INTERNATIONAL WEEK 2026

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We are excited to share our approach to selecting student flag bearers for our annual International Week event. This change reflects our ongoing commitment to equity, inclusivity, and transparency in all aspects of our community.

What’s New? 

This year, we will continue to use a lottery-based system to select two student flag-bearers for each represented country: one student from the Lower Elementary School/Upper Elementary School (LES/UES) and one student from the Middle School/High School (MS/HS). This selection process ensures that students from Kindergarten through Grade 12 have an equal opportunity to represent their country with pride.

If a country is represented by a Grade 12 senior, that senior will automatically be selected as the MS/HS flag-bearer. If more than one Grade 12 senior represents the same country, those seniors will participate in a separate lottery to determine the MS/HS flag-bearer.

How Does It Work?

1. Student Demographics: We will gather student data, including grade level, nationality, and country of origin, using PowerSchool. 

2. Lottery Pool: Two separate pools are created, one for LES/UES (KG to Grade 5) and another for MS/HS (Grades 6 to 12). Students’ names are grouped by country of origin. If a country has no student representation in a division, that slot will remain unfilled for that year. If a HS Senior is eligible, they will automatically be entered into the lottery, and a senior will be selected to carry the flag for their country. 

3. Random Selection: We will use a randomization tool to select one student from each pool fairly and transparently. Backups are also selected in case of unavailability.

4. Notification: Selected students and their families will be informed and asked to confirm their acceptance of the role within 48 hours. If the primary student cannot participate, the backup student will be offered the role.

5. Participation: Students can only serve as flag bearers once unless they are the only available student for that country in their division. This ensures that more students have the opportunity to participate in this special role. Students will be eligible for another opportunity after a three-year period. 

6. Public Announcement: The final list of countries represented will be shared with the school community via our communication platform, SAHIFA.

Why This Approach? The heart of this shift lies in our belief in fairness and inclusivity. Every student will have an equal opportunity to represent their heritage. This process ensures that our selection is transparent, unbiased, and reflective of our school’s values of equity and diversity.

We understand that being a flag bearer is a point of pride for many students and families. By embracing a lottery system, we allow all students to engage in this special moment, fostering a greater sense of belonging across our community.

If you have any questions about this new approach, please do not hesitate to reach out. We look forward to seeing our students proudly represent their countries at our upcoming event.

internationalweek@asd.edu.qa