THIMUN 2012

Roshan Melwani (Hong Kong, UWC Maastricht 2011-2013)

The Hague, or rather Den Haag in Dutch, home to the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, is not only the judicial capital of the world but also one of the major UN hosting cities. With that in mind, The Hague rightfully and fittingly hosted the largest model United Nations conference in the world: THIMUN. Standing for “The Hague International Model United Nations”, THIMUN is a five-day conference situated in the World Forum, in which 4,000 student delegates from around the globe arrive and unite as one for a week. Luckily enough, two delegations from UWC Maastricht as well as one from UWC South East Asia had the opportunity to attend this simulation, where we represented Kenya, the DSCC and Pakistan respectively. And boy, to say we had an awesome time is a huge understatement.

UWC Virtual Model United Nations 2012

Students and staff at Li Po Chun UWC are happy to announce the successful completion of the first ever United World Colleges Virtual Model United Nations (UWCVMUN) conference. The conference, which successfully connected over fifty UWC students on the 28th January, 2012, aimed to link all UWCs and allow students to discuss important world issues in the context of three United Nations affiliated committees.

This event marks the 50th anniversary of the UWC movement, through linking 11 UWCs and students worldwide, including Li Po Chun United World College of Hong Kong, Mahindra United World College of India, United World College in Mostar, Red Cross Nordic United World College, United World College of the Adriatic, Untied World College Maastricht, United World College of the Atlantic, United World College Costa Rica, The Armand Hammer United World College of the American West and Lester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific. The more than fifty UWC students who participated in this conference come from over 40 countries, acting as delegates representing different member states in a UN context.

5th European Council of International Schools’ Service Learning Conference

UWC Maastricht Ready to Welcome Teachers and Students for 5th Annual ‘ECIS’ Service Learning Conference

Maastricht, 15 December 2011. UWC Maastricht will host the 5th annual European Council of International Schools’ Service Learning Conference. This will be held at the Golden Tulip Apple Park Hotel in Maastricht (NL) from 29 March – 1 April 2012. Registration has opened with places available for both teachers and students from international schools in Europe and beyond.

The conference is almost completely student led and will include guest appearances from the Mayor of Maastricht and guest keynote speaker Mr Anthony Skillicorn, author of Service is a Journey.

The main theme of the conference this year is ‘Solidarity’, a key value embraced in the UWC community. Participants will take home experiences from workshops led by students and teachers, as well as become part of UWC Maastricht’s experience in Service Learning Projects. This is a milestone for both the participating and host groups as it is also the 50th anniversary of United World College.

The conference is aimed at raising awareness of the importance of service learning in the curriculum. Service learning enables the learner to apply knowledge acquired inside the classroom to the outside world. It is aimed at creating a generation of students with a greater sense of community work and the ability to relate theoretical knowledge in their daily involvements. It incorporates the entire student body and staff with a focus on learning processes that require the participation of everyone. This responsibility brings about strong traits in each student, such as leadership skills, creativity and responsibility.

For more information, visit http://www.uwc-maastricht.com/index.php?id=163

The UWC Lip Dubs

Students in UWCs seem to have found a way to showcase their beautiful campus, vibrant student life, diversity and talents in a just few minutes.

In the past two academic years, at least eight music videos made by combing lip synching and audio dubbing, or “lip dubbing”, have been produced by students of UWC Adriatic, UWC Atlantic College, UWC Costa Rica, UWC Maastricht, UWC Mahindra College, Pearson College UWC and Red Cross Nordic UWC, in alphabetical order. One was made by participants of a UWC Short Course in Israel. Here is a list of the eight UWC Lib Dubs available on YouTube:

Mixed Up

Cicely Blain, (UK/Gambia/Jamaica UWCiM 2010-12)

So far, and not to my surprise, the experience of attending a United World College, with as many as 90 different nationalities represented, has been one of self-discovery, and more importantly, of realisation.

Today, I realised that I have totally disregarded my origins and my ancestors and therefore, part of who I am.

This thought process came about because whenever I meet a new person, knowing their nationality is just as important as knowing their first name. Whenever someone asks me where I’m from, I always say simply that I’m from England – and sometimes just London because, well, it is the centre of the universe. It frustrates me when people ask, ‘no, but where do you come from?’ just because I’m not white. I stick to my guns and say, ‘I am from England’. I have a British passport, I was born in London and English is my first language… I like tea (WITH MILK), I’m good at queuing, I eat roast beef, potatoes and Yorkshire puddings most Sundays, I say ‘ta’ or ‘cheers’ instead of ‘thank-you’, I am very aware of which social class I am in and I feel out of place when it’s not raining.

But is that the entirety of my identity? Is that everything that I am?
My biological father originates from Jamaica and my mother is half English and half Gambian, making me, well, very mixed up.

Blah blah to Y and X

Beba cubralic (Australia / Bosnia, UWCM 10-12)

There are some values people are willing to die for; whether that in itself is a positive of negative thing is debatable, but most admire that degree of passion. When it comes to the topic of intersex people in sport, there are not enough people standing up and speaking out in support of them. Activists such as Cheryl Chase, as inspiring as they are, need more voices behind them to make the message louder and have greater impact.  This present silence has been devastating at best, with the failure to end gender verification testing; this silence has been calamitous at worst, propagating discrimination and exclusivity in both sport and society. Whilst all forms of discrimination are condemnable, the failure to recognise the plight of intersex people is horrifying. Understanding both the biological and social side to the issue will, hopefully, lead to a more welcoming culture.

Oh Maastricht, My Lionheart

Beba Cibralic (Australia, Bosnia, UWCM 2010-2012)

The way I would describe my experiences at United World College Maastricht insofar is by comparing them to trying to breathe in a car when the window is rolled down and you are travelling at a hundred kilometres per hour. It is frightening as there is this internal panic as you feel that not enough oxygen is entering your desperate lungs; it is exhilarating because there is no other feeling in the world that gives you quite the same endorphin-inducing head-rush as this.

“The space to be confused” in the new Maastricht College

Eilam Lavy (Israel, UWC Maastricht 10′-12′)

In ten days I will be home, I keep saying this sentence like a mantra for a month now, every day that goes by I get 24 hours closer to home, and closer to leave my other home.

The Surviving UWC

Anonymous (UWCiM 2011)

When I returned this year to Mostar I did not find just my old friends, our amazing firstyears, but also empty rooms. I found rooms where my secondyears used to live filling up with strange people who have nothing to do with UWC. Velic is the building where languages, history and psychology were taught last year. This year, I had my World lit class in the Biology lab.

“Keep asking questions” – Interview with Colin Jenkins, former UWCAC Principal

Gala von Nettelbladt, Germany and Rina Amanda Kuusipalo, Finland (AC 08-10); Daniel Prinz, Hungary (AC 07-09)

 

Colin Jenkins worked at Atlantic College from the early 1970s in different positions: Biology teacher, Senior Scientist, Houseparent, Member of Environmental Monitoring Unit Service, Director of Studies, CAS Coordinator and Principal. He has worked as Examinations Director and Deputy Director General of the IB, Acting Principal of the UWC in Singapore, helped establish the UWC in Costa Rica and is now working on the establishment of a new UWC in Maastricht.

UWC Maastrict to become the 13th member of the family

From the recent UWC National Commitee Newsletter:

“At the recent International Board Meeting in Mumbai, the United World
College Maastricht was granted Final Approval and is scheduled to open in the
autumn of 2009. Final Approval was given after detailed work between a Board Task
Force and the UWC Maastricht project team, and the submission of a
comprehensive set of documentation in support of the proposal to the International
Board.

The College will educate students from pre-school to upper secondary level,
including day and boarding students. Boarding students undertaking the IB
Diploma will be selected by UWC National Committees, and the project expects
there to be 200 Boarding students at this level from 60 countries by 2015.

English will be the language of instruction. In addition to the standard
subjects, all students will study Dutch as the host country language, as an
essential part of their integration into the community.

As the opening day of UWC Maastricht approaches, National Committees should
expect more information about the nature of programme, facilities, etc. in
preparation for the first intake of students next year.”