This is a renowned quote by Nelson Mandela who, among his innumerable achievements was also President of the UWC movement. And it is precisely with these words that the 2023-24 academic year of the United World College of the Adriatic – the 41st since its foundation – has been inaugurated. The ceremony took place on 30 September 2023 in Venice, in the magnificent Ca’ Giustinian palace, home of Venice’s Biennale, in the presence of Queen Noor of Jordan, President of the UWC movement since 1995.
This was an eventful day for all involved. At 5 am the College’s 177 students from 82 countries were ready alongside teachers and non-teaching staff members for the trip by bus and boat. A great many alumni and donors also joined our community in Venice to attend the Opening Ceremony and other celebrations. Second-year students Nilaja Mbemba Mankaka (Switzerland/Congo/Croatia) and Eleonora Chiesa (Italy), served as the Masters of Ceremony for the event. The Opening ceremony commenced with the traditional Flag Ceremony, where each of the 82 nations was represented by a student wearing their national costume – a fitting tribute by an institution and movement that take pride in celebrating diversity. Following the institutional greetings of the President of the Biennale Roberto Cicutto, the video sent by the Canadian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland – an Adriatic alumna from the 1984-1986 generation – and the reading of a message sent by the President of the Veneto region Luca Zaia, first-year student Efrén Recinos Gámez (El Salvador), read the poem Being a Human Being by Tom Leonard, an exhortation to reflect on the fragility of peace and our collective responsibility for preserving it.
The addresses delivered by the College and UWC leadership were interspersed with musical performances by passionate and talented students. Ambassador Cristina Ravaglia, President of UWC Adriatic, announced the two-fold objective of the day: commemorating the forty-year anniversary of the College and expressing gratitude and appreciation, but also further developing the College’s activities by establishing an endowment fund to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
On the other hand, Faith Abiodun, Executive Director of UWC International, reiterated the importance of education as a way to foster peace, urging students to never apologise for being idealistic and passionate about their beliefs. Finally, the Rettore, Dr. Khalid El-Metaal, emphasised the value of Adriatic as an unparalleled opportunity for growth for its students, referring to the importance of educating young people to make wise choices in view of the upcoming challenges, such as those posed by AI.
Photo credits: Erika Burolo.
After the Opening Ceremony, the day’s celebrations continued with various activities. Students had the opportunity to visit the Gardens of the Biennale and the current exhibition, curated by Ghanaian architect and writer Lesley Lokko. The ongoing 18th edition focuses on urgent contemporary themes, such as decarbonization and the consequences of colonialism. Notably, the African continent plays a central role this year, looking towards the future in a manner that aligns well with the UWC values.
Photo credits: Giovanni Aiello
As most of the students and teachers returned to Duino, the day’s celebrations drew to an end with two gatherings. The first was an aperitivo where former students were able to get together in an informal atmosphere – some for the sheer pleasure of seeing each other again, others contemplating the Italian UWC selections, as they are part of the national committee, which will be receiving applications to UWC from Italian students by 1 November.
Finally, there was the gala dinner, hosted at The Home of the Human Safety Net by Generali, at the Procuratie Vecchie in Saint Mark’s Square: an official occasion for the launch of the College’s endowment fund announced in the morning by President Ravaglia. The event featured former student, actor and director Juan Pablo Di Pace as Master of Ceremonies. Several dignitaries took turns on stage throughout the evening, including Queen Noor of Jordan and UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi. The latter dialogued together with former College student Ibrahim Kondeh (Sierra Leone), about the impact of an outstanding education on young refugees. Alumna Cornelia Vospernik (Austria/Slovenia), a TV journalist, moderated the conversation.
The purpose of the College’s endowment fund is to permanently finance an increasing portion of Adriatic scholarships, with the first scholarship generated by this fund being designated for a refugee student in 2024-26.
Photo credits: Giovanni Aiello, unless stated otherwise.
