United World Colleges

The United World Colleges (UWC) are a group of ten international high schools. Founded during the Cold War, the United World Colleges aimed at promoting understanding between the different nations through education and through interaction between young people from different countries, living and working together. Today this goal is again a necessity in a world devastated by ethnic and religious conflicts. The UWC movement brings together students from around the globe at a pre-universitary level, selected on merit, regardless of their financial, ethnic, religious or educational background and regardless of their ability to pay.

History

The first UWC, the Atlantic College, located in a 12th Century Castle near Cardiff, Wales, was founded in 1962 with the initiative of Kurt Hahn, a renowned German educationalist. His vision was based on his post-war experience at the NATO, where the serene discussions between the enemies of the days before fascinated him. He decided to transmit this spirit of mutual understanding to young people, who, living and working together, would learn to overcome their prejudgments and antagonisms.

Related Topics:
Atlantic College - Cardiff - Wales - 1962 - Kurt Hahn - German - NATO

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Therefore, Hahn thought about a college gathering boys and girls of age 16 to 19; age at which the adolescence already rooted in its culture would be confronted to the cultures of the college-mates, coming from different origins and horizons. The selection would be based on personal motivation and potential success, regardless of any social or culture factors. A scholarship program would guarantee the recruitment of young people from a myriad of economic backgrounds. The project saw the light in 1962, with the inauguration of the Atlantic College in Wales. Hence, established in the midst of the Cold War, the Atlantic College brought a new dimension to international education and cooperation.

Related Topics:
1962 - Atlantic College - Wales - Cold War

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Since 1967, under the energetic and prestigious presidency of Lord Mountbatten, new Colleges were founded in order to give UWC access to more young men and women. Thus, in 1971 the United World College of South East Asia was established in Singapore, followed by the UWC of the Pacific in Canada in 1974. Under the presidency of Prince Charles, four more UWC were inaugurated: 1981 in Swaziland, 1982 in Italy and in the United States and 1988 in Venezuela. The rhythm accelerated with the foundation of three Colleges within five years: 1992 in Hong Kong, 1995 in Norway and 1997 in India, this rising the number of Colleges to ten.

Related Topics:
1967 - Lord Mountbatten - 1971 - United World College of South East Asia - Singapore - UWC of the Pacific - Canada - 1974 - Prince Charles - 1981 - Swaziland - 1982 - Italy - United States - 1988 - Venezuela - 1992 - Hong Kong - 1995 - Norway - 1997 - India

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The threat of an international conflict faded away with the end of the Cold War. However, the risk and reality of the regional and inter ethnical conflicts has since then dramatically increased. The UWC, implanted where cultures interact or confront, have been operating to establish links between individuals of different ideologies and perspectives. Their mission is to answer Lester B. Pearson's interrogation: How can there be Peace without people understanding each other; and how can this be if they don't know each other?

Related Topics:
Cold War - Lester B. Pearson

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Today the UWC is an NGO, and a partner of the UNESCO, whose goal is to encourage the youths, through international education, shared experiences and common services, to become responsible citizens, politically and environmentally aware, committed to the ideals of peace, justice, understanding and cooperation and to the implementation of these ideals through action and personal example.

Related Topics:
NGO - UNESCO

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Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan has been President of the United World Colleges since 1995. Her endeavors for the promotion of international understanding and her support for many peace initiatives make her the perfect representative of the UWC ideals.

Related Topics:
Queen Noor - Jordan - 1995

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President Nelson Mandela has been the honorary president of the UWC since 1999. Through his life-long actions for the defense of liberty and justice, Mandela has been a strong promoter of the ideals the UWC try to instill through the educational experience they offer.

Related Topics:
Nelson Mandela - 1999

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