This September, schools from around the world converged in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for the Round Square International Conference, Beyond the Dunes.

Over 1000 students attended the conference, and I was lucky enough to be one of them. During a period of eight days, Bishop Druitt College took part in a range of activities and experiences that brought us together with like-minded people from across the world.

Our group of five students and two teachers arrived at Dubai International Airport at five in the morning on the 19th of September. Students from the host schools met us there, the beginning of a week of hospitality from the schools. At The Millennium School, already the first day was packed with activities: cultural dance performances, face painting, karaoke, soccer, henna, pottery, and music jam sessions. There was something for everyone, even quiet classrooms for our exhausted teachers to have a nap.

During the evening, after settling into our accommodation, we travelled out in buses to see the desert surrounding the city. Incredible performances, camel rides, and stunning sand dunes encircled us as we ate our dinner, a medley of delicious (and spicy) foods. I think I can speak for everyone who was present when I say that the heat and humidity were unexpected and suffocating; the struggle to stay cool and hydrated was a constant one.

Over the next week, we participated in activities and listened to keynote speakers that connected to the Round Square ideals: an environmentalism day, a service day, and an adventure day. We also enjoyed the opening and closing ceremonies, representing our schools and countries proudly in our uniforms on the opening day, and dressed up for the final dinner on the closing day.

On the environmentalism day, my group participated in several different activities in a national park outside the city. We collected the seeds of the national tree of the UAE, the ghaf tree, and planted them in small pots. We created artworks from desert sand and harvested natural pesticides from the leaves of different plants found in the park. After this, we participated in a scavenger hunt that took us through different aspects of the national park: plants, animals, and types of environments. Being active in the heat and sun was most definitely a struggle, but it was certainly worth it, and our groups kept an eye out for each other, everyone showing immense kindness and empathy for one another.

The service day was an opportunity for delegates to give back to the community and serve others. My group travelled to the Gurudwara Sikh temple, and we were able to serve food to the community, organise food donations, and show our gratitude to the community. We also travelled to one of the host schools to experience some activities that helped us to understand some of the challenges people with a diverse range of abilities faced in everyday life, teaching us empathy and humility. We also participated in the charity souk, where donations of items from the delegations were bought and sold. We also got to be part of a charity auction, where several cultural items were auctioned to the delegates present.

My personal favourite activity day was the spirit of adventure day. Our groups travelled far outside the city into the desert, where we did an easy hike among the mountains. I enjoyed the day most, as it gave me the opportunity to spend more time with the friends I had made, sharing dinner and listening to music on the bus ride to the hike. I had so much fun and learnt a lot about the people I was meeting, forming what I hope will be lifelong friendships.

The final day of the conference was by far my favourite day of the entire conference experience. Our Barazza groups participated in a scavenger hunt in Dubai Festival City shopping centre, and we listened to a keynote speaker on leadership and meditation. At the end of the day, everyone dressed up and headed to a formal dinner with all the delegations present. An exciting preview for the Sydney RSIC 2026 was shown, marking the beginning of a new era of adventure in the RSIC. The evening was also a sad one. We said goodbye to the friends we had made, spending time with them for the final time before we parted ways.

The Beyond the Dunes RSIC Dubai 2025 was enlightening, heartwarming, and exhausting. We battled the heat and humidity, made lifelong friendships and connections, and had our perspective of the world widened from what it was before. I was incredibly lucky to have been a part of this amazing journey, and I hope not only that I can be a part of another conference, but that I can see the people I met many, many times in the future.

- BDC Round Square Bursary recipient, Lucy Hargraves, known as Alex