By Isaac Murphy
SOCIALLY aware students converged on Iona College’s Social Justice and Mission Expo on Tuesday, March 17, to collaborate and expand on their growing sense of social awareness.
The event was held in Iona’s performing Arts Centre, where students first listened to presentations from leading social justice groups from around Australia, before being given the opportunity to display their own projects and ideas in an informal exhibition environment.
Students from Catholic Colleges Villanova, San Sisto, St Laurence’s, Carmel, Lourdes Hill and Moreton Bay joined the hosts and mingled over afternoon tea, also conversing with representatives from social justice groups such as Rosies, Caritas, Net Ministries, The Trading Circle, The Smith Family, ACRATH and St Vincent de Paul.
College captain Edward Little said participants had revelled at the opportunity to speak with likeminded individuals, who despite their varied approaches, were all committed to making a difference through their cause.
“Sometimes you can forget there are other communities just like us doing the exact same thing in a different way, being able to talk to them it’s great to see everyone here has the same values and end goal,” he said.
Iona College has made a long-term commitment to their student’s sense of mission and pride themselves on producing young men who pro-actively make a difference.
Mr Little spoke about the influence of the staff at Iona especially, dean of faith Wayne Wilden, for instilling high moral standards in the senior students who led the way for the rest of the College.
“We broadcast to the younger students this is what we have determined as a person living up to the standards we set here, being open to the rest of the world, not closed,” he said.
Initiatives like The Justice and Mission Expo are set to only boost youth awareness moving forward.
