Patrons and Governance

Her Royal Highness Queen Sonja of Norway is the patron of UWC Red Cross Nordic. She opened the College formally on September 30th, 1995. She has supported the College from its earliest days and has consistently spoken positively about the UWCs in general and our College in particular. Since 1993, she has visited the College many times and has expressed a desire to meet every single student who graduates from the College.

Governance

Visitors, staff and students at the 2018 Council Meeting

The College is governed by a Board and a Council in accordance with the statutes of the Red Cross Nordic United World College Foundation.

UWC Red Cross Nordic Board:

• Chair: Geir Jørgen Bekkevold

Geir Jørgen Bekkevold is a Norwegian politician representing the Christian Democratic Party in his 3rd period in the Parliament. Since Jan 2019 Mr Bekkevold has been the leader of the Health Committee in the Norwegian Parliament and 2nd parliamentary leader for his party. Bekkevold has also been active in YMCA/YWCA locally. He was a board member of Teater Ibsen from 2004 to 2008, and the county library from 2007.

• Deputy Chair: Hans Lindemann (Denmark)
• Sweden: Jan Bjørkman
• Iceland: Sigridur Anna Thordardottir
• Norwegian Red Cross: Liv Ronglan
• UWC Norway: Ivar Lund-Mathiesen
• Staff Rep: Kåre Dale
• Student Rep: Alejandro Quecedo del Val

Deputies

• Norway: Laila Bokhari
• Astrid Søgnen
• UWC Norway: Espen Stedje
• Norwegian Red Cross: Dag Hovland

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The Elected Members of the Council are:

• Franz Bernstorff – Chair, Denmark
• Henrik Wilén  – Nordic Association
• Ingegerd Wärnersson  – Sweden
• Johan Aura – Finland
• Tomas Urvas – Åland
• Bjarki Bragason – Iceland
• Teresita Alvarez Bjelland – Norway & International
• Zhe Wang Gresvig – Independent
• Ingrid H. Warner – Norway
• Ezequiel Jimenez – Alumni

The Honorary Members of the Council are:

• Marianne Andresen
• Einar Steensnæs
• Astrid Marie Nistad
• Tove Veierød

There are appointed members of to the Council from the UWC National Committees of Denmark, Finland, Færoe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Åland.