UWC Adriatic marked the commencement of its 41st academic year with a spectacular series of events in Venice on Saturday 30 September 2023, including the 2023-24 Academic Year Opening Ceremony in the home of the Biennale of Venezia, a private-screening of the new feature-film ‘Duino’ written and directed by UWC Adriatic alumnus Juan Pablo Di Pace. The evening’s celebration’s concluded with an evening Get-Together, with alumni, friends, students and staff re-connecting in Venice.
During the same evening of 30 September, the UWC Stock Weinberg – Edward Sutcliffe Foundation, together with the College, held a Gala Dinner in St. Mark’s Square, Venice. This unique event was celebrated to officially launch and fundraise for the UWC Adriatic Endowment Fund, a new initiative to provide a financial and asset legacy for the College, ensuring annual scholarships for generations to come. The initial target for the Endowment Fund is to raise €5 million, with the primary goal for the evening to establish the first UWC Adriatic Endowment Scholarship, which will be awarded to students with refugee or internally displaced status every two years in perpetuity.
Present at the Gala Dinner was the Guest of Honor HM Queen Noor of Jordan, President of the UWC Movement, who joined alumni, donors, new friends of the College, together with students, faculty, and staff. The joyous evening was interspersed with musical and dance performances by College students, presided over by the evening’s Master of Ceremonies Juan Pablo Di Pace.
The evening began with a look back at the College’s origins and purpose, as Ambassador Cristina Ravaglia, the President of UWC Adriatic, paid tribute to the founders and visionaries who laid the foundation for the institution: “Corrado Belci, Gianfranco Facco Bonetti, Antonio Comelli, Giorgio Pontoni, and David Sutcliffe – the heroes who dared to imagine something that did not yet exist.” Present at the Gala Dinner was Elisabeth Sutcliffe, one of the founding staff members of the College and wife of the founding Rettore David Sutcliffe. In recognition of their extraordinary legacy to the College, Ambassador Ravaglia announced the dedication of the Garden of Foresteria to both David and Elisabeth.
The Rettore of UWC Adriatic, Dr. Khalid El Metaal, emphasised the enduring impact of a UWC Adriatic education. He shared key metrics, showcasing the diverse and value-driven education provided by the College. Khalid outlined the financial health of the institution, emphasising the need for sustainable funding to secure the future of scholarships.
The Gala further unfolded with a powerful dialogue on forced displacement and access to education. Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and Ibrahim Kondeh, UWC Adriatic alumnus and refugee advocate, shared perspectives moderated by Cornelia Vospernik, a UWC Adriatic alumna and journalist. Their discussion underscored how critical education access is for changing outcomes for refugees and the urgent need of scholarships to provide educational pathways.
The climax of the evening featured a heartfelt address by Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan, President of the UWC movement. Queen Noor praised the enduring legacy of UWC Adriatic and commended its commitment to diversity, service, and much needed positive change in today’s world. She called upon the UWC community to support the UWC Adriatic Endowment Fund, ensuring the continuation of the College’s mission.
The Gala not only celebrated the rich history of UWC Adriatic but also began a new chapter in its journey towards a sustainable and impactful future. The evening concluded with a collective pledge to contribute to the UWC Adriatic Endowment Fund, ensuring a legacy of extraordinary education in Duino for generations to come.
The event was made possible by an alumni donation to the Foundation, together with generous sponsorship of The Human Safety Net and Generali, who hosted the event in the beautiful Home of The Human Safety Net venue in Venice. Wine for the evening was generously provided by local Collio wine producer Fantinel & La Roncaia and the catering for the dinner was sponsored by long-time supporter of the UWC Adriatic, Illy.
You can support the UWC Adriatic Endowment Fund by donating here.
For more information please contact Secretary General Valentina Bach
