What a joy it has been to welcome back to Duino so many members of the 1982-84 pioneering generation of our college alongside the second and third cohorts of 1983-85 and 1984-86! The weekend was filled with laughter and embraces as the alumni reunited, some for the very first time since graduation. One of the highlights for the alumni was the opportunity to reconnect with staff members with whom they share so many fond memories – first and foremost Elizabeth Sutcliffe, whom we were honoured and grateful to have had among us. Other staff members whose presence thrilled the reunion participants included Anne Brearly, Ximena Fernandez, Valerie Quinlivan and Mark Sylvester.
On Saturday morning alumni were able to see how the College’s open campus has evolved by taking a tour with Andrea and Gregorio, two former students from the class of 2024. They then met with the Rettore, Dr. Kahlid El-Metaal, who illustrated the current UWC Adriatic educational experience and shared insights on the college’s future developments in terms of extending the impact of a UWC education in service of the mission (a separate news item will follow). The significant changes in the scholarship system that supports 90% of students attending UWC Adriatic were presented by Secretary General Valentina Bach. Several alumni also contributed to the session, sharing moving testimonies about the impact of their UWC Adriatic experience on their professional and personal lives.
In the afternoon a moving ceremony was dedicated to the memory of Manuel Fernandez, celebrating his legacy both as an educator and as the founder of Adriatic’s community services that fostered such close ties with the local community. After the address by the Rettore and by Alejandro Fernandez, alumni both in attendance and connected remotely shared how Manuel’s teachings have left a lasting impact on their lives, expressing gratitude and appreciation to Manuel’s wife Ximena and their son Alejandro. The evening continued beautifully with a Gala Dinner on Fore Lawn, marking the end of an eventful and memorable reunion weekend.
