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CIS Allies Network

The CIS
Allies Network

A powerful initiative to
build inclusive communities

A Group Discussion at CIS
CIS Student Plan Discussion about Study
A Group Discussion at CIS
CIS Students Allies plan to build a platform
A roundtable discussions, workshops, and activities with students

Canadian International School (CIS) is a top school in Bangalore with a population of over 650 students and over 120 faculty members and support staff. Since our inception in 1996, our community has grown to include individuals from all walks of life – from diverse backgrounds to various ethnicities. Today, the CIS community has students and faculty members from over 35 countries!As an international school with a large multicultural community, inclusion is a very important part of CIS, and we promote inclusivity and diversity in our classrooms. The CIS Allies Network, a student initiative by our IB1 and IB2 students, plays an integral role in creating awareness to build a more inclusive community.

What is the role of the CIS Allies Network?

The CIS Allies Network was started by a group of students to ensure that the school community supports and addresses the individual needs of each child regardless of their social standing, race, or gender. The students believed that creating a sense of belonging would help them integrate better into CIS and aid them in achieving their educational goals. It started as a small initiative that grew into something much larger after support from other students and faculty members. The CIS Allies are now actively involved in conducting workshops and roundtable discussions with high schoolers and faculty members about neurodiversity, race, social class, disability diversity, LGBTQ, and gender. They also work with the CIS community to raise awareness of the importance of inclusivity in society.

How do the CIS Allies plan to build a platform to raise awareness for inclusivity?

Since 2019, the CIS Allies have hosted The Symposium for Inclusivity" at CIS. Each year highlights a different topics and provides roundtable discussions, workshops, and activities for our students. The event invites esteemed panelists from a variety of marginalized communities to present to our community.

  • Sarbani Mallick, the Bubbles founder/director, has worked to expand our perceptions of autism and neurodiversity;
  • Prathibha Byanna, a Shanti Bhavan graduate, shares her experiences with socio-economic inclusivity;
  • Nirmala Menon of Interweave Consulting will share her expertise in Diversity and Inclusion Consulting
  • Akkai Padmashali, a transgender activist and winner of Rajyotsva Prashasti.