The original concept of Atlantic College, which led to the formation of the United World Colleges, was a result of the impact of the two World wars on Kurt Hahn and other educators. Similarly, the Red Cross Nordic College was conceived before the end of the “Cold War”, a period when two superpowers dominated world affairs and Europe was split by an “Iron Curtain”. In 1995 concern for the environment and the need for sustainable development were also recognised as key future issues by the College’s founders. The College’s mission statement was defined in terms of the mission statements of its partner organisations - the United World College movement and The International Red Cross – and
expressed in our three “pillars” and their associated values:
• Humanitarian values (among others, celebrating other cultures and values, caring for others and promoting peace);
• Nordic values (for example equality, fairness and democratic processes);
• Environmental values (among others, sustainable development, appreciation of bio-diversity, and concern for human impact on ecosystems);
The key element of the UWC philosophy is the idea that to promote peaceful co-existence on a global basis we must seek a more complete understanding of each other through education. This remains the prime guiding principle of the UWC movement.
In 2005 at the start of the new millennium:
• The problems of poverty are growing despite the efforts of many agencies and individuals;
• The major current conflict and source of misunderstanding in the world is that between the World of Islam and the so-called “West”;
• Racial and regional conflicts are more commonplace, even in an apparently stable Western Europe, as seen recently in Spain and the Netherlands for example;
• There is broad international agreement on the need for sustainable development but there is no consensus on how this should be achieved;
• Notwithstanding our progress towards an understanding of ecological processes, environmental concerns are increasing.
In terms of concern for humanitarian and environmental interests, the world is a more frightening place than it was in 1962 or 1995. Our students stand to inherit a highly complex array of challenges now and in the future.
Mindful of this context, the mission of the College is to provide educational opportunities that are relevant to these challenges and we need to be able and willing to respond to the rapidly changing educational needs of our times. In outline I believe that RCNUWC should still provide a broad education that actively promotes our values and enables a deeper understanding and celebration of other cultures and values.
More than ever however RCNUWC must now also aim to extend its mission beyond the confines of the college campus and into Nordic Society. We must aim to be become distinctive and therefore alternative, accepted and a widely known part of Nordic society. We must work harder to have an educational impact locally, nationally and throughout the Nordic region. We must become an even more active constituent of the Red Cross movement in Norway and beyond.
To survive and to prosper we must make a significant and lasting contribution to our host society and we, the children of almost 80 nations,must tell our individual stories confidently and often.
Dr
John Lawrenson
Rektor
Javlon Azimov was a much loved and popular member of the RCNUWC community, full of humour, energy and good will. He was a key member of Performing Arts Service where he was both a dancer and the sound technician, a job he happily did for the many other cultural shows on and off the campus. If that were not enough,he was also a yearbook technician and a campus first -aider.He packed two full years of activity into two terms.
He is greatly missed by everyone here at the college. Our sympathy goes out to his wonderful family along with our gratitude for sharing him with us.
