The World Philosophy Day is celebrated annually on the third Thursday of November to highlight the value of philosophy in human thought and culture. In 2024, it falls on 21 November. Established by UNESCO in 2002, this day promotes critical and independent thinking, fostering a better understanding of the world and encouraging tolerance and peace.
We celebrated World Philosophy Day at Coopersale Hall School by reflecting on the meaning of the word “philosophy,” both generally and in the context of the song Hakuna Matata from The Lion King. The children considered the nature of a worry-free life, discussing its merits as well as its disadvantages. We explored what it might mean for the school if, instead of our motto Superans Conando (“overcoming challenges through effort”), we adopted Hakuna Matata as the school’s creed.
Luke from Year 4 made an excellent point that a school’s role is to teach children how to work hard and prepare them for a life of responsibility, while Jessica from Year 5 argued that a school focused on a worry-free existence might attract more children and be a happier place. Both were excellent points and a testament to the truth that children can indeed be philosophers.
We look forward to doing more philosophy at Coopersale Hall School. Today’s celebration was a wonderful reminder of the importance of pausing to think about the things that truly matter.
