While ISAK is still six months away from officially becoming the 17th member of the United World Colleges Movement, we believe it is important to share with you a statement UWC International Organization has made in response to the recent US Executive Order banning citizens from seven countries (Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Sudan, Yemen, and Somalia) from entering the United States. ISAK stands with the UWCIO and is committed to educating students from all parts of the world, regardless of religion, background or nationality.
Here is the statement:
UWC International Statement on US EO, January 31, 2017
UWC – a global education movement with secondary schools in 17 countries hosting students from 155 nations and with over 2400 graduates currently studying at 94 of the most prestigious US universities and colleges – is deeply concerned about the Executive Order “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States” and its effects on current and former students and on education in the US as a whole.
Founded in 1962 to combat the effects of the Cold War, the UWC (United World Colleges) movement is committed to bringing young people from around the world together to learn to live in peace and mutual respect. All UWC students are selected independent of their nationality, religious background or socio-economic means and the UWC student body includes a number of refugees – including at UWC-USA in New Mexico. Living in a deliberately diverse community and celebrating diversity as a strength to build mutual understanding and combat intolerance and extremism of any kind is at the centre of UWC’s educational model.
UWC is committed to preparing young people to work towards a peaceful and more just world with a view to stopping terrorism and violence. We firmly believe that this can best be done by building bridges and engaging in an education which is based on respect, tolerance and shared humanity. It is our firm conviction that the indiscriminate exclusion of refugees and nationals of certain countries will be counterproductive and potentially fuel further conflict.
UWC therefore urges the US authorities to ensure that students can safely continue their education in the US independent of their nationality or their refugee status. UWC community members have been exemplary members of US universities, research institutions, NGOs, companies and US society – we hope that they will be able to continue to play this role in the future.
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You can also read the statement on the UWC website here:
For more information about UWC, visit their website www.uwc.org or social media: facebook (@UWCIO), twitter (@UWC_IO) and instagram (@UWC_IO).
