organizations rooted in the UN’s core values: sustainability, compassion, and global unity.

Starting with the youngest participants, Grade 7 students welcomed refugees to the Sampoerna Academy campus with open hearts. Stepping in as “teachers for a day,” they split into groups - storytelling, arts and crafts, and football - each guiding their guests through the activity they had chosen.

Meanwhile, Grade 8 and 10 turned their efforts toward environmental sustainability. In partnership with Trash Hero Indonesia, students and teachers conducted a cleanup at Taman Lapangan Banteng, where Grade 10 alone collected 11.7 kg of trash before sorting it into categories such as bottles, glass, and cigarette waste. They found that only 1.7 kg was recyclable, while 10 kg remained residue.

Grade 9 and 11 focused on humanitarian service through Empower Indonesia and the IOM Refugee Learning Center. After raising funds and preparing donations, they visited the center to host English activities like storytelling, spelling, and poster-making. The visit became a two-way exchange, with refugees teaching students how to prepare crops and presenting cultural performances ranging from karate to traditional dances.

Reflecting on the experience, Esther of Grade 9C summarized what many students felt:

“These experiences made me realize how privileged I am to have what others struggle to access. I’m grateful that we, as Sampoerna Academy students, could help to open more opportunities for them.”

UN Day 2025 demonstrated how meaningful action - driven by empathy and collaboration - can create lasting impact within and beyond the school community.