Tradition and Transition/Changes and Choices: Goodbye Transition?

Tradition is a country’s signature when it comes to identification amongst other countries of

the world. It is beliefs and customs which were created in the past and people continue to
pass them from each generation to another. So, ‘Tradition and Transition’ to me is this
gradual transference act of habits and actions from the past years to the present. The
mental and technological progress which is achieved progressively which unites, ’The
Transition’, with the pre-existing customs, ‘The Tradition’, and results in each country’s
current traditional habits.

Due to this long-time conveyance, there is a high possibility that many of these unwritten
laws fade over time ending up not having a major part in people’s lives. So that is what, in
my opinion, ISWI’s motto means. It shows the change in society’s beliefs and public
standards as the years pass by, affecting the tradition, while citizens tend to supplant these
old stereotypic actions with modern points of view. With this happening is it questioned
whether the past “folklore” habits are still going to be as respected as before or if they will
remain a part of the cultural identity.

Being a resident of a country with many old customs, I was really drawn by the topic of this
year’s ISWI, considering that tradition gradually fading is something I have noticed as I was
growing up. Having the opportunity to discuss this phenomenon with people from other
countries, share opinions and learn new things from them, is definitely something worth
trying. Adding to these, by joining multicultural conferences like ISWI, I want to contribute in
reducing racist stereotypes against my country as well as others, by showing that we are all
equal when it comes to speaking our minds in mutual topics. Moreover, social interaction
with peers form all over the world and exchanging thoughts on specific fields with them, is
going to develop my personality and foreign language skills in a great level and merging with
the new experience and knowledge gained, taking part in ISWI is a wonderful opportunity
for me.

To sum up, ‘Tradition and Transition ’ is a header that perfectly describes the whole passing
of past beliefs from generation to generation and their alternations during this period of
time. What was being said, matches also with ISWI’s motto, creating the query whether
tradition is “dead” or not, making the conference even more interesting and desirable to
participate.
REASONS

When I am asked to choose between various topics to focus on with a work group, my first
choices are always scientific or environmentally related. And that is because in opinion,
science and environment are the two basic factors making the world as it is now. Focusing
nature and environment, I strongly believe that what the whole world cannot live without
and provide everything to humanity, from oxygen to raw materials to produce whatever is
being manufactured. So it is crucial to protect them by all means.

Adding to the above, by witnessing phenomenons like environmental pollution , toxic waste
in oceans, deforestation or the greenhouse effect, makes me even more eager to discuss
about ways to save our surroundings. Furthermore, this work group is going to provide me
with great knowledge on emerging everyday issues considering nature and the physical
world that I am unaware of. By understanding these, I will try my best to contribute in
helping eliminate the damage made by whatever action I am able to do. What is more on
the reasons that pushed me to choose environment as a first wish topic, is the extinction of
local animal species in my country. Caretta-Caretta turtles, brown bears or Monachus-
Monachus seals are rapidly decreasing in population due to the environmental pollution and
I believe that by joining the work group not only I will raise awareness of more people about
this issue, but also I will learn other countries’ problems as well.

From the early years of my life, I was taught to visit nature and do outside activities
in the mountains in my spare time, fact that lead me to love all kinds of features the earth
provides. Moreover, while living in a coastal village I took part in many volunteer actions, like
cleaning the beaches and tree planting in burnt forest areas , enhancing my connection with
nature in a great level. In addition to the above, by taking skiing classes and observing the
mountains from up above made me admire the physical world and gave me more will to try
and fix what the rest of the world causes. And finally, as I wanted my love for mathematics
to match my admiration for Mother Nature, I volunteered in the local scout team to make
diagrams and lists, keeping track of expenses and making other valuations relating with their
actions.

To summarize, choosing environment as a topic to my work group was not a random choice
because it is a section I completely take interest in learning more about and despite my past
actions to help it, I fully want to broaden my knowledge and find new ways to protect it by
joining ISWI.