UWC Day is the annual global celebration of the UWC mission and values, which takes place on 21 September every year, to coincide with the UN International Day of Peace. Each year, UWC Day is celebrated by thousands of people worldwide, including students and staff at UWC schools and colleges, national committees, UWC alumni and friends.

UWC Day is a moment to celebrate the strength and diversity of the UWC movement and our mission for a more peaceful and sustainable future through connecting and mobilising UWCers globally. It serves as a chance to spread the word about UWC, our work and values. But it is also an opportunity to reflect on what we do as a movement, to determine how to be more effective changemakers, and to continue to challenge ourselves.

Previous events and activities have included community service initiatives, film screenings, panel debates, TEDx events, fundraising events for the UWC Refugee Initiative or for UWC national committees, outreach events held in partnership with other initiatives and a range of volunteering opportunities. 

There are many ways to get involved in UWC Day. You can join an event or activity locally, or set one up yourself. You can also mark the day by taking action in support of the UWC values in whichever way feels right to you.

Each year, UWC Day has a different theme which helps to provide a central focus for the day’s actions and initiatives, for example: 'Inspire Change' in 2018, 'The Power of Diversity' in 2017, ‘Connect-Challenge-Celebrate’ in 2016 and  ‘Live the Mission' in 2015.

The theme for UWC Day 2019 is... 'Climate of Change'!

In a time in which the consequences of climate change are increasingly devastating, disproportionately affecting women, communities of colour and low-income communities, the UWC mission to bring about peace and a sustainable future for all becomes more urgent day by day. While many national governments struggle to tackle the man-made climate crisis, “Generation Greta” is calling for bold action and systemic change for climate justice. UWC Day 2019 will be dedicated to exploring creative, thoughtful and meaningful ways to bring about this change. 

Visit our events page or watch the video below to get inspired by all the UWC Day events that took place around the world last year and in 2017. All members of the global UWC community are encouraged to get involved with (or even organise!) a UWC-mission-driven event or activity wherever they are in the world during the week of 21 September 2019.

Interested in planning a UWC Day 2019 event? 
 

A few ideas to get you started...

• Organise a group of fellow UWCers and friends to volunteer with a community organisation that works in the field of sustainability.
• Get together with a bunch of other UWCers to take the UWC Alum Survey as part of Harvard's UWC Impact Study!
• Organise a group to clean up a degraded ecosystem (e.g. pick up plastic from the local river/coastline).
• Host a social gathering for UWC alums in your area and have a vegetarian or vegan night. 
• Organise an open discussion about the impact that each of us can have in reducing our carbon footprint.
• Create a working group to design a “sustainability strategy” for your household, your workplace or your school. 
• Bring UWCers and friends together for a creative activity - e.g., who can make the best work of art from recycled waste materials?
• Organise a change-themed art exhibition or film screening in your home or a local venue.