🌏   Global Student Participation – 7th Global Empathy Conference

In addition to attending the show, students are invited to participate in a unique international opportunity:

📢 Call to Action – “What Can We Do?”
After the performance, students can submit reflections or creative responses on:
⭐ Empathy in Action ⭐

Submissions can be:
✍️ A written reflection (essay, article, or opinion piece)
🎨 A creative poster (visual representation of key themes)

🏆 Selected student entries will be featured at the 7th Global Empathy Conference, hosted by the University of California, Santa Cruz, Silicon Valley Campus, on Saturday, 24th May at 5 PM (Pacific Time).

🏅 School & Teacher Recognition – International Spotlight!

The school with the most impactful submission will be recognized at the 2025 Global Empathy Conference in California, USA, where:

🎖️ The winning school and an outstanding teacher will receive a Certificate of Recognition for their role in fostering empathy and social awareness.

This is an exciting opportunity for schools to:
✅ Engage students in real-world advocacy
✅ Bridge theatre with global social issues
✅ Gain international recognition for educational excellence

Have queries? Please write to  admin@virtualschoolaustralia.com.au

Virtual School Australia (VSA) is a pioneering online institution that brings powerful stories to the stage through Fringe festival productions. In 2024, VSA presented ten shows at the Adelaide Fringe and three at the Edinburgh Fringe. Among their standout works, Battlefield Butterflies advanced to the quarterfinals of the BlueCat Script Competition. Committed to supporting students, VSA provides a vital platform for all voices, helping them share their stories and find hope in difficult times. We are truly grateful for our friends' generous contributions during our recent fundraising event, the Zoom screening of our 2025 Fringe production, The Cry of the Hour. As Afghan nationals living in exile, our students are not allowed to work and rely heavily on external support for their basic survival. Thanks to your kindness, we raised $900 in just one week and are now able to provide financial assistance to six of the student participants before Eid. While we wish we could support all, limited resources mean we can assist only six students at this time.

Virtual School Australia continues to offer free weekly lessons and remains committed to launching further fundraising initiatives to support our girls in the future.

We also have some wonderful news to share: Miss H.R, one of our Afghan students, has received her Woman at Risk visa and is now safely settling into life in the USA.

Thank you once again for your incredible generosity and continued support. We are sincerely grateful.

Adelaide’s Finest Talents Bring a Historic Global Play to Life

Adelaide, Australia – 20 March 2025

Following three powerful, sold-out performances at Adelaide’s Star Theatres, The Cry of the Hour left audiences in tears, compelled to act, speak out, and demand justice. Now, this groundbreaking production, featuring some of Adelaide’s most outstanding local performers, reaches the world through a one-time global digital screening of the acclaimed 2025 Adelaide Fringe performance.

But this is just the beginning. The Cry of the Hour is set to travel locally and globally, taking its urgent message to audiences worldwide. This is more than a play, it is a historic call for justice.We would also like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Mushroom Music and the Roach Foundation for generously granting us a Gratuitous License to use Uncle Roach’s powerful composition on Domestic Violence in this production for our Digital presentation on the Zoom platform.

This moving piece will be performed by the extremely talented Adelaide singer, Krystan, also known as Baj Ghosh, a cherished member of our production team. We are honored to have this incredible song as part of The Cry of the Hour, amplifying the voices of those affected by violence and injustice. Thank you once again to Mushroom Music and the Roach Foundation for their support.

This production addresses the critical issue of violence against women, featuring real-life stories, including voices from Afghan girls in exile, making it a valuable learning experience for students.

🎭 This is an opportunity for students to engage with a powerful performance that aligns with the South Australian curriculum on social justice, gender equality, and advocacy.



Across generations, the same haunting story repeats: violence against women, lives shattered, yet an unbreakable spirit endures. From Rosa Parks to Malala Yousafzai and countless others, brave women around the world have refused to be silenced. The Cry of the Hour brings these stories to the stage—a fierce call for justice, resilience, and change. When a group of junior doctors launches a "hunger strike until death" for their slain colleague, a powerful outcry erupts from 150 cities: enough is enough. This is a story of defiance and solidarity, where global voices rise as one to demand an end to violence, once and for all.

Rating M15+

FILE FOR DOWNLOAD:   AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS. (Secondary & Senior Secondary Students and General Public)

2025 Elaine Hobson Memorial Literary Festival

If selected, present your Essay and Short Stories at the 2025 Global Empathy Conference at the University of California, on 24th May.

  💥To register visit💥https://2025EHMLF.eventbrite.com.au

THEME: Empathy In Action

Welcome to the 2025 Elaine Hobson Memorial Literary Festival! Join us online for an inspiring celebration of Essay Writing and Storytelling. This writing challenge encourages you to broaden your perspective and step into someone else’s shoes, deepening your understanding of empathy and connection. Connect with fellow literature enthusiasts and immerse yourself in a vibrant community of words and ideas.

Don’t miss the opportunity to participate in the 2025 Global Empathy Conference, where you can share your insights on EMPATHY IN ACTION—in person or online. Submit your creative piece by February 1st. Once registered on Eventbrite, you’ll receive submission details and rubrics for essays and short stories directly via email. Save the date and stay tuned for exciting updates!

Category 1: Persuasive Essay Writing

Through this writing task, we encourage participants to try and see the world from someone else's shoes and, in 600 words (maximum), write about how Empathy can improve relationships with friends and family members and make our world a better place. WORD LIMIT: 600 words (Max)
Category 2: Short Story Writing

1. Your story must include Empathy that you have seen, heard or experienced.

2. Your story must include some exemplary acts of Empathy in Action.

Feel free to interpret the above criteria in any creative way you like – the more original, the better! It can help your story stand out.

WORD LIMIT: 500 words (Max)