Dear friends of the UWC movement, 

The last few days have been some which I will not forget. Why? Because they have shown me the power of this community in times of darkness. 

Since last week countless UWC community members have been involved in supporting evacuation efforts out of Kabul. 

Not all of these stories have a happy ending. Just yesterday, one of the incoming UWC students from Afghanistan managed to get back home just in time so as not to be affected by the horrific attacks close to the airport. He would have been on site just hours before. 

Why was he at the airport? Because he was desperately trying to travel out to start his UWC education. We don’t know yet whether and how we will get him out of Afghanistan so he can reach a UWC campus. But we will keep trying. 

Others were luckier. Earlier this week, and after many days and nights of countless members of the UWC community working together tirelessly, we finally had the confirmation that two female UWC alumni in vulnerable positions had managed to fly out of Kabul and into a, hopefully, safer future. 

I have not often been more grateful and proud for being part of a community that shows up when required most. And it is important we continue to show up -- and to step up.

This is why UWC is committing to providing 20 additional scholarships to Afghan Youth. Will you join us to make this possible?

Let us work together to show that education really is the most powerful weapon to change the world: a weapon we can use to build peace. And a weapon which we can use to build a world in which 16 year olds don’t need to fear for their life when they want to travel to their school. 

To donate, go to www.uwc.org/donate or www.facebook.com/UWCint or http://www.justgiving.com/campaign/uwcforafghanyouth

You can also help us spread the word about the UWC for Afghan Youth fundraising appeal by re-sharing our posts on within your networks:
Website announcement 
Facebook post
Facebook Fundraising page
Instagram post
LinkedIn post
Twitter post

Thank you for supporting this initiative -- and thank you for being such a caring community. Your showing up matters. 

With determination that together we can build a more peaceful world,

Hannah Tümpel
Interim Executive Lead, UWC International 
(UWC Adriatic 1996-1998)

The dramatic events in Afghanistan continue to dominate our hearts and minds. It is a crisis that also brings enormous repercussions on the possibility for Afghan youth to access education. To help, we are raising funds for up to 20 additional Afghan students to study at UWC. But to make this happen we need your support. Read more here: www.uwc.org/about-uwc/news/uwc-for-afghan-youth. 

To donate, go to www.uwc.org/donate or https://www.facebook.com/donate/630736847909725 or https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/uwcforafghanyouth

Our thanks go to all of you who will contribute and help us support the next generation of Afghan students at UWC.

In this piece, UWC community members share their thoughts on the situation in Afghanistan. "The Taliban have taken control of almost the whole of Afghanistan. It reminds people of their rule twenty years ago when they used to rule brutally and massacre people, especially minorities who did not have the same belief as theirs." Read on here: www.uwc.org/about-uwc/news/our-thoughts-are-with-afghanistan-reflections-from-members-of-the-uwc-community. 

Ngor, UWC Maastricht, 2021-2023, UWC Kenyan National Committee

"First of all, I am very grateful to UWC Kenya and UWC International for giving me this wonderful opportunity to attend UWC Maastricht. I was born and raised in Kenya, in Kakuma refugee camp which is located in the North western Turkana county, but my parents are from South Sudan. 

What excites me about UWC are the people. I am very excited to meet unique students from a variety of backgrounds and cultures, with great desires to make a better and more sustainable tomorrow, and to learn about the world."

Ángeles, UWC-USA, 2021-2023, UWC Mexico National Committee

"What I am most excited about at UWC is learning. I have always thought that we can learn from everything and everyone. Being at UWC I will be able to learn not only academically, but also from my classmates who I know will become a family for me; from experiences inside and outside the school, to become even more responsible for myself and to belong to such an empathetic and integral community. Thank you so much to everyone that made this dream come true."

Kai, Waterford Kamhlaba UWCSA, 2022-2023, USA/Mozambique

"My name is Kai, and I'm from Washington DC in the United States but I've been living in Mozambique for the last 11 years. The thing I'm most excited for is meeting new people and making new friends, as well as joining the UWC community."

Mingla, UWC Atlantic, 2021-2023, UWC Nepal National Committee

"UWC is a dreamland for me where I am going to be very soon. Along with my studies, I look forward to being a part of its movement. The diversity is what excites me the most and it makes UWC so uniquely special. I am so eager to learn about the world through its mini version, which is UWC. Being a scholar of UWC has made a common girl like me from a small place believe that dreams can come true as long as we stick to them. UWC has come into my life now and it is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I will make the best out of it and make these a meaningful two years of my life. I want to experience, learn, fall and rise again and expose myself to that world and be a force for change it for the better."

Ester, UWC Mostar, 2021-2023, UWC Great Britain National Committee

"I have always wanted to go to UWC. One reason why is because it is such an incredible movement with an ethos that encompasses everything I hold close to my heart: making education a force for a sustainable and peaceful future. To be part of such a community where I am able to work alongside like-minded people is something I can’t wait for! Another big reason why is because of the absolutely incredible variety of different cultures that exist and thrive together there. I have always been keen to get out of my own bubble that I live in with my community to explore and learn about other cultures and lives other than my own from all over the world as they have always rendered me amazed and wanting to learn more. UWC is the perfect opportunity for it."

UWC Day 2021 now really is around the corner and we can’t wait to celebrate with you all. Remember that the UWC Day Resource Platform is there to help you plan and promote your event - with event ideas for even the most humble events...and you will also find brand new UWC Day Facebook Profile frames there so you can start spreading the UWC Day love that way!

We hope lots of you will be able to get together either in person or online to ‘Reimagine Tomorrow’ in whichever way you choose - whether that be through discussions at an informal alumni meetup or by bringing the theme out into the wider world through an eco-system clean-up, an open mic event, panel discussion, or anything else you choose to do!

However big or small your event, please do register it here so it can be added to the global map of UWC Day events. 

Earlier this year, we shared the news that one of UWC’s larger UWC national committees (NCs) generously decided to offer EUR 1,000 in matching grants to ten other NCs poised to break into the world of fundraising this year. We reached out to two members of two of these NCs that have already successfully completed (and exceeded!) the challenge: UWC Dilijan alum, Paula, from the UWC Uruguay National Committee and UWC-USA parent, Eloïse, from the UWC Mauritius National Committee. You can check out what Paula and Eloïse shared here.

There are several open positions across the world and the UWC movement - visit http://uwc.org/jobs for current opportunities, including:

• Head of Dover Campus, UWC South East Asia & High School Principal, Dover Campus, UWC South East Asia (Singapore)
• Executive Director, UWC Canadian National Committee (Metchosin, British Columbia, Canada)
• Global Selection Programme Administrator, UWC International (London, UK or Berlin, Germany)
• English & TOK, Geography & TOK and Spanish Teacher, Waterford Kamhlaba UWCSA (Mbabane, eSwatini)
• Psychosocial/Wellbeing Counselor Volunteer Position, UWC Mostar (Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina)
• University Counselor, UWC Changshu China (Changshu, China)

We’ve almost reached the 6,500 user mark on the UWC Hub - the community platform for UWC school/college and short course alums, current students, current and former staff members, national committee members and volunteers and short course organisers! 

Of course we do still have some growing to do on the Hub to reach ALL 60,000 community members around the world though, so if you haven’t joined yet, head to www.uwchub.org to sign up and start connecting with old and new UWC friends, find mentors, job opportunities and ways to help or be helped by other UWCers around the world….and to welcome the newest members of the UWC community joining the platform from the Class of 2023!