Opening Remarks
On May 27, 2017 UWC Dilijan hosted the first day of the 2017 Aurora Dialogues. Arriving guests had an opportunity to tour UWC Dilijan and see examples of students’ work. The 2017 Aurora Dialogues then began with opening remarks by Ruben Vardanyan, Co-founder of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, and Denise Davidson, UWC Dilijan Headmistress.
The remarks were followed by the speech of Ed Williams, CEO, Edelman UK and Ireland & Vice Chairman, Europe, who welcomed the guests and proceeded to talk about the importance of not giving up in the face of adversity. “Individuals can make a difference. One person can make a change,” he said.
Galvanizing the World: Education For All
The first session of the day’s Galvanizing the World series was called Education For All and moderated by Denise Davidson. Panelists included UWC International Executive Director Jens Waltermann, Haifa Dia Al-Attia, CEO of the Queen Rania Foundation for Education and Development, and Global Talent EY Partner and One Degree Academy Chair Riaz Shah.
UWC Dilijan Headmistress pondered the question of the authorities’ role in providing education for all children, especially those affected by poverty, war and displacement, and stressed out that sometimes a little push from the society was needed for the change to happen. Jens Waltermann explained to the audience one of the most important aspects of the UWC movement’s mission, which is using knowledge as a uniting tool. “We find the kids from disadvantaged backgrounds, we bring them together and we try to forge a common sense of humanity,” he said.
Haifa Dia Al-Attia encouraged everyone to step up and take responsibility for solving the problem, while Riaz Shah reminded people of the contribution the refugees can make when it comes to better education.
Galvanizing the World: The Role of Media
The second session of the day was called The Role of Media and moderated by Stephen Kurkjian, author, former Washington Bureau Chief and Founder of Investigative Column Spotlight, The Boston Globe. Panelists included Nigerian-American Journalist Chika Oduah and Deputy Editor-in-Chief of BILD Florian von Heintze.
Kurkjian reflected upon the impact fair reporting can make on solving the most pressing humanitarian issues. “Honest, probing, independent, fair reporting is in fact the first step in galvanizing the world to the problems that beset the world,” he said. Chika Oduah, whose 15-year reporting career has included work with Al Jazeera, CNN, The New York Times, The Huffington Post and France24, made sure to emphasize the role of not only the global outlets in covering the crisis, but also the smaller local ones.
Florian von Heintze then talked about the transformation of the modern media and the extra effort they now need to put in to really get their message across. “Every reporter that we send out to this world also writes for the social media. That’s where we reach the next generation, and that’s very important to us,” he noted.
Galvanizing the World: Protecting Human Rights
The third session was called Protecting Human Rights and moderated by Hrair Balian, Director of the Conflict Resolution Program of the Carter Center. Panelists included Shamil Idriss, President & CEO of Search for Common Ground, American Jewish World Service Global Ambassador Ruth W. Messinger and Elisa Massimino, President & CEO of Human Rights First.
“I think we are all aware of the fact that war is the worst, the greatest violation of human rights”, said Balian in his opening remarks. Shamil Idriss reflected upon the forces that are in play on the global arena right now. “For all the flaws of the United Nations, European Union, African Union and many other institutions, they were tremendously successful since the end of World War II in dealing with and trying to prevent interstate conflict,” he emphasized.
Ruth W. Messinger talked about the cycle of giving that can be created and promoted by proper coverage. “That’s what we need – to tell the success stories, to highlight the individual ways in which we can all make a difference,” she said, while Elisa Massimino expressed her concern with the fact that many people still see refugees as a negative influence on their countries.
Galvanizing the World: Role Models
Marking the fourth session the audience was then addressed by Russian writer and member of the Board of Trustees of the “Sozidanie” charity foundation Narine Abgaryan, who talked about the importance of having role models to encourage even the most unwilling to lend a helping hand to others. “Somehow we do manage to convince people to donate. We do it by our words and deeds, and by the power of personal example,” explained the author.
Galvanizing the World: Overcoming Adversity
Overcoming Adversity, the fifth session, was moderated by Former U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor and Ambassador to the United Nations Nancy Soderberg. Panelists included Marguerite Barankitse, 2016 Aurora Prize Laureate and Founder of Maison Shalom and REMA hospital in Burundi, President & CEO of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum Alice M. Greenwald and Liberian peace activist and member of the Aurora Prize Selection Committee, Nobel Laureate Leymah Gbowee.
Soderberg addressed the UWC students, encouraging them to dream big and make those dream come true. “We are going to hear extraordinary stories from ordinary people about how to galvanize action. I hope all the graduates today will take this to heart,” noted Soderberg.
Marguerite Barankitse nearly brought the audience to tears with a very emotional story of the atrocities she had to face. “I lost 60 members of my family, but I don’t want to avenge them. Hutu didn’t understand me, Tutsi didn’t understand me either,” lamented Maggy.
Alice M. Greenwald reflected upon the lack of empathy and emphasized that the biggest problems the world is facing concern all of us, while Leymah Gbowee reminded the audience of the dangers of overthinking. “I’ve never seen a place in the world where all of those who have made history have overly analyzed their role. They are people who just saw the need and jumped in,” said Gbowee.
Galvanizing the World: Empowering Refugees
The sixth and final session was called Empowering Refugees and moderated by Sasha Chanoff, Founder and Executive Director of RefugePoint. Alexander Betts, professor of Forced Migration and International Affairs at the University of Oxford, also took part in the discussion.
“There are three things I want to achieve during this panel,” said Chanoff. “One, to highlight the dimensions of the refugee crisis, two, to understand what we can do differently, and three, to have some take away points that everybody can internalize to move forward.”
Alexander Betts, professor of Forced Migration and International Affairs at the University of Oxford, reflected upon the role of context and terms when it comes to discussing the issue. “In the last couple of years the refugee issue has been labeled refugee crisis. And it’s worth asking where and why,” he noted.
Ed Williams took the stage again, finalizing the Galvanizing the World panels and announcing the breakout sessions, during which the Aurora Dialogues audience was able to process the received information. “This is a moment when it all comes to you, your own thoughts and ideas, and contributions and individual actions you will take,” he said.
All guests and participants then broke into 14 different groups for more detailed discussions on the ideas raised be the panelists, including how best to facilitate change in communities.
Young Leaders Addressing the Most Pressing Humanitarian Problems
After that is was time for the next session of the day, called Young Leaders Addressing the Most Pressing Humanitarian Problems. Students of the three UWC colleges whose projects proposals were chosen to proceed to the final round of the Aurora Humanitarian Project for UWC Schools and Colleges were invited to present them to the Aurora Dialogues guests and participants, as well as the Jury, composed of the Co-founder of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative Noubar Afeyan, Marguerite Barankitse, Leymah Gbowee, Vice Chair of the UWC International Board Jill Longson and Ernesto Zedillo, Former President of Mexico and Director of the Yale Center for the Study of Globalization.
The lucky finalists were Waterford Kamhlaba UWC of Southern Africa in Swaziland, UWC Robert Bosch College in Germany and UWC Mahindra College in India, and the representatives of all teams were greeted warmly by Christof Bosch, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Robert Bosch Stiftung. He pointed out that first half of the day was dedicated to the proposals of his generation and stipulated that it was high time the audience finally heard from the young people.
DoGood.shop, the project of the UWC Robert Bosch College, aims to support social organizations by providing a non-profit online marketplace to sell upcycled and handmade products made by refugees and other vulnerable people. UWC Mahindra College initiative Kriyā Iron addresses the pressing issue of anemia in the rural areas surrounding the college and raises awareness of micronutrient deficiencies.
Finally, the BraveGirl Camp project of the Waterford Kamhlaba UWC is a student-led gender equality initiative that targets academically competitive girls completing secondary education around the capital city of Swaziland.
Ideas in Action and Closing Remarks
While the Jury deliberated, Ed Williams returned to the stage to present the final session, Ideas in Action, and sum up the day’s discussions. He reminded the audience about the impact each and every one of us can have when it comes to the world’s most pressing issues and encouraged people not to blame their governments for inaction but to push them in order to galvanize action. “Let’s spark a movement by leading by example,” he concluded.
Veronika Zonabend, Chair of the UWC Dilijan Board of Governors and Co-founder of the IDeA Foundation, was then invited onstage. She introduced Vartan Gregorian, President of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Co-founder of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative and member of the Aurora Prize Selection Committee, and proceeded to announce that in honor of Gregorian’s life work the UWC Dilijan library will be named after him and known as Vartan Gregorian Learning Center from now on.
Vartan Gregorian thanked Mrs. Zonabend and praised her for her kind words, hard work and humbleness. “Veronika’s leadership was responsible for launching this school,” he assured every one.
All participants of the Aurora Humanitarian Project for UWC Schools and Colleges were then invited onstage for the announcement of the winner. Gregorian named UWC Robert Bosch College as the winner and recipient of €4,000, but then Noubar Afeyan took the word to say that two other teams will also receive the funding. “There has been an anonymous donation so the other projects will also receive €4,000 each,” declared Afeyan.
Veronika Zonabend put to words what everybody was feeling and thus concluded the first day of the Aurora Dialogues. “It’s been a great day. Thank you for your commitment, your efforts, your professionalism, your passion, your hearts,” said Veronika Zonabend.