With their passports in hand, pupils at Bermuda High School for Girls participated in a whirlwind tour of some 16 countries yesterday as part of Diversity Day celebrations.

With the help of flags and various other decorations, classrooms were transformed into countries and "border guards" were posted to "stamp" passports and hand out map-stickers to pupils who came to visit.

Armed with world maps, pupils made their way around the world to learn more about the various cultures, from Holland with its wooden clogs and Dutch pop music, to Sri Lanka which informed pupils about devastating hurricanes as pupils huddled under make-shift tents

Scotland even had it's own version of the Loch Ness monster which popped up to say "aug aai".

Other countries visited by pupils during the day included France, the Ukraine, Russia, Cuba, Bahamas, Kenya, Thailand, Iraq,Trinidad and Tobago, Greece, Ireland, Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong.

Pupils acting as residents to the countries were responsible for displays which included information, music and interactive sessions as well as culture, food, history, entertainment and geography.

Closing ceremonies at the Queen Elizabeth Hall included performances by the senior drama club, Bermuda's African Dancers, the Island Dancers and Pipers, Warwick Majorettes and the Gombeys.