Stories
Introduction
The Stories section highlights the journeys of students and partners who bring the UN Sustainable Development Goals to life through their work with DEN. These narratives show how education, creativity, and collaboration make a difference across borders.
Stories at DEN are not just reflections—they are evidence of how students transform learning into real-world understanding, research, and global engagement.
Reflections on the New York Field Trip
By Anjali Pandya – Inside Westminster Blog
The DEN field trip to New York (May 2025) was a transformative experience that combined academic learning with cultural discovery. From the first evening in Times Square to visits at iconic landmarks, the trip highlighted how classroom knowledge connects with real-world challenges.
The trip highlights included a walking tour of Lower Manhattan, where we learned about New York’s financial and historical growth. We visited the United Nations Headquarters and saw how important global collaboration is through the General Assembly and the Security Council. We had cultural experiences, such as visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art and walking through Central Park. These activities helped us feel a stronger connection to the world and improved our understanding of different cultures.
This journey not only strengthened and developed friendships but also reinforced DEN’s commitment to experiential learning and the SDG 4, SDG 10, and SDG 17.
Understanding the Middle East Through Istanbul
By Katie Bracci – Inside Westminster Blog
In this blog, Katie Bracci reflects on how her field trip to Istanbul seamlessly combined her interests in history, geography, and global politics with real-world experiences. With a longstanding curiosity about the Middle East, she regarded the trip as a valuable opportunity to bridge gaps in her knowledge and cultivate a deeper understanding of the region’s cultural and political intricacies.
The trip’s highlights included exploring Istanbul’s unique position as a bridge between Europe and Asia, admiring its famous mosques and architecture, and engaging in discussions with Turkish and international scholars about contemporary issues such as culture, identity, and the Israel-Palestine conflict.
The trip exemplified how field immersion and intercultural dialogue enhance learning, helping students connect local and global contexts while engaging directly with the Sustainable Development Goals—particularly SDG 4, SDG 10, and SDG 16.
Read the full blog here
Learning Beyond Borders: Experiencing the Middle East Through a Field Trip to Türkiye
By Nawapon Sakulpan – Inside Westminster Blog
Nawapon Sakulpan studies international relations at Kasetsart University in Thailand. This blog entry describes his first foreign travel experience when he joined a field trip to Türkiye. The Middle East captured his interest through his viewing of films, playing video games, and watching documentaries. The media coverage of conflicts fails to provide sufficient historical context, which makes it difficult for viewers to grasp the root causes of these events. Whilst studying international relations provided him with advanced knowledge about these complex matters, the recent field trip experience allowed him to witness these issues firsthand.
The field trip demonstrates how DEN creates transformative opportunities through global collaboration and partnership, building bridges between students across borders to explore culture, politics, and identity in practice. Nawapon’s story reflects SDG 4, SDG 10, and SDG 17 in action.
Read the full blog here
Why Does Hanoi Suffer from Environmental Problems?
By Afra Bhuiyan – Inside Westminster Blog
Afra Bhuiyan explores the environmental challenges facing Vietnam’s capital city, Hanoi. While Vietnam has experienced rapid growth and urbanisation since the late 1980s, the city now struggles with high levels of pollution—particularly from its 45 million motorbikes, which produce significant CO₂ emissions and contribute to recurring smog. Industrial activity and the loss of green spaces have worsened the problem, reducing natural carbon absorption and harming urban air quality.
At the same time, government efforts are underway to address these important issues. Proposed policies, such as banning motorbikes to reduce congestion and pollution, alongside ambitious plans to plant one billion trees nationwide by 2025. Such strategies highlight the need to quickly balance economic development with environmental sustainability.
Afra’s blog highlights the intersection of urbanisation, policy, and sustainability, aligning with SDG 11, SDG 13 and SDG 15,
