Magnea Gna Johannsdottir (RCN ’17) is the youngest person ever elected to the Reykjavik city council. Her political party Framsókn (English: Progressive Party)  gained 18,7% of the votes, making it the third-largest party in the city and the key to negotiating majority governance. The elections showed that people wanted change, and people were willing to vote for parties with young people on the frontline. Read Magnea’s journey to current achievement.

“When I sit down to write about my United World College (UWC) journey, after having been in RCN and an intern at UWC Thailand, I realize how greatly the UWC movement has influenced my life. My UWC experience goes under an umbrella of idealism, beauty and unity. The consistent challenging of my ideals was something I now find beautiful. It broke down the walls of what once created my four sided “box” and allowed me to see the abstract world beyond it. In other words it left me thinking about the world from more than a single perspective. It also made me realize that I have a voice that I can use to make a difference for the good.

UWC taught me a lot of things, one of them is that if you want to get something done you must do it. Things do not happen by sitting by. I guess this is also something that led to where I’m now. Currently, I’m doing my Master’s degree in law, where I focus mostly on human rights law, and running for the city council of Reykjavík, third on the list. Where I’m focusing on matters that are in many ways shaped by UWC values.

For example, respect for the environment. One of the most pressing issues of our times are environmental issues. Especially, for generations to come as they will inherit the world. We must make sure that people can live a sustainable lifestyle and remove all hindrances to it. The will to live a sustainable lifestyle has never been more amongst people. Sustainability and the environmental issues must be the red thread of all actions.

Additionally, humanity must be in the foreground of all decision making. We must give voice to those without it and ensure equal opportunities for all. International and intercultural understanding has never been more pressing in Iceland, as we are welcoming more refugees than ever.

I chose a political party, Framsókn, that focuses on working together and democracy and objects polarized politics. UWC also taught me that the best decisions are made when we work together and discuss things to understand the issues at hand better. Framsókn has shown that they trust young people in politics. That trust I believe to be very important as we need to have all groups and ages of society involved in decision making. Especially young people that will inherit today’s decisions.

My two years in Flekke flew by – the most transformative years of my life. The years where I grew and expanded my horizons in the shortest amount of time. RCN is in my eyes truly an ideal place created by people from all over the world that come to live together and share the same values. Values that still unite us today and will continue to influence our decisions throughout our lives. I can’t be more thankful for the UWC experience. It is my hope that the UWC movement will continue to grow successfully, always creating educational opportunities independent of people’s socio- and economic status.”

Passionate about Diversity and Food 

When I left Bolivia, at 16, to attend UWC Red Cross Nordic, I could not believe how much I was going to learn and live. RCN has given me the tools, support, and the self-confidence that I needed to expand my horizons. Every friend I made there, has made a huge impact on my life and I am thankful for it. 

After RCN, I decided to study in the United States. I am currently in the last year of my undergraduate program at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. I am completing a Bachelor of Sciences in Human Nutrition and a minor in Biology. I chose nutrition as a career because I am passionate about food and how much diversity there is on it and how we can apply it in a healthy way to our daily lives. During my last year, I am taking the time to explore student clubs and organizations that focus on sustainability, diversity, and dietetics. Recently, we celebrated the Hispanic Heritage Month on campus. We had a variety of events where students, faculty, and staff members joined forces to celebrate our history. As part of it, I was interviewed by the university daily news, where I was asked what this month of celebration meant to me.

 I still miss RCN and its people, and without them I would not be where I am now. Thank you!