On Saturday, May 18th, the College community gathered in the theatre Orazio Bobbio La Contrada in Trieste for the Closing Ceremony of the 2023-2024 academic year. Students, parents, supporters, and friends of the College, all came together to celebrate the end of the academic year and the graduation of our secondi – the graduating class of 2024.
At the beginning of the ceremony, our College President, Ambassador Cristina Ravaglia, reminisced about the year’s most significant moments – among which the 40th-anniversary celebrations in Venice on September 30, the students experiential learning during Project Week, along with numerous student initiatives and many memorable musical performances by students both in Duino and around the region. She then summed up what the UWC experience is all about in the following words:
«In these challenging times, in a world increasingly fragmented into isolated bubbles that fail to communicate and cooperate – and sometimes even confront each other – we must strive to move in the opposite direction. Empathy, solidarity and a sense of belonging to a single global community are the way forward. This, to me, is the natural legacy that the two years at Adriatic hold in store for our students. By immersing themselves in such an intense experience with peers from all over the world, our students come to realise that upholding these values may not always be easy but it is possible, and in doing so, positive change becomes a reality. This is the essence of what the United World Colleges stand for».
– Ambassador Cristina Ravaglia, President, UWC Adriatic
We then had the pleasure and honor of calling to the stage our keynote speaker, Claudia Gazzini. Claudia is an alumna of Adriatic and has been working for years as an analyst for Libyan affairs at International Crisis Group. Claudia shared with our students the importance of having principles that guide our decisions, encouraging our students to “Dare to do”.
«I know that there is a UWC program called “Dare to Dream,” to which I am very grateful for, especially for the generous scholarships they offer to refugees and displaced young people to attend our schools and colleges. But now is no longer the time to dream. It is the time to “Dare to Do”. As you leave this wonderful dreamland that Duino is, remember that daring to dream was only the first step in the journey that brought you here. Daring to do is the next one».
– Claudia Gazzini (UWCAD 1994-1996)
The conclusion of this academic year coincides with the first two years in Duino of our Rettore, Dr. Khalid El-Meetal. In reflecting on the lessons learned, Khalid emphasised the importance of two qualities: curiosity, which drives us forward and adaptability, which enables us to manage the new contexts we discover every day.
«The two years spent at the college provide ample opportunity and space for stimulating curiosity and developing adaptability. I am sure that everyone here can think of a number of examples that involve embracing new experiences and viewpoints, seeking perspectives that challenge your own, cultivating flexibility in your thoughts and actions, and of course all those times when you have been either forced or you have been willing to adjust your course – the valuable lesson being that there is always more than one path to a destination».
– Dr. Khalid El-Metaal, Rettore, UWC Adriatic
Ambassador Ravaglia concluded her speech by addressing the protagonists of this important day of celebrations for our community with the following words:
«Our secondi are about to leave Duino to embark their journeys into the world. To you I say that I trust that Adriatic and Duino will forever hold a special place in your hearts. The experiences and challenges you have been through here in these two years have shaped you in countless ways. Yet by confronting them you are now poised to be true agents of positive change in the world. The change you will effect may manifest in various forms, but it will always be inspired by the UWC principles that have become a part of your identity and that are so desperately needed in today’s world. I also trust that you will always look back on your time at the College with gratitude for having had the extraordinary privilege of living your UWC experience here. To you I extend my warmest wishes and I urge you to return to Duino as soon as you can».
– Ambassador Cristina Ravaglia, President, UWC Adriatic
A special word of thanks to our first-year students Jan (from Bosnia Herzegovina) and Hanna (from Italy) for graciously being our Masters of Ceremony, to Luke (from Ireland) and Snezana (from Serbia), who spoke as representatives of primi and secondi respectively, and to all the students (and staff) who delighted us with their performances.
Photo credits: Giovanni Aiello
