UWC Day is a celebration of UWC ideals, our mission and values which falls on the UN International Day of Peace each year. In 2023 this occasion was full of inspiration, learning, and connection that lasted for three days, rather than the usual one day celebration. Under the theme “Shaping a Sustainable Future” our community came together with youth from our local area and with the help of a vast range of experts we discussed and learned about the different levels and aspects of sustainability. Students and our guests challenged each others’ views on sustainability and explored regional differences in the approach to creating a sustainable future.

The day began with all members of the RCN community walking into the fjord together. Some just dipped their toes in, while others went for full body immersion! It was a great way to mark this day as a change in our usual programming, and to connect with nature first thing in the morning.

The dip in the fjord was followed by an opening ceremony in the Auditorium, where Rektor Pelham Lindfield Roberts, along with students Benjamin Matzen and Maria Santos, set the tone for an exciting day ahead. Their words echoed our commitment to making a positive impact on the world and fostering intercultural understanding.

Our first guest speakers Thor Inge Sveinsvoll, President of the Norwegian Red Cross and Anne Bergh, General Secretary of the Norwegian Red Cross, highlighted the importance of humanitarian efforts specifically talking about the role of Red Cross locally, national and international leaving us with a deep sense of purpose to contribute to global causes. Their session was followed up with a workshop titled “Sustainable development through volunteerism” focusing on how NGOs can help to accelerate the sustainable development goals.

An intercultural speed dating session, expertly guided by Deputy Rektor Natasha Lambert and student Asta Gabriel, allowed first-year students and guests to connect on a personal level, highlighting the strength of our diverse community. Board members, visiting speakers, local school children and RCN students discussed answers to questions such as “What was your first intercultural experience and how did you react to this?” This was a great way to break the ice and get to know one another on a deeper level.

Workshops throughout the day encouraged students and guests to explore creative problem-solving and teamwork, providing tangible solutions to global environmental challenges. There were 18 workshops available  to take part in, which endeavoured to answer questions such as “How do we ensure that we can harvest resources from the sea for future generations?”, “How should businesses lead by example when it comes to sustainability?” and “Can Haugland become a net positive energy society in the future?”.

Later in the afternoon, Professor Henrik Syse from the Peace Research Institute Oslo gave an inspiring talk in the auditorium that focused on how to preserve values when everything is changing, and reflections on morality in a time of rapid change with concrete examples from history to learn from.
As the day concluded, students Benjamin Matzen and Maria Santos delivered heartfelt closing reflections, reminding us of the significance of our collective efforts in shaping a sustainable future.

Two distinctive dinners capped off our day. The first, a casual dinner at Kantina, provided a relaxed atmosphere for attendees to unwind and share their experiences. The second, a formal dinner attended by Her Majesty Queen Sonja, was a night of elegance and celebration of the UWC spirit.

In the late afternoon, Her Majesty Queen Sonja of Norway arrived on campus to join in the UWC Day celebrations. H.M. began her stay with a guided tour of campus where H.M. met with our student council representatives before an introduction to the new boat program on campus teaching student boat sailing techniques and how to take care of old wooden boats. The tour then stopped with children from the Red Cross Haugland Rehabilitation Centre which meets weekly with our students before visiting campschool (leirskule) pupils who got to sing their school song. The tour finished with tea and cake in Sweden House 101. In the evening, Her Majesty attended a dinner with students, staff and visiting guests. The catering was provided by Christel Eide from Bygstad and the menu was made from locally sourced ingredients.

The evening continued with a captivating student show attended by Her Majesty, where our talented students dazzled us with their creativity and talents, very well hosted by second-year students Nico De Maria and Jorge Manrique Betancur. The students performed dances, traditional greetings, songs and spoken word pieces from all corners of the world. After watching the performances, Queen Sonja spoke directly to our students and said, “You are the world. You are the future. I’ve been here many times, and I get more and more amazed, also very much impressed, by the energy, by the willingness you have to go out into the world and make it better. Use your talent for the best of what you want to share with other people, what you want to create. You will make a better world.”

Our sincere gratitude goes out to all who contributed to making this UWC Day memorable. Your collective efforts inspire us to continue working for a peaceful and sustainable future.

Photos by Kiran Acharya and Petra Poór / UWC Red Cross Nordic