At International School Costa Brava (ISCB), celebrations are much more than dates on a calendar – they are opportunities to live, share and honour the many cultures that make up the school community. This autumn, pupils and staff celebrated both Halloween and the traditional Catalan festival of La Castanyada, creating a special moment where local roots and international perspectives came together.
As an international school located on the Costa Brava, ISCB embraces its setting and proudly incorporates Catalan traditions into school life, while also giving space to widely recognised celebrations from the English-speaking world. Halloween and La Castanyada, each with its own history and symbolism, coexisted naturally within the same celebration, reflecting the diversity and richness of the ISCB community.
Throughout the day, languages, accents and cultural references flowed side by side. English and Catalan were used hand in hand, helping pupils understand that learning a language also means discovering the traditions, values and customs that accompany it. In this way, students experienced first-hand how two different cultural worlds – the Catalan and the Anglo-Saxon – can meet with respect and curiosity.
The atmosphere across the school was one of joy, togetherness and shared identity. Families, pupils and staff could feel that ISCB is a place where everyone’s culture is welcomed and valued, and where local traditions are not lost, but rather strengthened through dialogue with other cultures.
By celebrating both Halloween and La Castanyada, International School Costa Brava reaffirms its commitment to educating open-minded, empathetic and globally aware students – children who learn that diversity is a source of enrichment and that traditions, when shared, bring people even closer together.