As part of our Alumni Voices series, we sat down with Mistee Barrett, who recently completed her BA in Politics and International Relations at the University of Westminster. This marks the second interview in our series with former students, highlighting the journeys of those who have shaped the Democratic Education Network (DEN) through their leadership,...
The DEN-organized field trip to New York delivered an enriching experience that combined academic knowledge with cultural discovery and friendships during 14–18 May 2025. My five-day visit allowed me to visit several prominent city landmarks together with world-class institutions alongside global networks in New York. The experience deepened my knowledge about New York’s development into...
Never in my life did I imagine I would one day travel to New York because of my involvement in a university society. When I first told my family about the trip, they were incredibly hesitant and insisted I couldn’t go. But I was persistent—and after showing them my visa and flight tickets, they had...
The five-day field trip to New York City from May 14th through May 19th created experiences that I will always remember. Through Professor Farhang Morady, this academic trip evolved into both personal development and cultural exploration, creating enduring memories. The group members displayed clear excitement while standing at Heathrow Terminal 5. I enjoyed a chicken...
A passion project months in the making, our trip to the UN Headquarters in New York was an incredible experience for everyone involved. The morning of our departure was filled with suspense and anticipation. Once we landed and cleared border control, it finally hit us—we had made it to New York City. Bustling with life...
Before this trip, I had imagined New York as a place where everything felt bigger, bolder, more alive, acinematic city of endless opportunities. Having lived in London for three years, I was curious to see how the two would compare. And while New York did feel overwhelmingly vast, I also found somethingunexpectedly familiar in it:...
So it is over.The trip I was looking forward to for months. The trip I was planning since January. The trip thatI was worried about for many different reasons. And the trip that seemed surreal just a few daysbefore.As I am writing this blog, in which I want to reflect on the whole experience and...
This month, I took part in the Summer School and honestly, it was one of the most rewarding weeks I’ve had in a while. A lot happened in just a few days, from commemorating Victory over Japan Day to showing international students around London and ending the week with the launch of DEN’s latest book...
I had a formal academic event in mind when I went to the Eight DEN International Student Conference, complete with panels, lectures, and organised networking. But what I found was something much more significant. I felt a part of something human, democratic, and transforming from the first session when students from countries like Vietnam, Thailand...
The Democratic Education Network Summer School (2025), Visiting Journey and Eighth Conference was an extremely successful and insightful experience for not only me as an individual but as an organisation and group. It helped really understand how and why community is important. This for me was especially demonstrated in the conference held on the 9th...
On the 9th May, I had an amazing opportunity to present and attend the DEN conference as a student representing Capital City College. The event brought together different students from different backgrounds, like Vietnam, Thailand, the Czech Republic and more. It was such a privilege to be part of such an inspiring and vibrant experience....
All I can remember from the night before the conference is how ferociously I had been readingthrough my presentation notes, hoping and praying to whoever is out there that everythingwould be just fine. The second years had warned me that the Uzbek students had a reputationfor delivering stellar presentations and I was hoping to follow...