Announcement – Jubilee Fund

2015-09-28T11:56:16+01:00September 28th, 2015|

It is with great pleasure, on the day of our Jubilee (celebrating 20 years since the opening of UWC Red Cross Nordic), that the College can announce that the Leif Høegh Foundation (Leif Høegh Stiftelsen) will make a gift of NOK 1 million to help launch the RCN Jubilee Fund. This donation will go towards financial support for a foundation year for those from conflict / refugee backgrounds who are unable to complete the IB programme in 21 months due to disrupted learning and / or language difficulties. The Davis-UWC Impact Programme, funded by Shelby Davis, will now match this donation from the Leif Høegh Foundation giving the College a total of NOK 2 million for its Jubilee Fund.

The Leif Høegh Foundation has made important contributions to this College and the UWC movement over the years. It was the Høegh Foundation which funded the Høegh Centre – a superb multi-purpose space here on campus. It is used for a huge range of activities – from the production of plays to ‘gammaldans’ with students and members of the local Fjaler community, from a banquet hall for the annual Council dinner to regular multi-cultural bazaars and performances – and is at the heart of our students’ lives as it provides them with space from the academic centre of the College and the intensity of daily living in the Houses in the Student Village.

The bust of Leif Høegh, located on the walkway to our Boat House and overlooking Haugland Bay, has observed nearly two decades of College activities – and we hope many more years to come.

We are hugely grateful to the Høegh Foundation for this extremely generous donation and for its continued support.

Richard D A Lamont
Rektor
UWC Red Cross Nordic

Our Red Cross Partnership

2015-09-25T11:53:03+01:00September 25th, 2015|

As part of our Jubilee celebrations and following on from the official opening of the Henry Dunant Building by HM Queen Sonja, we put together a special programme on the morning of Tuesday 22nd September which focused on UWC RCN’s partnership with the Norwegian Red Cross and the Rehabilitation Centre.

The session was launched with a superb lecture on the migrant crisis in Europe and the role of the Red Cross by Sven Mollekleiv, President of the Norwegian Red Cross – to a packed auditorium of students, staff, Jubilee guests, plus patients and staff from the Rehabilitation Centre. Liv Ronglan (RCN Board Member and representative of the Norwegian Red Cross) and Emma du Marchie Sarvaas (Student Council Red Cross Rep) gave an engaging introduction to the Seven Principles of the Red Cross and the current partnership between the College and the Red Cross. Professor Jurg Kesselring (one of the five committee members of the ICRC) gave an introduction to Henry Dunant (the founder of the Red Cross – please click here for a link to the biography hanging in the entrance of the Dunant Building) and was followed by Max Deneu (Director of the Special Fund for the Disabled) who gave us an insight into both the global projects of the SFD and its ambitions for inclusivity for those with disabilities.

All participants in the programme were invited to participate in workshops with the Red Cross representatives. Workshops included: first aid; an introduction to working as an ‘Arms and Violence’ advisor; Living the Red Cross Principles; working as a delegate in the field; the migrant crisis; an introduction to the College’s Survivors of Conflict Programme.

The programme ended with  a session for first years on the role of the Sogn og Fjordane Red Cross and an introduction to the RCN Diploma.

The Red Cross definitely remains an important part of our identity – with shared values and philosophy at the heart of our work – and it was hugely enjoyable to celebrate this partnership and the 150th anniversary of the Norwegian Red Cross. Sven Mollekleiv gave, on behalf of the Norwegian Red Cross, a picture and a red bench to RCN as an anniversary gift.

We look forward to developing this partnership in the years to come with the Red Cross right at the heart of UWC RCN’s Strategy 2020. For we aim to forge a mutually beneficial partnership at regional and national levels – and the wider Red Cross movement.

‘Every time I come here it is even better’

2018-10-16T09:33:03+01:00September 25th, 2015|

Our Jubilee event on Monday 21st September marked the ninth time in 20 years that her Majesty Queen Sonja has visited our College: a definite highlight in the two year stay for each student, and an honour for us as an institution. Her strong involvement is a living reminder of the value of our work to make education a uniting force. It was all meticulously planned in advance by staff, students and the Fylkesmann team.

The progamme started with  the official opening of the Thor Heyerdahl Building and the Henry Dunant Building (named after the Norwegian Explorer / UWC International Patron and the founder of the Red Cross respectively).

At the opening ceremony of these two buildings, Director of Development Arne Osland spoke about the challenge of receiving the many that have been pushed out of their homes. It is the College’s ambition to find occasions for opening the buildings for recent immigrants, as we do during the summer with Red Cross camps ‘Holiday for all’.  Thor Heyerdahl jr echoed his father’s words from the opening ceremony 20 years ago: ‘By living together and going to the same school, we learn from personal experience that we are all part of the one and only human family’ The choir for the day, led by Jorunn Bakke Nydal, was composed of RCN students, local Norwegians and recent immigrants to Førde. What would be more appropriate for the occasion than lifting us all with  a rendition of ‘What a wonderful world’?

A main focus for the visit was value-based learning, voluntary service and ethical leadership – the underlying ethos of our Red Cross education. In practical terms this was done through stands of student work which exhibited projects which are part of the College’s extra-curricular programme – these exhibitions were open to HM the Queen and also our other 100 guests who were on campus for the Jubilee celebrations. HM Queen Sonja’s tour also included a Mountain Rescue scenario conducted by student First Aiders and some activities run by our students for patients at the neighbouring Rehabilitation Centre. Her Majesty took the time to talk to students in and outside of the planned programme.

In the evening, Her Majesty returned from the Royal Yacht ‘Norge’ and attended a drinks reception in the Høegh Building – some students and staff had erected a photographic exhibition on the theme of ‘Peace’ for this event. The drinks reception, dinner and Cultural Show were attended by our many Jubilee guests, including former Rektors, representatives from the Red Cross, Board and Council members, and supporters both local and from across the Nordic region. The Rektor gave the welcome and Jubilee Address at the start of the Cultural Show – please click here for the speech and programme.

We are proud to see the reflections of the visit on the Palace’s own home pages.

The challenge Her Majesty Queen Sonja gave to our students on departure will be shared with the rest of the UWC movement: ‘For the next 20 years you should double the number of United World Colleges – the world needs this’. What better encouragement for an education that holds knowledge and values equally high?

The Jubilee focused on the 20th anniversary of UWC Red Cross Nordic and the 150th anniversary of the Norwegians Red Cross with a real appreciation of the past – but, more so, these days have been dedicated to looking ahead for what the UWC and the Red Cross can achieve together. Alluding to Ben Okri in his Jubilee Address to Her Majesty the Queen, Rektor Richard Lamont is aspirational: “Our future [must be] greater that our past”.

For an album of photos from the day, click here.

HM Queen Sonja at RCN

2018-10-16T09:33:03+01:00September 23rd, 2015|

The celebrations of our 20th anniversary were crowned with Her Majesty Queen Sonja’s visit on a day of beautiful early autumn sunshine. The Queen took her time as she moved around the College talking and listening to many students on her route. The National News on NRK focused on her meeting with Melvin Cornejo Gomez (El Salvador) and his way of expressing aspirations for peace.

After a breathtaking student show in the evening her Majesty addressed the College and our many visitors saying, “This must be the best school in the world. In 20 years we must double the number of UWCs!” After the show, as she was taking her motor launch back to the Royal Yacht KS Norge which was moored in the fjord, Queen Sonja was given a spectacular send-off: 200 students stood on the shoreline holding aloft 200 flaming torches singing that anthem for peace, John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’. Unforgettable.

Her Majesty Queen Sonja has been an active supporter of the College and our partnership with the Red Cross since it all began as the seed of an idea more than 20 years ago. Her continued engagement and interest warms us and is a true inspiration in our continued work in promoting education that serves peace.

Click here for an album of photos from the day.

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