On Saturday 23 May, UWC Adriatic officially closed the 2025–26 academic year and celebrated the graduation of the Class of 2026: 89 students from over 60 countries who completed their transformative two-year educational journey in Duino.
The Closing Ceremony brought together students, families, staff, alumni and supporters of the College for a day marked by pride, gratitude and reflection. For the graduating students, it was the culmination of two years of academic challenge and profound personal growth within one of the world’s most diverse educational communities.
The occasion was equally emotional for the College’s first-year students. Having arrived in Duino only nine months earlier, many reflected on the friendships and guidance they received from the graduating class, whose members welcomed them into the community and supported them throughout their first year. As they prepare to return in August, they do so with the knowledge that they will soon assume that same responsibility for the next generation of students. Proud family members of the graduating class were also present to celebrate this important milestone.
As is tradition at UWC Adriatic, the ceremony also featured reflections from representatives of both year groups. Speaking on behalf of the first-year students, Kiran Raphael Wolf delivered a powerful message on how young people can change the world and achieve progress. Representing the graduating class, Anisa Sobirova shared a heartfelt reflection on what makes the UWC experience so distinctive and why leaving Duino is far from easy. She spoke of the deep personal connections formed across cultures, languages and backgrounds, and of how these relationships foster genuine understanding between diverse people who might otherwise never have met or understood one another.
In his address to the graduating class, UWC Adriatic President Roberto Antonione reflected on the significance of the UWC experience in a world increasingly marked by conflict and division.
Acknowledging the challenges inherent in building understanding across cultures and perspectives, he reminded students that peace is neither simple nor automatic, but requires courage, humility and commitment. He concluded with a message that captured the essence of the College’s educational mission:
The ceremony also marked a particularly emotional moment for the College community as outgoing Rettore Khalid El-Metaal stepped onto the stage for the final time in his role at UWC Adriatic. Addressing the graduating students, he shared personal reflections on the relationship between education and peace, and on the responsibility that accompanies meaningful change.
Reflecting on the promise that schools should be places of safety and opportunity, he invited the audience to consider the many parts of the world where conflict continues to deny young people this fundamental right. He expressed his profound respect for students who have experienced instability, insecurity and violence first-hand and yet, upon arriving at UWC Adriatic, demonstrated extraordinary resilience, generosity and commitment to the community.
The keynote address was delivered by Lord Guglielmo Verdirame, member of the House of Lords and a UWC Adriatic alumnus from the Class of 1989. Looking back on his own time in Duino, he reflected on the optimism that characterised his generation as they left the College on the eve of the fall of the Berlin Wall. While acknowledging that his generation had at times been complacent about the challenges that followed, including the wars in the Balkans, he expressed confidence that today’s graduates are entering the world with a stronger sense of urgency and a clearer understanding of the challenges and responsibilities they face.
As part of the ceremony, UWC Adriatic also recognised excellence in Italian language learning. The awards for the best students of Italian as a foreign language have become a valued tradition at the College, made possible through the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) and Fondazione CRTrieste.
Viviana Pace, Head of the Italian Department and UWC Adriatic alumna, emphasised the deeper significance of language learning within an international community:
“Given the extraordinary cultural diversity of our students, learning Italian goes far beyond simple language acquisition. It means building bridges with another way of seeing the world and developing openness, empathy and the capacity to listen.”
This year’s recipients were Arielle Perrinne Delo (Italian B Higher Level), Arsenii Arkhipov (Italian B Standard Level) and Sona Hakobyan (Italian Ab Initio). Bravissimi!
As is customary, the formal proceedings alternated speeches, award presentations and the conferral of diplomas with a rich programme of artistic performances. One moving moment was a reading by the founding members of the Student Arts Council, who brought to life a poem written by graduating student Anton Harrits-Nielsen.
The College Choir, Orchestra, student a cappella group and dance performers — joined on stage by several faculty members — also showcased the remarkable talent, creativity and enthusiasm that animate life at UWC Adriatic. Their performances, deftly coordinated by Cristoph Genz (Director of Performing Arts and Services), offered a vivid reminder that the arts remain an integral part of the educational experience in Duino and a powerful expression of community spirit.
As the Class of 2026 embarks on the next chapter of its journey, the entire UWC Adriatic community looks ahead with confidence and hope. The achievements celebrated during the Closing Ceremony are the result not only of academic dedication, but also of the courage, compassion and sense of purpose that students and staff bring to the College every day. Together, they continue to give life to the UWC mission and to demonstrate that education can be a powerful force for peace, understanding and positive change.
Video by Marco Valentinuzzo
Photo credits: Giovanni Aiello
