We extend the most ​heartfelt congratulations to you as you celebrate your 5th anniversary. Inspired by your founding vision to recognise and celebrate the importance of helping our fellow humans in times of need, and putting that sense of gratitude into action by empowering future generations of humanitarians to do the same, today we share five years worth of gratitude with you for the work you have done in making your vision a reality.

Over the past five years, you have sponsored over 40 at-risk youth from the Middle East, who have been affected by conflict, displacement and poverty to attend a UWC school on a full scholarship, as part of the ​Aurora-UWC Gratitude Scholarship Programme.​ Some of them studied at UWC Dilijan, the school in Armenia so close to your heart, alongside over 600 students from close to 100 countries. At their UWC school and thanks to your generosity, they learned the skills to become the future change makers and humanitarians our world needs now maybe more than ever.

You have inspired and supported four generations of student-led humanitarian projects - from India to China to Tanzania - to make lasting and important contributions to their communities as part of ​Young Aurora​. In the words of one of your scholars, Diala Izhiman from Lebanon: “​Thank you for providing the trust and opportunity to gain an experience that would not have otherwise been possible.​”

With UWC being only one of the organisations you support, we know your work spans even further than this. ​Thank you for all that you do​! Thank you for empowering the leaders of tomorrow to make the positive changes needed to make this world a more sustainable, more peaceful and more equitable place to live in. Thank you for celebrating the work of ordinary people who are doing extraordinary things, risking so much, to help their fellow human beings - and giving them the recognition that they deserve. Thank you for inspiring and empowering the rest of us to do the same.

Here’s to the next five years - let’s keep empowering humanity to do better and to make education a force for positive change​.

In gratitude,

Jens Waltermann
Executive Director
UWC International