The College aims to bring more Ukranian and Eastern European students to Duino
The United World Colleges were founded during the Cold War to contribute to a more peaceful world. Events in Ukraine highlight the importance and value of our founding mission and purpose, which sadly remains prevalent even today. All of our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine and those in our student and alumni community who may be directly affected by this situation.
It is our humanity that impels us, as a UWC community, to help those in need and provide support in whatever way we can. We are now using one of our residences, Purnama House, as temporary housing for refugees arriving in our region. Our students have also led fundraising initiatives for emergency aid appeals and coordinated with the College’s voluntary association, Mondo 2000, to prepare resources to be taken to the Ukrainian border.
Firm in our belief that education is a force for peace, and that uniting students at a critical time of development and bringing them together to study and prosper in an accepting, international community can make a difference, we are also making two full scholarships available for Ukrainian students to join the College next year. These are in addition to the two scholarships for students from Russia and Belarus and, long term, we hope to further increase the number of students we can support from Eastern Europe. Please consider supporting our endeavours with a gift.
Little over two years ago we had to take the difficult decision to close the College due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which unfortunately still influences the way we operate. Yet we have, at every stage of the pandemic, tried to preserve as much of the UWC experience as possible, always looking for rainbows within the rain. Notwithstanding these challenges, the vitality, energy and optimism of our students has constantly renewed in us our faith in the power of a UWC education and fuels our hopes for a more peaceful and united world.
