Eros Nicolaou

What can our School’s graduates offer the communities to which we belong – local, national or supernational?

Many of the skills and traits which students have the opportunity to develop at our School can be the locomotive of social progress. They are, in my view, something that Cypriot youth desperately needs more of. One category of those includes critical thinking, self-belief, sociability, willingness and ability to lead, and being an active member of a community. A second category has to do with conscientiousness, the instinct to pursue excellence, and an ability to deal with questions of principle. And yet another includes broadmindedness and openness to a supernational perspective.

In my experience, The English-School-ness is wonderfully (and thankfully) complemented within the first few years after graduation. To complement the first category of traits, one develops tolerance, humility and empathy more profoundly. To complement the second one, one begins to resist perfectionism, to be comfortable with saying ‘no’, and to develop a sense of purpose, real technical expertise, and a more practical, problem-solving mindset. Finally, ‘home’ and ‘country’ can start having much greater importance and meaning.

So, post- The English School, we continue to develop as professionals, learners, people, and citizens. However, the skills and traits I have outlined remain. And with them, there also remains within us this fundamental understanding:

We are not the passive subjects of institutions or commercial, social or political structures. We are those institutions and structures. Every student is a potential Head Boy or Head Girl, EYP delegate, Junior Achievement entrepreneur, Talent Night performer. Every graduate is a potential artist, CEO, or policymaker.

For what it’s worth, in these early steps of mine post-university, I have been inspired by that paradigm to participate in projects organised by two NGOs – the Cyprus Youth Council and Cyprus Youth DiplomaCY. Through ‘Your Europe, Your Say!’, we have made recommendations to the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in Brussels on topics which concern young Europeans. Through the ‘EU Youth Dialogue’, we have organised consultations to obtain the views of young people on the topic of social inclusion and communicated the results to EU institutions. And through the ‘House of Youth Representatives’, we have made recommendations to Cypriot policymakers on mental health, transport, education, environmental diplomacy and AI policies.

The professional and academic successes of our School’s graduates are often spoken of. However, I argue that The English School graduates can legitimately aspire, more broadly, to be part of positive social change in our country and our communities.