Building global connections, being inspired by those who empower opportunities for youth, and understanding what being a good leader actually means. For Alfie McLean, Ollie Trollip, and Yannis Zhang, the Round Square International Conference has been a revelation.

Reflecting on the conference theme – Visions of the Future from an Ancient Land – the 2027 Christ’s College Head of Biculturalism values the words of keynote speaker Benson Saulo.

“I found his story inspiring, especially his work supporting young people and indigenous communities, as well as representing Australia as the first indigenous consul-general. What stood out was his leadership and how it aligned with the conference theme. Benson has used his opportunities to have a positive impact on others by establishing programmes and academies for indigenous communities.”

Alfie adds that making new friends from Canada, Peru, India, Argentina, and the United States has also been special.

“Though we all came from different parts of the world, we bonded quickly because of our common interests and Round Square beliefs.”

For 2027 Deputy Head Prefect Ollie Trollip “it was amazing to find out so much about diverse cultures and the countries that fellow conference attendees call home”.

“There is so much value in having the curiosity to ask questions about one another and the places we come from to enable us to have a greater understanding of the world we live in.”

Ollie also has learnt a lot from others, being “particularly inspired by the work of Malika Hamid of First Steps School of Arts & Sciences”.

“Her organisation distributes pre-loved, annotated books, and conducts workshops in underfunded schools. It has donated more than 7,000 books, supported more than 1,050 schools, and reached more than 325,000 students across Pakistan. It makes me wonder if we at Christ's College could enable the same benefits in our part of the world.”

Hosted by Barker College in Sydney, the conference welcomed more than 1200 people and was “full of fun activities, as well as great keynote speakers and opportunities to connect”. It showed that you could “learn a lot by simply listening”, while also getting involved in special activities, such as the cultural night.

“One of the most memorable moments – and definitely the one which had the biggest impact – was the cultural night where I joined fellow College students Ollie and Yannis in performing our new school haka and singing the waiata Purea Nei with Ollie,” Alfie says. “It was special to represent our school and culture in front of so many people on an international stage and be complimented on the power of our performance. During the closing ceremony, it was the only performance mentioned and this made me especially proud of my Māori identity.

“I also now understand what being a good leader actually means and what sort of prefect I want to be. Being surrounded by students from so many different cultures taught me the importance of listening to others and respecting their perspectives – even if you don’t necessarily agree, but, most importantly, being proud of your own identity and culture.

“As Head of Biculturalism next year, I want to encourage more students to grow their understanding and appreciation of our Māori culture and actively celebrate biculturalism at Christ's College.”

Ollie agrees, recalling feeling “a great deal of pride for our country as we performed the haka and a waiata”.

“It felt amazing to show our own culture to the rest of the world, as well as coming away knowing more about the cultures of others,” he says.

Ollie also feels better prepared for his leadership role next year.

“In our baraza (community forum) groups, I worked with a team in which every person brought unique strengths and knowledge to the table. This is very similar to the College prefect team. Each brings something unique, and it is part of my role next year to help each prefect to work to their strengths to build an effective and connected team,” Ollie says.

The cultural night has also struck a chord with 2026 Head of International/Round Square Yannis Zhang.

“We were the only school from New Zealand, so it was great to be able to share the culture of the country that I’m from with people from all around the world,” he says. “I have also learnt that we share many similarities with others, and have found common interests with those at the conference. This has taught me a lot about the world we live in and how closely it is connected, despite living in different regions.

“I have been able to push myself outside my comfort zone and try new things that I previously wouldn’t have had the chance or courage to do. I have learnt a lot about myself as a person and how I connect with others. I now know that I am capable of starting a conversation and making connections and I will take this experience into the next part of my life and make the most of all these lessons in the wider world.

“I feel like the biggest impact on me has not been all the activities and challenges, but saying goodbye to everyone. While I have only known these people for a short time, it feels like the connections between us have existed long before this conference. I know now to cherish moments like these.”

For Round Square, the conference has been about “learning from the past, standing united in the present, and stepping forward with hope, purpose, and vision for a better future” while celebrating 60 years of the global network of more than 270 schools worldwide.