ISSUE 1

FEBRUARY 2022

THE DP EXPRESSTHE OFFICIAL STUDENT-LED OKINAWA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL NEWSLETTER*NOTE: THIS NEWSLETTER COMBINES THE NEWSLETTER FOR FEBRUARY AND MARCH AS SPRING
BREAK FOR OIS WILL BEGIN ON MARCH 18, 2022.

DP Information
BY KIRARA TAKEKURA (DP2 STUDENT)As introduced in the previous newsletter, students may utilize an online system called
PAMOJA as an alternative for Visual Arts. PAMOJA offers 14 subjects from the IB
diploma program and supports students who wish to take the subjects that are notoffered in their schools. Every week, the teacher provides students with discussion
tasks, reading assignments, worksheets, and tutorial videos to complete by thefollowing week. Through PAMOJA, students can interact with other students fromdifferent countries, and experience self-directory education, which will prepare thestudents for their university lives and future career paths. The current DP1 students,
Kelly and I, take Economics Higher Level on PAMOJA. Although we haveencountered a few technical difficulties before, we both enjoy learning the subject weare passionate about. Furthermore, utilizing digital technology as the educational
platform gives us an opportunity for us to enhance our self-management skills, as you
must manage your assignments and assessments by yourself, as well as plan your own
study schedules. Therefore, although the students may face challenges in terms of
being independent and responsible for their own learning, PAMOJA is a great systemthat allows students to take the subject they are passionate about, and also to prepare
the students for university.

THE OFFICIAL OIS STUDENT NEWSLETTERIn this issue
DP INFORMATIONWORLD NEWS: RUSSIA AND
UKRAINE WAR&DISCUSSION ON THE ETHICS& GLOBAL SIGNIFICANCEBEHIND IT

ENTERTAINMENT: FILM
RECCOMENDATIONISSUE 1 //FEBRUARY 2022

WORLD NEWS / ETHICS & GLOBAL SIGNIFICANCEISSUE 1 //FEBRUARY 2022

Russo-Ukrainian War
BY KIRARA TAKEKURA (DP2 STUDENT) & SUBIN SHIN (DP2 STUDENT)

What exactly is going on?
The world news that will be discussed in this newsletter is the current war between Russia andUkraine. Although military confrontations began in 2014, the conflict was exacerbated when
the Russian military built upon the Russian-Ukrainian border in 2021, followed by the Russian
attack on Ukraine on 24 February 2022. The dispute arose in 2013 when Ukraine was coerced
by Russia not to sign the associated treaty with the European Union (EU). Russia expressed its
opposition by seizing the southern region of Crimea in 2014. However, Ukraine has elucidated
its desire to join the EU and The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), an alliance madeinitially for collective security, which Russia strongly resists. This is the fundamental cause of
the current Russo-Ukraine war.
Agnes Callamard, the Secretary-General of Amnesty International, remarked that “The[Russian] invasion has triggered a huge human right, humanitarian, and displacement crisis thathas the makings of the worst such catastrophe in recent European history. Russia is breaching
the sovereignty of Ukraine and challenging the global security architecture.” It is pertinent that
we, as citizens of a global community, think about this statement and about wars more thanever. President Vladimir Putin's decision to risk world peace and engage in a war not only
invaded Ukraine, but also the human rights of Ukrainians. The civilian casualty reported on
March 12 by the United Nations is 1,581, with 579 killed and 1,002 injured. Children areforcefully separated from their parents, fathers are deployed to defend their country, andchildren's hospitals are being attacked. Young Russian soldiers were conscripted to participate
in a military operation but now they are fighting for their lives at the front without a justifiable
cause, separated from their families. This war does not benefit either party. The consequences
civilians and soldiers have to bear are too grave and unfair.
References:Alberti, M. (March 12, 2022). UN says there have been more than 1,500 civilian casualties — including 42 children killed — in
Ukraine so far. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-putin-news-03-1222/h_b071e08bb841408d1f5e226f8f1311f5#:~:text=March%2012%2C%202022-,UN%20says%20there%20have%20been%20more%20than%201%2C500%20civilian%20casualties,killed%20%E2%80%94%20in%20Ukraine%20so%20far&text=The%20United%20Nations%20has%20recorded,of%20Ukraine%20on%20Feb.%2024.
Amnesty International. (March 1, 2022). Russia/Ukraine: Invasion of Ukraine is an act of aggression andhuman rights catastrophe. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/03/russia-ukraine-invasion-of-ukraine-is-an-act-of-aggression-andhuman-rights-catastrophe/
Kirby, P. (2022). Why has Russia invaded Ukraine and what does Putin want? BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56720589

THE OFFICIAL STUENT-LED OIS NEWSLETTERISSUE 1 //FEBRUARY 2022

ENTERTAINMENTISSUE 1 //FEBRUARY 2022

A still from the film The Book Thief

BOOK REC: THE BOOK THIEF
BY SUBIN SHIN (DP2 STUDENT)

Book: The Book Thief (2005)
Author: Markus Zusak
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction
My rating: ✯✯✯✯✯/ 5
Here is a small fact: You are going to die.
1939. Nazi Germany. Death has never been busier.
Nine-year-old Liesel Meminger, given up by her mother, is on the way to the small town of Molching tolive with Hans and Rosa Hubermann. Her brother dies on the train on the way to Molching, and Deathmeets Liesel for the first time, but she is not so submissive. For Liesel who has had nightmares for months,Hans comforts her and teaches her how to read, starting with a book Liesel stole from one of thegravediggers at her brother’s funeral. She meets Rudy, a boy next door, and her journey to find security
and love for language begins.

“I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.”
This book is a riveting tale about books, friendship, and humanity in a time of war. It hauls you into thestory from the first chapter. Readers get an unordinary experience as Death narrates the story, provided thatno one ever knows when it would come for any of the characters. I first read this book in 8th grade, and it
instantly became one of my favorite books not only because it got me into reading, but also because I wastouched by the strong will of the protagonist to survive in such a dismal time. I specifically selected thisbook as this month’s recommendation because I hoped all of us could still be able to believe in humanity
and love in the events we see on news these days. War is terrifying, especially the ones with nojustification or cause. Liesel's life may seem tragic and something far from what you would usually expectfrom historical fiction, but the kindness and warmth are what really make this novel worth your time.
THE OFFICIAL STUDENT-LED OIS NEWSLETTERISSUE 1 //FEBRUARY 2022