United World College of the Atlantic

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"Since opening in 1962, the United World College of the Atlantic has shone as a beacon for international education. So far more than 7,500 young people from over 100 countries have benefited from this extraordinary experience.

"The first of 12 United World Colleges now found on every continent, Atlantic College was founded by educationist Kurt Hahn to engage young people from all nations in finding peaceful means to bring together a world divided by political, racial and socio-economic barriers.

"Like its fellow colleges in Bosnia, Canada, Costa Rica, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Norway, Singapore, Swaziland, USA, Venezuela, it remains committed to fostering international understanding at a lifestage where young adults are open to exploring radical possibilities." [1]

"Lord Montbatten became the first president of the International Council of the United World Colleges in 1965. He was succeeded by his great nephew, H.R.H. The Prince of Wales, in 1978. In 1995 Prince Charles passed the title to Nelson Mandela, the President of South Africa." [2]

Background

"UWC Atlantic College is not a place for the faint-hearted, nor should it be; it provides a very special kind of educational experience. Approximately 350 young people from over 80 different nations and from a wide spectrum of socio-economic backgrounds, cultures and creeds, congregate each year at the college... A lecture visit in 1956 to the NATO Defence College in Paris saw the beginnings of ideas on what would become a global education movement. It was at this meeting that British Commandant Air Marshal Sir Lawrence Darvall was inspired by Kurt Hahn's analysis of the state of the young. Hahn's ideas were original, imaginative and far-sighted enough to conceive a two year college bringing together students from all over the world, selected on personal merit, irrespective of race, religion, politics and the ability to pay, with the explicit aim of fostering international understanding. Both Kurt Hahn and Lawrence Darvall saw the college as a demonstration of how conflict and hostility could be overcome if young people from different nations, races and religions could be brought together to learn from each other. Eventually opened in 1962, it has educated over seven thousand students to date." [3]

US Foundation - Atlantic College

"The US Foundation for the United World College of the Atlantic was established in 2001 to benefit Atlantic College, the first of the United World Colleges." [4]

Contact

URL: http://www.atlanticcollege.org

Resources and articles

Related Sourcewatch

References

  1. About, United World College of the Atlantic, accessed February 18, 2010.
  2. AN ESSAY ON KURT HAHN FOUNDER OF OUTWARD BOUND (1941), KURT HAHN, accessed February 18, 2010.
  3. Atlantic College About, organizational web page, accessed March 30, 2012.
  4. Directors, United World College of the Atlantic, accessed February 18, 2010.