‘Let us cling together as the years go by;
Oh my love, my love
In the quiet of the night
Let our candle always burn
Let us never lose the lessons we have learned.’
These beautiful words of Brian May resonate in my mind as the new year begins. He wrote this song after Queen’s tour in Japan. The British band was overwhelmed by the hospitality and friendship they met in this part of the world.
The dawn of a new year and the accompanying holidays that many of us have, give us time to think, to reflect and to start new challenges. And challenges we have in this crazy world! The importance of our job and the difference we make -every single day- in the life of young people should make us proud.
As members of the International Confederation of Principals we have the privilege to meet lots of school leaders around the globe and learn from different systems and contexts. And all that we see and hear gives us reasons to be humble and proud at the same time. We’re doing a good job, you are doing a good job. Let us cling together and encourage and support each other to go on, making the future like the one we dream of. We can do it.
‘De meeste mensen deugen’ (Most people are good) is the title of a book written by Dutch historian Rutger Bregman. It’s translated in many languages (English title: Humankind: A Hopeful History). In my view, it follows up on May’s words ‘Let us never lose the lessons we have learned’. It proves, based on academic research, that people, all people walking on this planet in fact, don’t want anything else than to take care of each other, protect each other, find ways to survive and overcome conflict and greed. In this troubled, and oh so complicated world there is hope. Our students are the future, and we have the honor to see them make it and to guide them in their journey.
On behalf of the whole executive committee I thank you for your daily effort for students, your participation in ICP and your part in building the future. We wish you all the best for 2024, let our candle always burn and see you in Mombasa this coming August 2024! 
Leendert-Jan Veldhuyzen
ICP President 2024-2025
