Building Futures in the Eternal City

On 4 October 2025, the UWC Stock Weinberg – Edward Sutcliffe Foundation hosted a special Gala Dinner in Rome in support of the UWC Adriatic Endowment.

Over 160 members of our community — alumni, friends, staff and students — came together to celebrate the past, present and future of the College and to create a new perpetual UWC Adriatic Endowment Scholarship for students from countries in conflict. We were joined by our Guests of Honour and alumni of the College: Chrystia Freeland, former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, and Zulfi Alam, Corporate Vice President at Microsoft Quantum.

From the opening led by Master of Ceremonies Juan Pablo Di Pace to the many extraordinary student performances, coordinated by our Dirctor of the Arts and Service Christoph Genz, the evening was filled with unforgettable moments. Students and young alumni were at the heart of the event, through the planning and event management to taking on the roles of keynote speakers and performers during the evening.

A particular highlight was the intergenerational conversations with our Guests of Honour. In conversation with Zulfi Alam, Ashraf, a current student from Palestine, reflected on how UWC Adriatic is shaping his vision of peace and his passion for technology — while Zulfi offered his perspectives on leadership, resilience and the role of education in turbulent times.

Madina, an alumna from Afghanistan, joined Chrystia Freeland for a dialogue that connected personal experience with global insight: Madina spoke about the challenges facing young women in her home country and her vision for the future, while Chrystia reflected on the importance of women’s leadership and the responsibility of young people to shape more just societies.

We were honoured that the evening included a toast by Gonzalo Lopez-Jordan from Patagonia Education Partners and was concluded by an inspiring address from Musimbi Kanyoro, Chair of UWC International, who reminded us of the purpose of the Endowment and the impact it will have for generations to come.

A special thanks to Fantinel for generously providing the evening’s wine, to Valentina Bach and Phil Allen for ogragnising this event and to everyone who is supporting the UWC Adriatic Endowment and the new scholarship for students from countries in conflict — a perpetual opportunity for those who need peace the most.

Thanks to our community, this scholarship is taking shape. With your help, we can achieve it — and continue offering peace, education and hope where they are needed most.