To mark the 50^th anniversary of the international UWC movement, UWC Cayman Islands installed a plaque and benches commemorating the culmination of a service project at the George Town Primary School. UWC national committees worldwide were encouraged to participate in the 50^th anniversary through a themed-effort of “celebrating with action.”

With the funds raised by the George Town Primary School PTA, collective volunteer assistance and donated materials from numerous local companies, GTPS students were pleased to see the construction of a new playground and green area for the commencement of their academic year. Throughout the summer, new trees were planted to frame the play area and provide shade for the students. Prior to the resumption of classes, the donated playground equipment was put in place.

UWC Cayman Islands contacted GTPS in early 2012 and helped arrange volunteers and donated materials from local companies for the project. Given that the mission statement of the UWC movement is “to make education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future,” and places a strong emphasis on local community service and commitment, the project was an ideal way to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of UWC and improve the educational experience for local students.

Companies and individuals interested in learning more about UWC Cayman Islands are invited to contact Ms. Tara Rivers at [email protected].

UWC, formerly United World Colleges, is an educational network in 146 countries with 12 schools and colleges.

The schools and colleges deliver a challenging and transformative educational experience to inspire students to create a peaceful and sustainable future.

UWC was inspired by the ideas of Kurt Hahn, a German educator. It was founded with the vision of bringing together young people whose experience was based on the political conflict of the Cold War to offer an education based on shared learning, collaboration and understanding so that they would become champions of peace.

It was founded as Atlantic College, Wales, in 1962. There are now a total of 50,000 alumni from the schools and colleges.

The schools and colleges are in the USA, Canada, Costa Rica, Swaziland, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Italy, Norway, the Netherlands and the UK.

UWC depends on volunteer-run committees in 146 countries. They allow UWC to choose students from a local context and ensure deliberately ethnic, religious and socio-economic diversity. UWC Cayman Islands has been selecting students since 1984 and has over 60 local students and alumni. UWC Cayman Islands provides full scholarship for selected students, through donations from local businesses and individuals as well as fundraising events.

UWC played a leading role in setting up the International Baccalaureate (IB). It uses the IB as the curriculum for its students aged 16-19.

There are shared educational principles among all the schools and colleges.

Notable international alumni include Abiodun Williams, former Director of the Strategic Planning Unit at the Executive Office of the United Nations Secretary-General; Jorma Ollila, Chair of Shell; and Douglas Alexander MP, UK Shadow Foreign Secretary.

Notable local alumni include Samuel Rose, Deputy Chief Officer for the Ministry of Financial Services, Tourism and Development; Lizzette Yearwood, CEO of the HSA; Linburgh Martin, Managing Director of Intertrust (Cayman Islands); and Marilyn Conolly, Managing Director of Innotiva Consulting and community activist.

UWC is a partner with the Shelby Davis Program, the world’s largest university scholarship programme funded by a single donor. UWC alumni benefit from scholarships to more than 75 of the USA’s best universities, including MIT, Harvard, Yale and Princeton.

UWC expects its alumni to follow the organisation’s values and vision and further its aims as a lifelong commitment.