Dear friends of the UWC movement,

As we prepare to bid farewell to 2022, I have been taking some time to reflect on the year to date and to express gratitude to the many people who have made this year so special.

As well as celebrating the 60th anniversary of the founding of UWC Atlantic and the UWC movement, we have also celebrated the 50th anniversaries of UWC South East Asia and the UWC Hong Kong national committee, the 40th anniversaries of UWC Adriatic and UWC-USA, the 30th anniversary of Li Po Chun UWC, the 25th anniversary of UWC Mahindra College and the 15th anniversaries of UWC Costa Rica and UWC Mostar. Without doubt, there have been several other noteworthy celebrations and milestones throughout the year; looking back we realise we have so much to be thankful for.

We were really honoured to have been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize at the beginning of the year, and to have been named recipients of the Charter for Compassion award in October for our commitment to peace and international understanding. This year, we have witnessed a fast stream of curriculum innovations at several UWC schools and colleges, and we have expanded our partnerships with organisations like the European Union and Rise to guarantee scholarships for those who most need them.

For me, one of the great highlights has been the opportunity to visit a number of UWC schools and colleges and to experience the leadership of our Heads, the excellence of our teachers, the immense contributions of our non-teaching staff to everyday life, and the unmatched camaraderie that exists between students. I have accompanied students to service projects in Norway, experienced exceptional outdoor learning in Thailand, planted trees in Costa Rica, enjoyed a brilliant student concert in Italy, and raced around a campus at midnight with students in Wales to raise funds for the fight against human trafficking and modern slavery.

All of these and more have been made possible by the inestimable contributions of our incredible national committee volunteers, the many donors who give above and beyond for a cause close to their hearts, and several thousands of enthusiastic alumni and friends of the movement who continue to spread the word about UWC across the world.

Above all, one story that encapsulated the spirit of UWC for me this year was seeing the video of Seynabou Faye returning to UWC Dilijan after several months of treatment for a debilitating condition in Germany under the care of the loving Dr Liv Fünfgeld (UWC Adriatic, 1984-1986). After a successful fundraiser by Nele Schulz (UWC Dilijan, 2020-2022), Dr Fünfgeld stepped forward to help with the consultation, diagnosis, treatment and care for Seynabou until her return to the college. That spirit of altruism, compassion, personal responsibility, action and personal example acutely typifies UWC alumni. My heart is filled with gratitude for Nele, Dr Fünfgeld, and everyone else who looked after Seynabou and who continue to support her rehabilitation.

Wherever you find yourself during this season, I hope that you are surrounded by love. Here’s wishing you a refreshing end to the year and a fabulous 2023!

Faith Abiodun
Executive Director, UWC International

As the only school within the UWC movement which celebrates graduation at this time of year, we wish a hearty congratulations to the Waterford Kamhlaba UWC of Southern Africa IBDP class of 2022! Students, alumni and staff enjoyed a wonderful day of celebrations, with the WK Jazz Band in attendance, and performances of gumboot dance, choir, poems and dance.

With the launch of UWC’s 60th Anniversary celebrations in September, schools and colleges across the movement continue to celebrate their own landmark events. In recent weeks, Li Po Chun UWC of Hong Kong celebrated its 30th anniversary, and the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Hong Kong national committee. While UWC Adriatic held wonderful celebrations in Trieste to mark the college’s 40th anniversary. 

Remember, you can make use of this digital toolkit to help plan any upcoming anniversary events or initiatives in 2023, and also register them to be added to the dedicated uwc.org anniversary page.

As we continue to celebrate UWC’s 60th Anniversary we will continue to profile prominent figures who have helped build the movement into a thriving global community. In our anniversary impact stories so far, you can read about the personal history of our founder Kurt Hanh, the development of the UWC national committee system, and some of the lessons learned by our founding Heads of schools. If there's someone who you think deserves a special profile on our anniversary page, please get in touch to let us know!