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Peace is at the heart of UWC’s mission
By bringing together young people from diverse and often divided backgrounds, UWC fosters the understanding, empathy and collaboration needed to build a more peaceful world.
In an increasingly polarised global context, UWC’s model of shared living and learning remains a powerful force for connection and change.
UWC’s approach
Diversity is central to the UWC experience. Students live, study and take action alongside peers from different cultures, socio-economic backgrounds, belief systems and worldviews. On each campus, 70-80 nationalities are represented at any one time, creating an environment that challenges assumptions, encourages dialogue and promotes mutual understanding.
This daily, lived experience of navigating differences helps students develop the empathy, adaptability, and leadership skills needed to foster peace – both locally and globally.
UWC in action
UWC has a long history of peacebuilding through education – particularly by bringing together young people from conflict-affected regions. Examples include:
- Peace-focused curricula such as the Initiative for Peace at UWC South East Asia (UWC SEA), which centres on conflict resolution, mediation and youth-led peace projects
- Founding schools in post-conflict regions, including UWC Mostar in Bosnia-Herzegovina, where education is used as a tool for reconciliation
- Programmes bridging divided communities, such as the EU Scholarship Programme for Cypriot Youth at UWC, which has united 64 students from Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities and positively impacted over 2,000 people across Cyprus.
UWC’s work in this field has been recognised internationally, including two nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize.
With your support, UWC can:
- Fund tandem scholarships for peace – bringing together students from opposite sides of conflict to learn and live alongside each other
- Expand peacebuilding programmes across our schools and regions
- Share UWC’s peace education expertise with educators and institutions worldwide
At UWC, diversity is at the heart of the educational model. Students live, learn, and do service with peers from across the world, often from very different socio-economic backgrounds, cultures, and belief systems. This daily experience of navigating diversity fosters empathy and collaboration, key skills for peacebuilding. UWC students come from over 150 countries, with 70-80 nationalities represented on each campus at any given time. This diversity enriches their learning environment and prepares them to address global challenges.
Donate now to support UWC in educating for a more peaceful worldMore than 70 nationalities coexisting in peace, respect and love was a unique experience that expanded my horizons. Despite being a refugee, I never felt set apart. The atmosphere of respect for diverse backgrounds allowed me to thrive and be recognised for my potential rather than my status. This experience laid the foundation for my desire to work in the humanitarian sector, which I further developed through international voluntary work during my studies and after graduation.