United World

January 2010

FeatureThe ‘brain drain’ debate

Exchange of ideasTeacher and student exchanges explored

Spotlighton remote National Committees

Page 3 News Fundraising Feature Education Profiles Outreach Spotlight Page 3

News

Welcometo United WorldThe next edition of United World – May 2010 – will be sporting the new UWC brand. Following extensive consultations and workshops, the UWC brand was presented to the UWC Council and Board in October for approval and taking into account their suggestions, it will be launched on 05 February 2010. We will report fully on the Brand, the UWC Toolkit and its implementation in the next edition and on the website.   

Other projects we’re working on include translating the website into a multi-lingual site and replacing the extranet so that it becomes an effective communication tool for all UWC members.  As we prepare for the new extranet, from January 31 we will be asking users to verify their details to facilitate a smooth transfer to the new system. Follow the ‘member login’ link at www.uwc.org to do this.

In this issueOn the coverParticipants at the 2009 Talk Together programme. Read the article on page 20.

7 From the Chair 8 Fundraising

10 Feature National Committee members Dafna Herzberg and Laura Carone discuss the ‘brain drain’ debate.

3 News

14 Education

20 Outreach

22 SpotlightNational Committees operating without a permanent local membership.

17 Profiles

Get in touchIf you have an idea for an article, email brief details to editor@unitedworld.uwc.org

Comments and feedback on the magazine are also very welcome. Email us or write to: The United World Colleges (International), Second Floor, 17-21 Emerald Street, London, WC1N 3QN, UK.

United World is distributed to all members of the UWC International movement. Articles or comments attributed to individuals do not necessarily reflect the views or policy of The United World Colleges (International). While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information at the time of going to press, no responsibility can be accepted for incorrect information included in good faith or subject to subsequent change.

The United World Colleges (International) is a company registered in England and Wales and Limited by Guarantee No 908758. Registered Charity No 313690.

European National Committees meet in Brussels The European Regional Meeting took place in Brussels in November and was the largest ever, with 86 delegates in total and representation from 32 European National Committees and nine Colleges.

The NC of Belgium did a fantastic job of hosting the meeting, particularly given the unexpectedly large turn out.

The programme for the meeting was put together by a working group of the National Committee team at UWCIO and NC members. Many sessions were facilitated by NC members, with main sessions held on potential and diversity; promotion, preparation and selection of students; outreach and fundraising and parents.

Rita Fuchs, from the NC of Austria was on the organising group. She says “Being involved in the organisation of the meeting gave me the chance to contribute something, to balance the massive input of the meeting with some form of output. As someone who has been very active in the Austrian NC for the past 10 years, I left the meeting with a surprising motivation to take things ahead. I think UWC as a whole is taking some big steps into the right direction, and I loved seeing so much momentum within the European NCs as well as the global movement.”

Natalie Gopall from the International Office National Committee Development team adds

“The energy and commitment during the meeting was invigorating and we have lots of ideas to take forward. There are huge benefits for NCs in sharing experiences and ideas face to face and it makes a big difference to our work in the IO being able to meet NC members in person. It was also extremely valuable to have so many Colleges represented.”

Obituaries It is with great sadness that we report the deaths of :

Fawaz Lukman - first year student from Ghana at UWC-USA

Dr Rodrigo Carazo Odio, founding Chair of UWC Costa Rica

“Don Rodrigo played a critical role in the founding of UWC Costa Rica; in fact it probably would not have happened without him. But what touched everyone who had the privilege to work with him was his deep and very real sense of humility – not a virtue always associated with former Presidents – and his commitment to the cause of peace.” Keith Clark, Executive Director, UWC International.

Michael Schweitzer - Bursar at UWC of the Atlantic, 1965-1997

“Michael made an immense contribution to Atlantic College and to the development of UWC. In fact, as Kurt Hahn’s private secretary for six years, his involvement pre-dated the founding of Atlantic College, and his more than three decades of service to the College were marked by selfless commitment and deep conviction.” Keith Clark.

Head of Finance at UWCIO

Geoffrey Browne, Head of Finance and Administration at UWC International since 2006, retired in December 2009. We send him our appreciation and wish him all the best in his retirement. Geoffrey is replaced by Willa Geertsema. Willa has worked in finance and consulting in the corporate and NGO sector for many years, most recently as Head of Finance and Resources at the European Council on Refugees and Exiles. “I’m excited to join UWC and learn about its inspiring diversity, and am looking forward to help strengthen a network of finance people across the organisation.”

NC members discussing outreach at the European Regional meeting

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Students and staff at UWC Costa Rica contributed to the fourth Summit of the Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace last September in the capital San Jose.

The Global Alliance (GA) is a worldwide community of civil society campaigns, organisations, committed citizens and government officials working for the establishment of ministries and departments of peace that reflect and support the emergence of a global culture of peace and non-violence. Costa Rica was the first country in the world to formally abolish military forces so it is fitting that it has become the third country to open a cabinet level Ministry of Peace, with the legislation to establish a Ministry passing through the National Assembly just before the summit.

College Head Mauricio Viales, Development Director Carlos Sandoval and Professor Steve Hawkins took part in sessions including defining the mission of the GA. Additionally

One of the new short programmes of 2009 was the Sino-Japan Youth Conference which was organised by a group of 27 UWC students and recent graduates from China and Japan and took place at Li Po Chun UWC of Hong Kong in August.

The aim of the conference was to bring youth from all over the region together to promote dialogue, mutual understanding and celebration of difference. The organisers promoted the conference through schools across the region and 24 participants from China and 24 from Japan took part.

The programme was diverse in content, with academic sessions, guest speakers, games, theatre workshops and excursions; the theme of breaking down barriers between the countries and facilitating a better understanding of each other ran throughout the conference. Examples of this included a session on education where the participants discussed how the marked differences in Chinese and Japanese textbooks regarding key historical events contributed to misunderstandings and a theatre workshop where the group used image theatre to explore stereotypes and overcoming prejudice.

A focal point of the conference was the Peace Commemoration Ceremony, where the group shared personal stories from their families about the Second World War. Chief organiser Chishio Furukawa (LPC 06-08) explains: “It was an emotionally overwhelming experience for all. What was remarkable was that

even after sharing very painful stories, the participants expressed their strong desire and determination to build a positive relationship between the countries in order to achieve a more peaceful international community and ensure that these atrocities never happen again.”

For many participants, the opportunity to meet the local people in Si’an village, a remote village in Guangdong Province was the highlight of the programme. One participant commented “I have enjoyed this trip so much - from singing and dancing with the villagers to chatting to them about their lives, I learned that I should appreciate everything no matter what.”

Xiaoxue Weng (PC 04-06), one of the organisers, thinks that one of the main challenges at the conference was the language barrier. “The main language used was English but this was a huge challenge for a lot of the participants. Bilingual organisers were always on hand to allow all participants to express themselves and participants also made good use of body language to communicate, as well as learning key phrases for each language. We received feedback from participants saying that although they’d found the language issues a significant obstacle, they had learnt useful skills in finding other ways to communicate and being patient.”

For many of the graduates, being involved in organising the conference was a significant opportunity for them to use their UWC experience in practical way and extend the

opportunity they had to others. Organiser Annora Ng (LPC 05-07) explains “Working with UWC students and revisiting the UWC mode of work and spirit refreshed my mind and gave me the energy to keep the UWC spirit alive in my personal life.” Fellow organiser Chihiro Yoshida (MI 07-09) adds “I often feel that we graduates of UWC have much potential to radiate the strength of our two years out into the world, yet still lack the realism and willpower to do so. However, the conference truly served as a materialisation of our hopes and thoughts of creating a UWC atmosphere. One participant said to me “Here at this conference, I can truly express myself and throw myself into everything. We can discuss our true emotions and opinions. I could never do that at school in Japan, and it feels amazing.” These words express precisely the enlightenment UWC empowered me with, and I truly hope that this conference continues.”

Chishio concludes “This conference has successfully created a space where youth from both countries can honestly share their ideas. We hope that the participants will take back these messages of peace to their home communities and that they will continue to be committed to peace-building not only for the Sino-Japanese relationship but also for the world as a whole.”

The organisers are planning a second conference for 2010. www.sinojapanyouthconference.org

Right to left: participants practicing the Dragon Dance, Chishio (second from right) with other organisers.

Dialogue for young neighbours

A student led initiative at UWC in Mostar to reduce the college’s impact on the environment is still in its infancy but is ambitious in its aims of drawing attention to sustainability in a country where environmental issues are not high on the agenda.

Second year student Andy Hemphill (USA) explains, “Although green projects are becoming quite commonplace around the world, this is something very radical for the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is still recovering economically from the wounds of war. Therefore, up until this point, attention to and legislation concerning the environment has been almost non-existent.”

The College hopes that by starting locally, it can influence both the local community of Mostar and the wider country. At the College, students are starting with basic projects including changing to energy saving lightbulbs, composting and reducing waste. Bigger plans include a goal to create a wind-power generator to provide power to the school. “In the spirit of the UWC movement, we hope that an exchange of ideas will develop between the UWCs, so that together, we can significantly reduce the harmful impact on our home,” says Andy. UWC in Mostar students Ingrid Fielder and Andy Hemphill

New green initiative at UWC in Mostar

ceremony of opening the third Ministry for Peace in the world. When I was writing my speech, I realised that talking about peace was not that easy. Many times we end up over using the word and the concept of ‘peace’ to such an extent that it in the end it loses its meaning. We often say that our aim is to build a peaceful world. But with such an abstract word and concept, are we actually talking about the same thing? In my speech I decided to replace the word peace with the word to care - caring about others and especially those in need”.

College contributes to Peace Summit

second year Peace and Conflict Studies students participated in a learning day, at which they met and worked with students from university institutions including INCAE Business School and Earth University. A closing event was held on the International Day of Peace at the National Theatre in San Jose and seven students represented the College by sharing a message of peace with the audience.

UWC student Aurora Robles (Finland) says “The experience made me try my limits. I would have never thought that I would do a speech in the National Theatre in the

UWC Costa Rica student Aurora Robles at the Global Alliance summit.

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Tim Toyne Sewell meeting students at the UWC Maastricht opening ceremony.

UWC Strategic Plan 2010-2015

Perhaps not enough people read this magazine so, since you are reading this, please pass on your copy to another graduate who hasn’t and bring them up to date!

One of the main issues at the meeting of the UWC Council in October was our new strategic plan. We consulted widely as the plan was being produced and I believe the end result incorporates pretty well everything bar the kitchen sink. This is no bad thing as this first plan sets the bench mark for all our ongoing and future work. The plan has now been endorsed by the Council and will be put into effect by the International Board. Key parts of the implementation plan will be carried out by committees of the Board, working in cooperation with Colleges, National Committees and the International Office. Our Board committees consist of Board and Council members and others who have specialist advice to give: they have a hefty work load facing them and I wish them luck.

A second major issue was branding; deciding who we are and how we should project ourselves to the wider world, including defining our key messages that can be used whenever we talk about UWC but especially when talking to those who know little or nothing about us. This was obviously an emotive subject; in the past we have relied on our Colleges and National Committees to identify themselves but to the rest of the world there is no consistency and this results in confusing messages. At a time when we are trying to raise our profile and considerable sums of money for scholarships and other major projects this inconsistency becomes a weakness. Inevitably finding a common brand means that there has to be some give and take between our component parts but I am relieved that, at the end of a sometimes heated debate, the proposal and outlines of a policy were agreed. There is still work to be done but I am confident that by the time you read this, we will have agreement on the few remaining issues.

Since the UWC Council involves all the College Heads and Chairs it gives the opportunity for both groups to spend some time together in ‘retreats’. The Heads have been doing this for some time, with very positive results, but this is the first time that the Chairs have done so. Both groups were able to exchange information informally and this proved immensely helpful in creating a better understanding of the

problems and benefits faced by all our colleges. These meetings help to unite the organisation and enable us to work better together to take the movement forward.

An important issue in the last part of 2009 has been to work with our colleagues in Bosnia and Herzegovina to identify options for the future of the UWC-IB Initiative there, and specifically for the UWC in Mostar, now that its initial phase is complete and remembering that this was not necessarily intended to be a permanent venture. I find it remarkable just how much has been achieved in the College’s first three years and I want to do all I can to find a way forward.

Dr Jennifer Dueck has been working hard on the Middle East and North Africa project, which, as was reported in the last edition, involves building UWC’s profile and capacity in the region, including through strengthening the National Committee system and looking, in the longer term, for a possible location for a new college. She and I have recently visited Abu Dhabi, where we have identified considerable interest in UWC. As a result, the development of a new National Committee is under way and several other activities are being planned. In addition we hope to have a number of new scholarships from the UAE in 2010 and perhaps even greater involvement in the movement in the future.

I have now completed my first three years as Chair of the International Board and Council. Like many others before me I find myself committed more and more to this extraordinary movement and just hope that, having been asked to complete a second (and final) period in the chair, I can work with you all to make UWC even better known in the wider world and create new opportunities for more and more students to take advantage of what UWC can offer.

Tim Toyne Sewell, Chair

From the ChairOver the past few years I have tried to use this space to bring members of UWC up to date with what has been going on at the UWC Council and Board meetings but I am still surprised by how often I hear “But I didn’t know this or that was happening; how exciting!”

The adoption of a strategic plan is a hugely important moment for UWC, but its significance goes beyond a sense of direction for the next five years.

The new UWC strategic plan was adopted by the UWC Council and International Board at meetings at Pearson College in October, following 18 months’ work. The plan is of great significance because the planning period (2010-2015) covers UWC’s 50th anniversary, and yet it is the first time that such a plan has been in place for the organisation as a whole. The 2005 ‘vision objectives’ were a major step forward: the new plan takes organisational strategy to a different level.

That raises the question of why now? The most obvious answer is that the organisation is ready for it. It is absolutely clear that a strategic plan has to be for the organisation as a whole and its successful implementation will require a collective commitment from throughout UWC. In adopting the plan, we are sending the signal that this is feasible – a confidence underpinned by the prevailing belief that we will be stronger if we work together.

The strategic plan is also significant because it has been a test of UWC’s new governance model. In particular, the UWC Council was able to play precisely the sort of role envisaged for it. After detailed workshop discussions on a number of strategic themes at the inaugural UWC Council in February, and at the Global National Committee Meeting at the same time, a clear sense of priorities emerged; in fact, the outcomes from those discussions made the initial drafting of a plan relatively straightforward.

The planning process has been genuinely consultative, with input from around the movement. Some UWC constituencies consulted in great detail within their communities and the vast majority of the feedback was both positive and helped to strengthen the final drafts. The UWC Council

Strategic objectives• To ensure that UWC’s model of

education maintains relevance and becomes more widely known as an example of education for a peaceful and sustainable future.

• To extend UWC’s impact.

• To strengthen and develop the UWC National Committee system.

• To create a secure and sustainable financial and funding model.

• To increase awareness, recognition and understanding of UWC.

• To continue to strengthen organisational effectiveness and unity.

The full strategic plan and action plan are available on the UWC website – www.uwc.org/strategicplan/

The UWC Council and International Board were enormously grateful to Driek Desmet (AC 82-84) and his colleagues from McKinsey & Co who were invaluable throughout the strategic planning process.

was conscious of the degree to which this had been a collaborative exercise, reinforcing the idea of collective ownership.

Of course, the greatest significance of a strategic plan must be in its content. The aim is to give life to the UWC mission. That ambitious statement – UWC makes education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future – is its foundation stone. The plan must give life to the mission or both will be meaningless.

The plan aims to do this through 29 objectives grouped into six overall themes. The objectives are further broken down into 114 action points which represent the means

by which the strategic plan can be achieved. They are detailed points, and provide the steps – as many as eight or nine in some cases – necessary for each objective.

The strategic plan undoubtedly presents

UWC with a major challenge – but that’s the point. Some of the objectives will be particularly difficult: the biggest challenges are likely to be around developing a form of recognition or certification (a ‘UWC Diploma’), investigating and reforming UWC’s scholarship allocation model, improving our global profile and, of course, building greater financial security. However, the step-by step approach makes even these most challenging objectives attainable. On the other hand, if those steps lead to the conclusion that a certain objective is not feasible or desirable, then we will know that for sure.

Despite the very considerable challenges, I do not think we should be daunted by the volume or detail of the plan. Many action points draw into a strategy work which we already do, or formalise some of the directions in which we are already heading. We should be able to prioritise more effectively – perhaps to say ‘no’ more often – and to recognise that much of what we do forms a part of the bigger whole. Within the International Office, the strategic plan is already playing a role in our day-to-

day work, and this will continue as Colleges and National Committees incorporate the objectives into their work.

An immediate priority is to develop a system of monitoring – a ‘dashboard’ to use the current jargon. This must not become a major system in its own right, but it will be important to know how we are doing. The objectives will shape the agenda of the International Board while the annual UWC Council meeting will be an opportunity to review progress and to insert a degree of accountability. An effective monitoring regime will also mean that the strategic plan, especially the action plan, becomes a living document which can be adapted without losing the overall framework.

The strategic plan presents us with a direction and a challenge – in fact, 114 challenges! It will need a great collective commitment, but it will send the signal that UWC is looking ahead with conviction to the start of our next 50 years.

“the greatest significance of a strategic plan must be in its content. The aim is to give life to the UWC mission.” Keith Clark

Milestones in UWC-USA fundraising

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Fundraising

Welcome to UWCIO’s Director of Development

Steve Donato joined UWC as Director of Development, UWC International on 30 November 2009. Steve joins UWC from King’s Academy, Jordan where he was Director of Development based in New York.

Prior to his time at the King’s Academy, Steve was Executive Director for Institutional Advancement at Columbia University Teacher’s College, Vice President and COO at Helen

Keller Worldwide and Director of Major and Planned Gifts and then Executive Vice President at the American Lung Association.

The new Development function at the International Office is intended to help UWC reach new sources of funding that will be best approached at an international level. The function will also act as a hub for coordinating fundraising operations around the UWC organisation, and help to build professional and volunteer networks of UWC fundraisers as well as a stronger culture of fundraising throughout UWC.

“I am greatly looking forward to working with my many new colleagues at UWC. We have a deeply compelling mission and I am excited to have an opportunity to be able to contribute to this work. Certainly, the fundraising challenges ahead are not insignificant, however meeting those challenges is precisely why I am so excited to begin my work. I’m confident that together we will make real progress.”

Bertrand Kan (USA 82-84), a member of the first graduating class of UWC-USA, will be the first graduate of the school to fully-endow a scholarship. He made his commitment as part of the celebration of the 25-year reunion of his graduating class.

“Bertrand’s gift marks a turning point in how UWC-USA will be sustained for the future. His gift is exceptional in that he is leading the way for our graduates to help provide new and future generations with a UWC education,” says Lisa Darling, President of UWC- USA.

Originally from the Netherlands, Bertrand now works in London and is a newly-elected member of the Board of Trustees of UWC-USA. He was a scholarship recipient as a student and would like to provide the same opportunity to new UWC students of extraordinary merit.

“UWC has had an important impact on my life; it taught me how to live and work in a very international community, gave me a set of enduring friendships around the world and opened up opportunities that would otherwise not have been available to me,” says Bertrand. “I think that it is vital that those who understand the benefits of the UWC experience better than anyone else – our alumni – do what they can to make that experience possible for promising new students from around the world.”

Milestone in alumni Support

UWC-USA has received a generous legacy gift from an Arizonan couple who found out about UWC when they moved to New Mexico on their retirement and became involved in the local community.

John and Roz Pintek came to know UWC-USA through their volunteer work as Montezuma Castle guides for a community organisation that raises funds for and awareness about historic preservation.

When the Pinteks were considering their estate planning and philanthropy, they were attracted to the global mission of UWC and they also liked the idea of supporting global work in their ‘own backyard’.

“We worked hard, made sacrifices and have lived carefully to earn and preserve what we have and we want to leave it to a place that will put our assets to work for a greater good,” Roz comments. “Education was key to our success and we loved the idea of being able to help extend the opportunity of a great education to promising young people,” John adds.  “Long after we’re gone, we’ll be supporting kids from around the world as they learn to appreciate and communicate with each other.” Elizabeth Morse, Director of Development at UWC-USA says “The support of those who, like the Pinteks, remember UWC with bequests and life income gifts helps ensure the continued excellence of the UWC experience for generations of students to come.”

Philanthropy through planned giving

Montezuma castle, UWC-USA

Dialogue across the Seas Miguel Arrobas from the National Committee of Portugal has continued to raise funds for UWC by taking part in a number of swimming challenges. Following his success in the English Channel in 2008, which raised £1,000 for the NC, Miguel raised further funds in 2009 by swimming the Straits of Gibraltar in July and a swim in Tunisia in October. The Tunisian swim was part of the ‘Dialogue Across the Seas’ project – an intercultural exchange through sport between the countries of the Magreb. Miguel’s participation in the 2009 event has led to an invitation to be the European representative for the 2nd edition of the Dialogue Across the Seas Project for 2010. This swim, of around 90km, will take place in August 2010 and Miguel and Mariana Arrobas (AC 91-93, Secretary of the NC) plan to use the event and its synergies with UWC’s mission to continue to fundraise for UWC at the international level. Check www.uwc.org for updates nearer the time. Miguel after completing the channel swim.

London to ParisJane Caldwell, Fund Development Assistant at the UWC International Office cycled from London to Paris in October to raise funds for UWC scholarships. Jane and a friend have raised almost £1,000 in sponsorship to date. They cycled the 520km route in three days, having planned the route with assistance only from Google Maps. Jane says “I wanted to show my support for the many excellent fundraising volunteers around the organisation by getting out there and doing it myself, as well as to demonstrate that everyone has it in them to be a fundraiser. The only requirement is a bit of determination and not to be shy about asking people to support a great cause.” Jane hopes to complete a similar cycling challenge next year with a bigger team, not necessarily in the same global location. Any volunteer fundraisers up for the challenge are encouraged to get in touch at fundraising@uwc.org

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Across UWC, the ways in which the movement has made the world a better place in its 50 years of existence are often questioned and debated. This question can be looked at from many different perspectives. Some of the main focus points should be how we measure and quantify the ‘betterness’ of the world; whether we should look at the world as a whole or at each local community or country individually and, referring directly to our mission, how a UWC education has an impact on peace and sustainability. It is also important to ask whether our impact should focus on the individual – the UWC student – or on the impact UWC students can have on the lives of others.

Last February, during the Global National Committee Meeting (GNCM) in Swaziland, a workshop on the subject of ‘brain drain’ drew the attention of a large number of National Committee representatives from every region. As the discussion could only go on for a limited time at the meeting, a significant number of NC representatives – mostly from Africa, Latin America and the Middle East – felt the need to continue the discussion outside the workshop.

Many of us work passionately within the NC’s because we are committed to the UWC ideals; we believe in what we stand for and we strive to make this wonderful project flourish. We put our efforts in to trying to find the best suitable candidates from our countries, seeing this not just as a service to those individuals, but as a long-term investment and a way to

improve our own societies as well. However, what brought us all to the discussion table during the GNCM and later on our mailing forum, was the growing feeling that it is becoming harder for us to pick those fruits, as they tend more and more to ripen outside our gardens.

This isn’t the first time that NCs have expressed their preoccupation about sending young (potential) leaders to a UWC who then do not return to their home countries, thus draining those countries of one of their most important assets: human capital. While reading these lines, some may

disregard this claim, since ‘brain drain’ is not a phenomenon unique to the UWC movement. Indeed, the flight of human capital from developing countries to developed ones has been a global concern for many decades, and represents one of the major development constrains in many regions of the developing world. Even though the causes for this extend well beyond UWC, usually having more to do with the realities of the source regions and the opportunities offered by recipient countries, as a global movement committed

to peace and a sustainable future we cannot avoid asking ourselves whether we are contributing to this problem, or if we could at least be doing something to offset it.

The issue of ‘brain drain’ may be looked at as yet another normal consequence of globalisation. Those who are advantaged in terms of skills and education will seek the best professional opportunities available to them. This is normally where resources are abundant and for many UWC students, this description does not fit their home countries. Sadly, UWC

seems to feed this trend: Colleges take pride in the number of students admitted to top universities in the US or the UK, and many students, staff and graduates are concerned that there is too much emphasis placed on personal academic achievement compared to the other components of a UWC education. The entry requirements for prestigious universities in the more privileged parts of the world are rising, the IB programme is increasingly demanding, and the Colleges, wishing to support their students with the best opportunities, push them to excel in their academic life. As a result, on arriving at UWC, students quickly adopt a fixation with grades and college applications; they forget that they applied to a UWC for a different purpose, and that a UWC education is not a merit-based personal prize, but a chance and a responsibility to strengthen their potential as leaders in their communities.

Many times, when we’re asked about what our students do after UWC, we hear ourselves explaining that the pursuit of a career abroad is because of a lack of competitive universities, high unemployment or poor working conditions back at home. When students receive significant scholarships to attend university abroad, then they really ‘hit the jackpot’, as they will have a top education and will prosper professionally and financially, in a way they wouldn’t be able to in their home countries. What we fail to answer, however, is how the developing countries are supposed to ever achieve economic growth and improved academic competitiveness when their human capital continues to be drained. It is often argued that alumni will stay abroad for further education and training, and then return when they are older and have more to offer their home country. Although this does happen, the truth is that many never go back. Another argument is that alumni abroad contribute to their home economies through sending money to their families or supporting projects in their communities, but the impact of this support, although highly valued, does not replace the loss of knowledge and skills suffered by the source countries. We believe that we must be more critical about our role

in this matter. We see the appeal for students in being accepted to a top university in the US or the UK but, should we not put more, or at least equal effort on nurturing our students’ commitment to their roots? Should we not encourage them to reconnect with the place and people they left at the age of 16, and use their UWC experience to make a positive difference to their communities?

It is also often argued that in some cases it is difficult, or even impossible, for students to go back home, as they come from areas affected by armed conflict, extreme poverty, gender inequality, corruption, discrimination, etc. But the question that came up during our meetings was: hasn’t this been an excuse for too long now? As NCs, our communities trust us with their most important assets – young people who can be potential leaders in their communities – in exchange for a promise, and we have a responsibility to keep that promise. So when the fact that a country is victim of conflict or inequality is reason enough for the students not to return, we fail that community; and the harm is even greater, since we contribute to the loss of leadership where it is needed the most. We believe that, after 50 years of educating students from around the world, we should have had a stronger, more positive impact on those developing countries. We should constantly remind ourselves that UWC is meant to be a force for change and encourage those students to be that change – working towards breaking the cycle of poverty and inequality that drove them to leave in the first place. Instead, by using the same excuses for so many decades, we seem to be fostering the opposite attitude.

On a more institutional level, the issue of ‘brain drain’ also affects the movement directly. There is a growing trend for National Committees to seek local funding for scholarships, but in our experience we find it hard to recruit local donors and we believe local donors in developing countries are reluctant to invest in a scholarship for one student without an

assurance that the donation will also bring benefits to that country.

Another issue which has a great influence on the NC’s themselves is that as alumni are returning at a decreasing rate, the same graduates remain involved in the committee for longer. This leads to exhaustion in the scope of activities and reduces levels of

motivation of members to the minimum needed to operate, or less.

The question then remains: what can we do about this, if we agree that we should do something? It is no secret that the writers of this article feel that action must be taken on this matter, by all of us who comprise this big

movement. However, it is equally important to emphasise that we are not condemning those who choose to go to Harvard or wish to work in finance rather than volunteer in an orphanage. One of the ideals of UWC is to embrace diversity and respect differences; we strongly support such practice, and think each should do as they believe is right for them. We do not wish to measure each individual’s personal contribution to making a better world, nor do we state that we ourselves embody the idealistic life of the UWC graduate. Having said that, we feel that, as an organisation that aims, as stated in the new strategic plan, ‘to produce UWC graduates each year who, through their own action and personal example, can become leaders in their communities and demonstrate their commitment to making a positive difference in the world’, ‘brain drain’ is something that we should be concerned about, and our responsibility for it something we should strive to minimise.

Firstly, we feel that as NC’s, we should look for commitment in our applicants and continue to nurture that commitment during their preparation to attend a UWC, their time at the College and after they graduate. We should reinforce the idea that being awarded a UWC scholarship implies a responsibility, and remind students how important they are to our communities. There are already examples

By National Committee members Laura Carone (WK 02-03) from Argentina and Dafna Herzberg (USA 00-02) from Israel.

The ‘brain drain’ debate

“This isn’t the first time that NCs have expressed their preoccupation about sending young leaders to UWC who then do not return to their home countries.“

“We should constantly remind our selves that UWC is meant to be a force for change and encourage students to be that change.“

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of NCs doing this. The Israeli NC holds a two-day preparation seminar every year, where future students attend different lectures and workshops but more importantly, take part in an open discussion with NC members about the importance of activism and what the NC expects from them during their time in UWC and after. Another good example is that of the Angolan NC, which this year accompanied their selected students through a six month process of preparation before they set off to the Colleges, consisting of debates on ‘brain drain’ and social commitment. This resulted in an oral history project where they interviewed grandparents and elders about their memories of war and colonial times. The process culminated with the students making a public commitment to each other that they would return to their country after their studies.

Secondly, we feel that the Colleges themselves could help by promoting the idea of going back and making an impact at home, and not only from a distance by making financial contributions. A good way to do this is to allow students to think of ways they could apply what they learn at UWC to the realities they face at home, tailoring learning to suit the particular needs of their communities and fostering intercultural networking to better tackle those needs. The classroom is one of the settings for this, as any subject in the IB syllabus has room for stirring the discussion of ‘local’ issues and can provide food for thought to generate collaborative solutions.

After all, how many times do you get to perform ‘The Island’ next to a South African, learn about military coups in the history class you share with a Honduran or about inflation in the economics class you share with a Zimbabwean, or discuss free elections with an Iranian or climate change with a Maldivian? Outside the classroom, project weeks could be oriented to identifying issues

from home and designing, by cooperating with your friends from different cultures and with different experiences, initiatives that address such issues.

The Colleges might also reconsider the preference given to universities in the

richer parts of the world, and balance the scale by informing students about applying to local universities with the same passion, or supporting a ‘gap year’ back home before university, emphasising the importance of reconnecting with family, friends and their local communities.

Lastly, we hope the organisation will reflect upon these questions while reexamining itself with the approaching 50th anniversary. Do we still represent the same ideals we have become known for? Is it still our aspiration to promote the bettering of the world as a whole, or has it become enough to improve the lives of the individual students who have the privilege to attend our schools? Are we still a unique and idealistic educational organisation or have we become another ‘prep-school’ for the future ‘rich and successful’?

The Social Commitment Task ForceThe Social Commitment Task Force was set up following the workshop on ‘brain drain’ held during the Global National Committee Meeting in February 2009.

The group’s main objectives were to reflect on the problem of brain drain, explore the reasons for it and suggest possible solutions.

The Social Commitment Task Force is now exploring the issue of brain drain from a broader perspective with the mission of helping UWC restore the social commitment component. We aim to do this by:

• Stirring the debate

• Reflecting on the mission and aims of the movement and revisiting our success so far

• Nurturing students’ and graduates’ sense of social commitment by:

• Providing local opportunities and increasing awareness as NCs

• Working with the International Board’s National Committee Development Committee (NCDC) to support initiatives from the Colleges and other NCs.

At the Latin America and Caribbean Regional Meeting in March 2010, the Task Force will be presenting its work to the NCs present and discussing future plans, including the development of a UWC-wide alumni survey. If you are interested in contributing to the debate please email: socialcommitment@uwc.org

“The classroom can provide food for thought to generate collaborative solutions. “

Halimatou Hima Moussa Dioula (USA 04-06) from Niger is a senior at Wellesley College, USA and is involved in the Harambe Initiative.

My school counselor back in Niger was not too thrilled about my departure. “The bright ones leave and never come back,” he said. The biggest tragedy, I thought, was that we were poor. Yet upon joining the UWC, I realised that although poverty was indeed a problem, even more disconcerting was the fact that the majority of those who could do something about it were not doing much. With my various UWC experiences came the understanding that it was my responsibility to be part of the change that I wanted to see. So when I came across Harambe Endeavor through my sophomore year at Wellesley College, I was thrilled at the opportunity of working with fellow African students on trying to think

differently about the challenges our continent faces. I am now a founding member of an alliance seeking to capture, inform and engage Africa’s global intellectual capital in a sustained, strategic and concerted development of Sub-Saharan African. In its inaugural year, our alliance formed ten country teams that worked in collaboration with students in African universities. In April we hosted our second annual symposium, which serves as a marketplace of ideas and a platform to solidify our actions. Interestingly, many Harambe members are UWC alumni. There is a need to set up a system that would support or facilitate the engagement of UWC alumni in their home countries. It would be naïve to deny the problem of ‘brain drain’, but with some inventiveness, boldness, and cooperation, one can truly transform it into ‘brain gain’.

Maria Vargas (MI 98-00) from Costa Rica is currently completely her Master’s thesis in Paris, France. She previously worked as an Advocacy and Protection Officer for the Danish Refugee Council in Hargeisa, Somaliland.

I believe in the general social commitment of the UWC movement and at Mahindra UWC I strongly felt that people were committed to give back to society – which ever one it was. I say whichever one because I also strongly believe that to give back – to help out or to be socially committed you do not necessarily have to be bound by national frontiers and issues of national identity.

The UWC experience gave me the courage to not be afraid – to seek challenges and to work every day for what I believe in – that ended up being on the other side of the globe from where I grew up yet I do not feel more or less merit in which country people seek to engage in – as long as they engage.

The biggest challenge I see in terms of UWC and ‘brain-drain’– people never returning to their own countries – is not the fact that people do not return but the fact that not enough graduates engage in anything socially after

UWC. Even if you never returned home to ‘give back to your own society’ you could give to others and yet this seems to happen very little. Sometimes it seems that the social commitment we gained at UWC vanished the moment we left. I don’t believe that it would be fair to say that students from developing countries have to return to their own countries to help out because that somehow discriminates – what about the students that come from the developed world – should they just return home then? What happens to people that come from war zones, or people that simply do not want to go back for personal reasons? I would strongly contend that it is not about location – whether you are living where you were born, in a neighbouring country or across the globe – it is about commitment and engaging in the society that surrounds you.

Although UWC gives you a lot of understanding on social issues and how the world works – very little is done to make you continue on these lines when you leave. In my experience, there is an over emphasis on university education and not enough counselling on how people could continue social engagement after they graduate, wherever they may end up.

Perspectives on the debate

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Marlborough,” explains Lisa, “and limited diversity on the teaching staff.

“We talked a lot inside and outside class about diversity – some of the students had never been taught by a black teacher – and I think that many of the teachers were also excited to have someone so different among them.”

Lisa says she learnt a great deal from her mentor at Marlborough, Lavinia Ford, and felt that during her exchange she developed as a teacher. “I was exposed to some new ideas which I have tried to implement since I got back. I really enjoyed meeting the Marlborough sixth formers out of class, when we read plays together and had a meal, and this is something I’ve done with my IBs since I returned to Waterford. We also had a junior poetry evening at Marlborough which we will hopefully do here at some point.”

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world…

While Lisa was experiencing life as a teacher in England, Marlborough Head of English (and now Head of Upper School) Richard Lamont was nearly 6,000 miles away in Swaziland living the UWC experience at Waterford.

Richard had approached Waterford about the possibility of an exchange because he was keen to have first-hand experience of the IB Diploma programme before it was introduced at Marlborough College. Richard found teaching the IGCSE and IB programmes at Waterford “hugely stimulating”.

“At first I had to train my ear to the countless accents in the classroom and train my tongue to the plethora of unpronounceable names,” he says. “On the teaching front, I was really tested as I had one IB set which included 16 Ethiopians with varying levels of English, alongside a Norwegian, a Finn and a Turk – and was asked to teach So Long a Letter, a novel originally written in Senegalese French!”

Richard was impressed by how hard both students and teachers work at Waterford. “Students are neither force- nor spoon-fed, and with the IB programme there is a genuine hunger for learning, he says. “What the classroom experience showed me was that IB English is challenging and exciting to teach, and that the overall IB programme is very robust.

“I also found Sue Bradshaw – at the time Waterford’s Head of English and now in the same role at UWCSEA – hugely inspirational. In fact, I think being able to spend time with her was mutually beneficial: I picked her brains about the IB system, and she was keen to learn about the challenges of leading a much larger English department, as I do in England and she was about to do in Singapore.”

During his time at Waterford, Richard also

found much to admire in the Community Service programme. “I was in charge of a CommServe called Ward 8, a children’s ward

in a government hospital that was a forgotten room of orphans, the abandoned and children with cerebral palsy,” he says. “Our job was to take them to the park or swimming pool to try to sprinkle a little weekly magic.”

Richard returned to Marlborough and its

exciting period of academic change inspired by his time at Waterford and determined to provide “a more global and diverse perspective for our pupils”. I sincerely hope that we can set up a formal partnership and establish student exchanges with Waterford,” he says. “Two of our graduates, Tom Whelan and Kate Eccles, are spending this term at Waterford as assistants; and we are hoping to offer ‘Marlburians’ the experience of Community Service projects at Waterford.” Marlborough has also bought wheelchairs for the children of Ward 8 with money raised last year at a student-run ‘Illumination’ concert. “Waterford offers students and teachers remarkable and life-changing experiences,” says Richard. “I returned to Marlborough with fresh expectations of my school and my pupils.”

“Waterford offers students and teachers remarkable and life-changing experiences. I returned home with fresh expectations of my school and my pupils.” Richard Lamont

Exchange of ideas

cont. over

Exchanges, whether teacher or student focussed, are likely to become more important across the organisation as UWC strives to ensure that its educational model maintains relevance and becomes more widely known. Working with partners from outside UWC is a way of introducing new perspectives and approaches, and UWC teachers and students testify that spending time in other settings expands their horizons, allowing them to return to their Colleges with renewed vigour and greater insight.

Below we profile two very different exchanges, one between Waterford Kamhlaba UWC in Swaziland and Marlborough College in the UK, and the other between Red Cross Nordic UWC in Norway and the Laski School for the Blind in Poland.

Teacher Exchange Waterford Kamhlaba UWC English teacher Lisa Mbuli’s term at Marlborough College in the UK was truly a mutually beneficial experience. Marlborough College, which was preparing to introduce the IB, was able to benefit from Lisa’s (and UWC’s) experience of teaching the IB Diploma, while Marlborough’s 166-year history as a leading independent school gave Lisa an insight into a completely different type of educational establishment and reaffirmed her commitment to teaching.

“What I went through was a very personal journey,” says Lisa. “I was away from those I love, away from what makes me comfortable. I had to live a life without braais, Fanta Grape, the sun…”

However, Lisa says that she learnt a great deal, both about herself and about teaching. “I learnt that I am a strong, independent woman who can embrace her ‘Africanness’ and talk about it

proudly – who can teach Shakespeare, Keats and Milton as well as anyone but can also, more importantly, communicate the significance of texts from this continent.”

She taught the ‘Cambridge Pre-U’ syllabus to two Lower Sixth classes (the equivalent of IB1), and chose Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions, Athol Fugard’s The Island and Shakespeare’s Othello as her texts.

“All three texts allowed me discuss issues of race, class, religion, tolerance and intolerance, peace, intercultural understanding, and ideas of community – all the things I think an education should be about,” says Lisa. “I

think the students were interested in my lessons – they said nice things when I left, anyway! – and they particularly loved Nervous Conditions.”

She was able to talk to both teachers and students about the diversity to be found at Waterford and about the potential of education to be a force to unite people. “There was only one black student and a small number of Asian students at

“We talked a lot inside and outside class about diversity – some of the students had never been taught by a black teacher – and I think that many of the teachers were also excited to have someone so different among them.” Lisa Mbuli

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Left to right: Showing the Laski students round campus at RCNUWC, Lisa Mbuli Marlborough College, Richard Lamont at Waterford’s Community Service Ward 8.

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In her first year at UWCSEA, Filli got involved with XS project, an organsation which supports rubbish pickers and their families in Jakarta, Indonesia by paying up to six times the typical rate for rubbish collected and offering employment and training to recycle the rubbish into attractive products. Filli went on to develop what started as a school exhibition project into a successful fundraising endeavour.

“I got involved with the XS Project in grade 5 at UWCSEA”, recalls Filli. “This was during our exhibition which explored Global Warming, entitled ‘1 Degree of Change’, referring to Climate Change and what a huge effect it has on the earth. We worked on it for about two months, and after conducting research to find a sub topic that we felt strongly for or were interested in, we were put into small groups. My group focused on ‘Eco Products’. I decided to do ‘Eco Packaging’ because our extensive use of non-biodegradable plastic bags particularly worried me.”

At around that time Filli noticed people carrying colourful, recycled bags and pencil cases and some investigation led her to the XS Project. “After reading a lot about the organisation, I emailed Hanis Hussey, the person in charge of XS in Singapore, to enquire about the possibility of selling or raising money for the charity at the exhibition. After many emails, calls and meetings, I

managed to set up my stall with many XS Project products and provided lots of information about the organisation.

“I would have never expected such a big demand for the products. Mainly, I wanted to raise awareness about our planet, global warming, our excess amount of trash, and most importantly, the unfortunate people who don’t have enough money for education, food and other life necessities. I was pleasantly surprised by how so many people were so interested in what I had to say and the products I was selling” says Filli. Sales at the exhibition raised $S1000 (US$ 724) in two days. “At the time, it seemed like an unbelievable amount to me, and I was so excited that I had managed to raise so much money.” However, this was just the start of the project, and Filli has gone on to raise a further $S6000 (US$4350). “Throughout grade 5 and 6, I helped Hanis at fairs, raising more money and awareness for the cause,” she explains.

At UWCSEA, service activities are split to three categories – college, local (within Singapore) and global, of which their Global Concerns programme is an important part. All

students are involved in a local service activity, and students get involved with the global concerns programme from early years through fundraising, activities and environmental initiatives.

Now in grade 7, Filli is involved in the College service HIPS (Helping In Primary School), “A main aim of the service is to bring the junior school students together, forming tight friendships and to have fun” explains Filli. She is also involved in the Global Concerns programme ‘Tabitha’, an NGO empowering Cambodian families to improve their lives through a variety of projects. Filli is also hoping to join a house building trip through Global Concerns next year. “One of the main things that I have learned from the great selection of services at UWCSEA is how incredibly, incredibly lucky I am to have a safe home, a caring family, enough money to survive, food and drinking water. I constantly remind myself of this, and I think that more people should do so.”

One of Filli’s other great passions is sport. “At UWC, I play on the basketball and netball teams. I love that sport is such a big part of UWCSEA because it is such a big part of me.” Filli is also keen on watersports, doing wake-boarding and waterskiing out of school, so she was excited to have the opportunity to try sailing on the grade 6 class expedition to Pulau Tioman, in Malaysia. “I thought it was

amazing to be far out in the ocean, with only your partner for help with who you have to properly communicate and use team work to sail. It was really great to be put on-the-spot with no previous sailing experience.”

“The thing that I most definitely enjoy most

about being at UWCSEA is the amazing opportunities one is given. Whether it be the services, the broad range of activities, the lessons, the adventurous trips or the different people, all with different nationalities and personalities, I really enjoy everything. The opportunities at UWCSEA are endless, and everyone is given the chance to take or make opportunities for themselves, and I think that is so important.”

“One of the main things that I have learned from service at UWCSEA is how incredibly lucky I am to have a safe home, a caring family, enough money to survive, food and drinking water.”

Student profile: Felicitas FilsingerFelicitas Filsinger (Filli) is a grade 7 student at UWCSEA. She is German but has grown up in Singapore. She previously attended primary school at the German European School Singapore (GESS) and moved to UWCSEA along with her twin sister Ricarda at the start of grade 5.

Student ExchangeA very different type of ‘educational’ experience is offered by a student exchange operating at Red Cross Nordic UWC.

Each October, 12 RCNUWC students travel to the Laski School for the Blind in Poland as part of their Project Based Learning programme, and each April, 12 Laski students come to Norway. The initiative is subsidised by Youth In Action, the EC Youth Exchange Programme.

“The project is called Awareness of Blindness, and the name encapsulates the essence of the experience for our students,” explains Kip Summer, who, together with fellow maths teacher Paulina Szymczak, travels to Poland every year with the group.

“They soon get past the objective concept of blindness, and find themselves relating to the person who happens to be blind. Riding a tandem bicycle together for a few hours over forest paths, watching a film together and discussing it afterwards, talking about aspirations for the future, going shopping together – these are the experiences that help our students become aware that blind young

people think of themselves as remarkably able, as indeed they are.”

The Polish students are keen to practise their English with the RCNUWC students, and Kip has observed that attempts to communicate are invariably a good ice-breaker and produce plenty of shared laughter and enjoyment. “Interaction with our students gives them a different window on the world, and coming here to Norway presents them with a whole range of possible

experiences,” he says. “They want to do rock-climbing. They want to go kayaking on the fjord. They want to use the water slide. They want to go fishing. Everything that we do they want to do.”

RCNUWC student Lucia Michelazzo Ceroni (Argentina) says that she soon realised how similar both groups of young people were. “In Argentina there is not that much integration, and therefore it is easy to have a mistaken idea of what it means to be blind at a social level. Sharing the Laski students’ normal lifestyle in Poland allowed me to see that they are just like us.”

Laski student Michael Filochowski says that he really enjoyed his trip to Norway in 2008.

“Talking with people at the College and getting to know students my age was my favourite thing as I was able to make new friends.” Michael Filochowski

“The students in Norway made us all feel very welcome. I tried for the first time ever to rock-climb, which I found very cool. I also kayaked in the fijord – and, luckily, I didn’t fall into the water like one of my friends did three times!”

There have also been positive spin-offs to the exchange programme; RCNUWC student Tangut Degfay (Ethiopia), who visited Laski last October, spent the whole of her Christmas holiday at the school as a volunteer. But perhaps the most important outcome of the exchanges is the lasting friendships that are forged. “Talking with people at the College and getting to know students my age was my favourite thing as I was able to make new friends,” says Michael.

Exchange of ideas continued

RCNUWC and Laski students on the recent trip to the Laski School in Poland.

Laski students on campus at RCNUWC.

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Deniz Vatansever (USA 04-06) from Turkey is majoring in neuroscience at Trinity College, Connecticut, USA.

He recently organised a health care project in his home town of Bursa, Turkey, partnering with the University of Uludag Medical School. “UWC-USA was the first step in my educational journey which gave me the opportunity to observe and embrace different cultures in a

variety of settings that ranged from caring for the elderly at the Las Vegas Medical Centre and leading wilderness trips to taking part in Peace Jams. With the mission of promoting international peace, we were educated to become future leaders and activists who were brave enough to take initiatives for the betterment of humanity. Following this ideology, I proposed the ‘DocDoors’ projects with the goal of creating a healthy environment for the children of tomorrow who will become the future promoters of global peace. We held educational sessions, performed health screenings for more than 500 primary school children, and created a fully equipped health clinic and nurses office.” Go to www.uwc.org/deniz/ to read more.

Snapshot: Other graduates from the ‘noughties’ passionate about volunteering.

Nathania (Tanya) Aritao (CR 06-08) from the Philippines is studying studio art at Wheaton College, Massachusetts, USA and has set up the NGO Buhay Makulay Children’s Project Inc.

“Although I was already involved in community service

while growing up in the Philippines, my experience at UWC inspired me to take my outreach to the next level by establishing my own non-profit organisation. Through the Buhay Makulay Children’s Project Inc, I am able to serve children and youth at risk in the Philippines, through creative programs executed in partnership with local NGOs. Our latest project, the 12 Gifts of Christmas, is a fundraising initiative to bring hope and joy, in the form of Christmas packages, to families affected by the recent devastating typhoons that affected millions of Filipinos.” www.buhaymakulay.org or email tanya@buhaymakulay.org

Irma Husic (BiH 06-08) from Bosnia and Herzegovina is a second year student of the Department of Communications at Dzemal Bjedic University in Mostar, her hometown.

“I still share my UWC experience with my friend and classmates. I still feel the need to help people and to improve my community. Presently, I am volunteering in a local TV station, and with children in secondary schools. UWC was certainly the most amazing and inspiring experience in my life. At the beginning I felt insecure about becoming a part of the UWC-IB initiative in Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, I took a risk and decided to apply. Not

only do I not regret this decision, I can also claim that it was the best decision I have ever made. I spent two amazing years with people from around the world, sharing my experiences, problems and hopes with them. I learnt how to be a leader, how to help people, and the most important, I learnt how to appreciate people, judging them on their personal values regardless of their national, political, religious, racial or sexual orientation.”

Tay Yu Shan (RCN 05-07) from Singapore is studying law at King’s College, London, UK where she is involved with a university society which gives free legal advice to students and the local community.

In 2008 she spent six months in Thailand working on a community development volunteer project, part of Red Cross Nordic UWC’s volunteer programme.

“Before going to UWC, the idea of volunteering abroad never occurred

to me. I had assumed that I would go through the usual route in Singapore from secondary school through to university, all at home. However, after arriving at UWC and being exposed to the vibrancy of different cultures and nationalities, the idea started to become more and more attractive. One of the most compelling reasons for me to take up volunteering was the need to give back to society after having received a scholarship. Looking back, it was an extremely challenging period. I was exposed to a whole different world, a society vastly different from the one I had come from or was used to, and this served as a grave reminder not to take what I had for granted, and to continually strive towards a better future.”

Yahor recently returned to Belarus and is studying for an MA in interpretation and conservation of cultural-historical heritage at the European Humanities University in Vilnius, Lithuania. Whilst at the University – Yahor has launched a new social service initiative (based on UWC’s model of service) for the student community, bringing part of the UWC experience to a wider group of people.

In 2007/08 Yahor spent a year as a volunteer at Adriatic College, motivated by a desire to contribute to the life of the College. He assisted on various activities including ceramics, art, sailing and cross-country skiing and was a supervisor of a social service working with people with disabilities. “Being a graduate of the College helped me to create a plan of what I wanted to contribute to the community in this new role. I think one of my main achievements was a small exhibition project which was displayed at the 25th Anniversary events in Rome and Milan. My idea was to make an appeal to graduates and members of the wider UWC community to send a postcard from wherever they were living to commemorate the Anniversary, and we received an overwhelming response”,

he says. Yahor believes graduates could be more involved in the development of their Colleges: “Many graduates have wonderfully creative ideas for improving each college and want to contribute. Volunteering can be one way to contribute but I think it would be great to collect all these ideas to form a sort of ideas bank.”

Yahor is currently the secretary of the National Committee of Belarus and has been a member since graduating. “In our Committee graduates are enthusiastic to get involved and are given a lot of responsibility to nominate new students to UWC. Last year, three graduates were involved and it worked really well”, he explains. In 2007 he played a key role in a partnership between the NC, Adriatic College and an Italian NGO to secure a scholarship for a Belarusian student from the area of the country contaminated by radioactivity as a result of the Chernobyl disaster. “Just before I started volunteering at Adriatic College, I found out about the work of this organisation, which twins the cities of Granarolo dell’Emilia in the Bologna region and Vetka in Belarus and arranges for

Italian families to host children from the contaminated area in holidays”, he explains. I was fascinated by their work, and as these programmes are only for younger children, I thought it might be possible to extend this by offering a special scholarship for a student to attend UWC.” The NC made contact with the group in Italy, and Yahor arranged for them to visit the College. “At Adriatic they were introduced

to the UWC educational philosophy and expressed a wish to offer this special scholarship. I am very proud that we were able to offer this opportunity. As well as

the benefit to the student, it meant that we were able to extend our promotion of UWC to areas with limited social infrastructure which are contaminated by radioactivity.”

Yahor has continued to take a very active role in National Committee work; in November 2009 he was a member of the organising group at the European Regional Meeting and is involved in a NC pilot for the Need Based Scholarship research project. [more on this project will follow in United World, May 2010]

The NC of Belarus works closely with its neighbouring NCs in Poland and Lithuania and Yahor feels this is an important dimension of the NCs work. “I find our regional cooperation between Lithuanian, Polish and Belarusian NCs is very beneficial. Our countries have a common history and our cooperation is important for us in many ways.” The most recent cross- Committee collaboration was the Short Course ‘Living in Peace with the Past and our Neighbours’, which took place in August 2009 in Lithuania. Yahor was one of two activity leaders, along with second year Adriatic Ieva Dudaite, from Lithuania. “I think it was a great team. The cultural and visiting programme of the Short Course was so intense and diverse so there was a little space for implementing more didactical tasks, but the spirit of the UWC was definitely recreated. I think these initiatives are a great way to extend the UWC mission.”

“Many graduates have wonderfully creative ideas for improving each college and want to contribute.”

Graduate Profile: Yahor SurskiSince graduating from UWC in 2003 Yahor Surski (AD 01-03) from Belarus has demonstrated his ongoing commitment to the organisation through a number of volunteering opportunities. Yahor has been involved with the National Committee of Belarus since 2003, spent a year as a volunteer at UWC Adriatic and in August 2009, was an activity leader on the recent Short Course in Lithuania.

The August 2009 Short Course in Lithuania.

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Students from Sierra Leone, Madagascar and Peru studying at Red Cross Nordic UWC, inspired by the example of a former student, are helping provide educational opportunities in their home countries.

Red Cross Nordic UWC’s student SAFUGE (Saving the Future Generations) initiative, is an extension of the work of Joseph Kaifala (RCN 02-04) from Sierra Leone. The project is entirely student run, offering members the opportunity to propose projects in their home countries to be designed, managed and executed by the students themselves when they return home for the holidays.

Joseph set up SAFUGE to raise funds so that he could return to Sierra Leone in his summer holidays to help children living in a camp for amputees in the capital Freetown. “Later, members of the group chose to assist the Cheshire School in Freetown, which helps former child soldiers and children maimed by war to rebuild their lives,” he explains. Current student Alim Kaloko organised the most recent project, building a new playground and a football pitch with help from the community and recent graduate Prince Moses (RCN 07-09), who had organised the project the previous year.

SAFUGE has now extended its work to other countries. Members of the group put forward proposals for projects that they want to carry out, and the group votes to choose which ones it wants to support. In 2008 Danamona Andrianarimanana (RCN 06-08) from Madagascar had her proposal to refurbish a local school accepted and organised painting, tiling and redecorating.

This year, she bought maps, abacuses and books, and worked with parents and local people to help construct a toilet block for pupils and teachers. “I now intend to set up a SAFUGE chapter at Harvard to have a canteen and a sports facility built in the school,” says Danamona.

Maria Luisa Zeta Valladolid (Peru) successfully put forward a proposal to help create a library in a school in her country. “One of the greatest challenges when I was at school in Peru was the lack of books,” says Maria Luisa. “In my secondary school we did not have a proper library, and that really held back our academic performance. “When I got to know that ‘School 14997’ had no library at all, I felt that those children were missing something invaluable for their education. This is the reason why I wanted to start a library there.”

An increasing number of first years are involved in SAFUGE, including ‘friends’ of the group, who help with fundraising, reflecting the fact that many students want to give something back as soon as they begin their UWC education. First year Irina Giri (Nepal) is an active member. “What we do here sometimes feels like an indirect way of helping, but coming from a developing country, I have an idea of what schools that lack even the most basic resources are like and I want to help in whatever way possible to improve the conditions of schools that are not as privileged as we are, she says.” SAFUGE members and friends undertake

fundraising both on and off campus in order to raise money for their projects. This ranges from running cafes and used clothing sales to jobs such as house and barn cleaning, snow-shovelling, farm work, painting and wood-cutting in the local community.

“In SAFUGE we work as a team, so it doesn’t matter where a project is taking place

or who is leading it – we are all actively involved in the fundraising and in the development of the projects,” says Simoneta Suarez (Spain), who works closely with other interested students to support the work of the group. “When I look at the time and energy SAFUGE

members have put into raising money to help people in a part of the world that they don’t even know, I was ready to do anything to make my project a successful one,” says Alim.

The group is proud that SAFUGE is extending its work to other countries and is committed to continue to support three projects each year. The Sierra Leone and Peru projects will continue in 2010 and first year students will put forward new proposals for a third project. Tea Dejanović (Bosnia and Herzegovina) plans to present a proposal. “I believe that young generations are the force that can change the world with small actions. I want to help children who really need it through concrete actions and that is the thing that I appreciate the most in SAFUGE.”

Young people from the Saharawi refugee camps in Algeria and from seven other countries took part in UWC’s conflict resolution programme in the UK in August to explore conflict resolution in the context of the Western Sahara conflict.

It’s good to talk… This belief underpins the work of Talk Together, a UWC partner programme that seeks to bring together young people from regions experiencing conflict to discuss their differences, learn conflict resolution skills, and explore ways in which the future can be improved. To stimulate wider public debate, a fly-on-the-wall film tracks the whole process. The first programme, Talk Together 2009, focused on Western Sahara and was organised by Andrew Brown (PC 81-83), in partnership with Red Cross Nordic UWC.

Senia Abderahman (RCN 04-06) jumped at the opportunity to be involved. “I was born and grew up as a Saharawi refugee in the camps near Tindouf in Algeria. While I was at RCNUWC, I had the honour to be part of establishing the Nordic-Saharawi Exchange Programme there [United World, September 2009],” she says. “I decided to apply for Talk Together as an opportunity to meet and learn from other young people, both Moroccans and non-Moroccans, and to tell them my story. Talking to other people was certainly the most enlightening part of the whole experience. It challenged me to think outside my comfort zone; and, although other people’s reactions and views did make me frustrated at times, it was also constructive for my personal growth – especially as a young Saharawi.”

22 participants, including Saharawi students from the refugee camps and their peers from neutral countries including the UK, Norway,

Sweden, Denmark, Spain, Israel and the Philippines, took part. Seven Moroccan and six Saharawi students due to take part were unable to participate because they were prevented from travelling to the UK by the Moroccan authorities. Official representatives of the Moroccan government also withdrew from the programme, and, although two UK based Moroccans were secured as speakers at the last minute, the lack of Moroccan participation had a major impact on the programme’s objectives and its ability to bring together the various perspectives.

Senia, like all the participants, was disappointed that the Moroccan and Western Saharan students were unable to participate “The absence of our fellow participants from Morocco and the occupied territory made the programme lack a special flavour that it would have had if they had been able to come,” she says.

Fiona Foulkes from Watford, UK, another student who took part in Talk Together, felt that the absence of the Moroccan and Western Saharan delegates highlighted from the start that “this is a very real conflict”. “We dealt with their absence by actively trying to learn more about the Moroccan perspective and by keeping it in mind when we were learning about the Saharawi view,” she says.

Andrew Brown agrees that the absence of a properly represented Moroccan perspective made things difficult.

“We achieved the first two parts of the project: to bring young people together and to give them the intellectual tools to address conflict issues in a constructive way,” he says. “However, with two-thirds of the participants being European, it was inappropriate to try to achieve the third goal – to consider new possible solutions to the conflict.”

Negotiations are now under way with the Moroccan government (and all other interest groups) about having a second phase of the programme, to include the full range of different perspectives.

“In the second phase we would plan to build on where the participants got to in the first stage, but with the full involvement of Moroccan participants and presentations from the Moroccan government or NGOs. We would then be able to say to participants, ‘Given your greater understanding, given all the different perspectives, given the language of constructive engagement you have been learning, how could the future be different?’ That will make for a truly interesting film, and

should be something politicians will listen to.”

Fiona, who is now at Oxford University, was pleased that even phase one of the programme led to increased public awareness of the Western Sahara issue. Participants drew up plans for projects including gaining more media coverage, organising visits to the refugee camps and creating an online forum for both Moroccan and Saharawi youths to share their experiences.

“I’ve also tried to do my bit by having three articles about the Talk Together programme published,” says Fiona. “I gave a speech at my school, and I’ve also talked about the issue a lot with people here at Oxford.”

However, there remains much to do, and Senia for one says it would be an honour to participate in the second phase of the programme. “It remains my dream to meet a young Moroccan and to hear their perspective of the conflict,” she says.

“In SAFUGE we work as a team, so it doesn’t matter where a project is taking place or who is leading.” Simoneta Suarez

“It remains my dream to meet a young Moroccan and to hear their perspective of the conflict.” Senia Abderahman

Talking together

Action on education – a student led approach

Left to right: The completed playground at the Cheshire School (Sierra Leone), students in Peru with their new books, parents starting work in Madagascar.

Page 22 Page 23 News Fundraising Feature Education Profiles Outreach Spotlight News Fundraising Feature Education Profiles Outreach Spotlight

UWC National Committees operate in diverse ways, but one of the common elements is that they almost always have volunteers permanently living in the country in question. However a few NCs operate successfully without having any members based permanently in the country and it can be a good way for a Committee to start out. The new National Committee of Kosovo is the latest example and the NCs of the Maldives and Madagascar also work in this way. Here, we talk to NC members from Kosovo and the Maldives about how they started and the challenges of operating remotely.

KosovoUntil 2009, Kosovan students were selected through a selection contact at Adriatic College. Liza Gashi (CR 07-09), one of the most recent students to be selected decided there should be a National Committee in Kosovo and has worked with Adriatic College, the International Office and other graduates to set one up.

Liza started working on the idea of setting up a Committee while she was studying at UWCCR, supported by Tian Bersey (Head of National Committee Development at UWCIO), Peter Howe, (Head of Adriatic College) and UWCCR psychologist and Liza’s residence coordinator Leila Mata. “To create the Committee and get graduates together took two years. The main areas of work were finding the graduates from Kosovo and keeping up to date with their moves, holding an intensive meeting during the holidays when graduates were back in Kosovo, working on final status and policies, and now, promoting the NC in Kosovo” says Liza. “All the time I was in contact with Tian and Peter, and Leila at Costa Rica helped a lot as well”.

“I felt privileged to have received a scholarship to UWC, and so after I graduated, I spent a ’gap year’ trying to set up a Committee.” Karin Afeef

“It is really challenging for the group to work while we are not in the same place but it is a really good feeling to have a National Committee in my home country.” Liza Gashi

The MaldivesThe National Committee of the Maldives was set up by Pearson graduate Karin Afeef (PC 98-00). Karin was selected through the Norwegian NC (she is half Norwegian and was living in Norway then). “I got the idea of starting a National Committee after attending Pearson and realising that the only Maldivians represented in UWC were the direct admittance fee paying students at UWCSEA. I felt privileged to have received a scholarship to UWC, and so after I graduated, I spent a ’gap year’ trying to set up a Committee” says Karin. We were officially set up in November 2000, and with financial assistance from Red Cross Nordic UWC and Pearson College, we were able to prepare our first selection of Maldivian students to UWC, having formed a small selection committee consisting of prominent members of the Maldivian society.”

“The main challenge we faced was that nobody had heard about UWC or knew what the organisation was about. It was also hard doing everything alone, and I relied heavily on support from my family network in the Maldives, as well as from the UWC International Office.”

Theema Mohammed (RCN 01-03) was one of the first two students to be selected by the newly formed Committee and has been involved ever since. Karin studied in Norway after her gap year, and Theema in Canada. They organised selection activities over email and planned the selection for when they could both be back in the Maldives. Theema explains that one of the key challenges they faced was around communication: “The area where we faced the most difficulty was in disseminating information and application packages to the 200 island communities that make up the Maldives. With an unreliable post and fax system, this required a lot of time and planning. We found that we did not receive sufficient applications from students from other islands while the UWC scholarship was becoming quite well known and sought after in the capital.

”Following up and keeping in touch with selected students while they prepare to begin their studies in UWC was also a challenge” she adds. ”We often had to leave the country soon after selecting students so the new students had to clarify any issues they had with their visas, tickets, or selecting courses with us over email. Not all students could access the internet and this caused some delay and difficulty in communication.”

In 2006 graduates Khadheeja Hamid (MI 04-06) and Zaheena Rasheed (MI 04-06) spent their ‘gap year’ working in the Maldives. It was the first time that the National Committee had members living in the Maldives for the whole year and resulted in a threefold increase in applications and consistent support provided to students after selection. Theema recalls “We managed to send application packages to most of the high schools spread over the 200 islands and provide information through newspapers, TV and radio channels.”

The NC continued to operate in this way for several years, as more graduates chose to return to Maldives to volunteer or work before university. However, in 2008 the Committee realised that the lack of continuity was causing problems, highlighted when some students arrived late at the colleges due to problems with visas and travel documents. They decided to take a year off from selection to re-organise and set up a robust system for operating as a Committee without any permanent members. The Committee has now divided up responsibilities for 2010 selection and set up a reporting system. “This ensures that no one takes on responsibility more than they can handle, that everyone can be held accountable for their work and that more members can get

involved in making selection a success,” Theema explains. “We are also compiling a practical guide to selection based on past experience and using Facebook and email groups to improve communication between NC members. As the Selection Coordinator for this year, I would say that it has been working quite well so far.”

Reflecting on the key challenges faced by young NCs and especially those operating transnationally, Karin says she thinks a key challenge is upholding standards of

accountability and transparency: “Running a NC from a distance often turns into a one-person enterprise without proper procedures for decision making. However, sometimes this is necessary in the beginning to kick start the Committee. We are now working on making our own Committee more accountable, transparent and inclusive.”

Spotlight on Remote

Committees

“The Kosovo NC now has 15 graduates working together and with Peter Howe’s help we selected three students for 2009 entry. Since the majority of graduates are currently all over the world, the only time that we get to meet is during summer. Other than that, we keep in touch with e-mail, Skype and a Facebook group.”

The National Committee has now been recognised by the relevant Ministry in Kosovo, which is a crucial requirement for the NC to operate. “Although we are an independent organsation based on graduate involvement, it is important that we have good cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports. In addition, we are looking forward to better cooperation with the government of Kosovo and other non-governmental education organsations,” Liza says.

On plans for the future, Liza explains that the NC is working on developing the selection process for 2010 entry. “Our selection process this year was based on written application, pre-interview and final interview. However for next year we are looking though new plans based on a written application, pre-interview, summer camp and final interview. We are also focused on finishing our strategic plan - looking though different ways for fundraising, promoting UWC values and ideals in Kosovo and working on summer camps and different

conferences.”

“Even though the majority of graduates are currently studying abroad, they always find time to update each other with what is going on. Three Committee members joined the European Regional meeting in November and one member went to visit UWC Maastricht. It is hard to make all of this happen and I know the entire group learned a lot. It is really challenging for the group to work while we are not in the same place but it is a

really good feeling to have a National Committee in my home country. It will help the new UWC candidates from Kosovo to learn more about UWC even if they don’t get selected and for students who gets selected, their life in the college is much easier when you have a NC. We are looking for more graduates from Kosovo to join us, so anyone interested in getting involved please email kosova.nc@gmail.com”.

Theema Mohammed with Mech Sokha, (Chair of the NC of Cambodia) at the Global National Committee meeting.

Liza Gashi (second from left) and Dardan Luta (RCN 99-01) (second from right). Kanarine Kallaba (AD 07-09) (third from right). Participating in the recent meeting in Brussels.

United World Colleges is a unique organisation. It is the only global educational NGO that brings students together from all over the world, selected from within their own countries, on merit and regardless of their ability to pay. These students come together at one of thirteen United World Colleges (UWC) that aim to foster international understanding and peace.

UWC International Officewww.uwc.orgT: +44 20 7269 7800

UWC of the Atlanticwww.atlanticcollege.orgT: +44 1446 799 000

UWC of South East Asiawww.uwcsea.edu.sgDover – T: +65 6775 5344East – T: +65 6553 1808

Lester B Pearson UWC of the Pacificwww.pearsoncollege.caT: +1 250 391 2411

Waterford Kamhlaba UWC of Southern Africawww.waterford.szT: +268 422 0866

UWC-USAwww.uwc-usa.orgT: +1 505 454 4200

UWC of the Adriaticwww.uwcad.itT: +39 040 373 9221

Simón Bolívar UWC of Agriculturewww.sbuwc.uwc.orgT: +58 212 793 4612

Li Po Chun UWC of Hong Kongwww.lpcuwc.edu.hkT: +852 2640 0441

Red Cross Nordic UWCwww.rcnuwc.noT: +47 57 73 7000

Mahindra UWC of Indiawww.muwci.netT: +91 20 2294 3258

UWC Costa Ricawww.uwccr.comT: +506 2282 5609

UWC in Mostarwww.uwc-ibo.orgT: +387 36 320 601

UWC Maastrichtwww.uwcmaastricht.comT: +31 43 3674666

ACTION • IDEASOPPORTUNITIES• Young Leaders Blog A new project aimed at offering a platform for young people aged 16 -30 to publish articles on current affairs. To get involved either as a contributor, editor or if you work for a publication that may be interested in the content, email sebastian.debrouwere@uwcim.net or visit www.youngleadersblog.org/ (site under development).

• Global ZeroJoin citizens and leaders around the world who have endorsed the goal of Global Zero – to eliminate nuclear weapons globally. Sign the declaration at www.globalzero.org

• Volunteer opportunities Simón Bolívar UWC invites applications for its volunteer programme. Apply by May 15 to start in August 2010. www.sbuwc.uwc.org/web/VolunteerProgramme

• Red Cross Nordic UWC has a website dedicated to volunteer opportunities around the world. Open to all. http://volunteers.rcnuwc.no/

Involved in a project or campaign that the UWC movement should know about or could help you with? Email details to editor@unitedworld.uwc.org

Students at UWC in Mostar taking part in the 350 Day of Action to solve the climate crisis.