RSIC2026 SYDNEY

Round Square has arrived in Sydney, with eight Scotch Oakburn students joining 1,200 students and teachers from 152 schools across 30 countries for the 2026 Round Square International Conference at Barker College. Under the theme Visions of the Future from an Ancient Land, the conference is bringing together young people from across the globe to explore leadership, culture, service and what it means to shape a better future.

The opening ceremony provided an inspiring start, with keynote speakers including Australian cricket great Lisa Sthalekar, former Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove and Indigenous leader, entrepreneur and former Australian Consul-General Benson Saulo.

Benson’s message particularly resonated with our students. Drawing on his own experiences of leadership, advocacy and working to create change, he challenged delegates to become “disciplined non-conformists” – people prepared to question what is not working, but with the courage, persistence and discipline to work constructively towards change. His message was a powerful reminder that leadership is not simply about accepting the world as it is, but having the courage to imagine how it could be better.

For Fergus Stewart (Year 12), Sthalekar’s honesty about failure struck a chord: “You fail more times than you succeed. I found that very true, and it resonated strongly with me.”

Lila Sims (Year 11) was inspired by Cosgrove’s message about passion: “In order to make change you need to love what you do. Passion and pride ignite all success.”

Harriet McQuestin (Year 11) particularly enjoyed his straightforward approach to life: “Life is not a rehearsal.” Tom Kubarych (Year 10) took away a powerful lesson about leadership, reflecting on Cosgrove’s message that “a true leader is knowing the needs and requirements of the group and how the group’s success is based on those values.”

Zoe Hingston (Year 11) was inspired by Lisa Sthalekar’s advocacy for women’s sport and “all the effort she put in to get her group to where they are.” Kayla Flood (Year 11) appreciated the breadth of perspectives: “My highlight was hearing from them all because they all have had very different experiences.” She also particularly valued Sthalekar’s message about trying different things, making mistakes and discovering what you enjoy.

Beyond the keynote speakers, the conference has already provided plenty of opportunities to connect. Lucinda Bywaters (Year 11) enjoyed her Baraza group, describing “playing the games and pin swapping with people” and talking to new people as a highlight of the day.

For Rose Talbot (Year 11), the cultural dimension was especially powerful. She was captivated by the Indigenous Australian dance performance at the opening ceremony, describing it as “a striking, deep, yet beautiful display of storytelling through culture and art” and saying it had sparked a desire to learn more about Indigenous Australian cultures and their practices.

Our eight students are experiencing Round Square at its most international – learning from inspiring speakers, sharing ideas with peers from around the world and discovering new perspectives on what it means to lead and create positive change.

Stuart Walls
Director of Round Square