Following a rigorous selection process facilitated by the Italian UWC committee, I was awarded an academic scholarship to study at UWC Dilijan College in Armenia. Pursuing the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, I had the freedom to choose my exam subjects based on my interests and aspirations. UWC Dilijan College boasted a vibrant and multicultural environment, with students representing more than 90 different nationalities. This diversity extended to the faculty as well, with professors bringing varied backgrounds and perspectives to the classroom. However, due to the resurfacing conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, I regrettably had to return to Italy after successfully completing DP1 (Diploma Program Year 1). Nonetheless, the experience I gained during my time at UWC Dilijan was invaluable, exposing me to global perspectives and fostering lifelong connections with peers from around the world.
TedX Youth @ UWCDilijan
TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) is an annual conference founded in 1984 with the goal of spreading ideas and knowledge through motivational speeches of maximum 18 minutes. The main event takes place in Vancouver, Canada, but TED has also organized TEDx events worldwide. TEDxYouth is a version of the TEDx format that focuses on young people under 18 years old and aims to inspire them to spread ideas and innovative solutions to the challenges their generation faces. Along with other students from my school in Armenia, I was involved in forming the organizing team for the TEDxYouth@UWCDilijan conference. With my experience in event organization, I took on the responsibility of handling the event LOGISTICS, assigning tasks, and COORDINATING the team's activities.
Open projectYearbook Committee
During the 2021-2022 school year, I had the fortunate opportunity to join the Yearbook Committee at UWC Dilijan School. Being passionate about photography, my focus was on collecting photos of school events and social moments to include in the yearbook. Additionally, together with another photographer at the school, we worked hard to capture portraits of all the students and teachers, aiming to capture each individual's personality.
During the yearbook's design phase, I contributed to the layout and arrangement of the pages, striving to create a visually appealing product. I also handled logistics, ensuring that all the collected images were of high quality and ready for printing.
Sunstainability Committee
During my year abroad, I had the honor of being ELECTED to be part of the Sustainability Committee at the prestigious international school, UWC Dilijan College. In this role, I had the opportunity to collaborate with the committee in ORGANIZING a series of sustainability projects aimed at making the school more environmentally friendly and responsible. Specifically, I had the opportunity to engage and MEDIATE with the school administration for the implementation of sustainable policies such as energy conservation and the installation of solar panels to reduce the school's environmental impact. Additionally, I worked with the municipality of Dilijan and an NGO in Yerevan to establish a recycling system for the school. With my knowledge and passion for sustainability, I contributed to educating students about environmental issues, promoting waste segregation and recycling, as well as advocating for more sustainable behaviors in their daily lives. Furthermore, I actively participated in organizing various committee activities, providing support in coordinating and organizing sustainability-related events.
UWC Climate Panel
I served as a SUSTAINABILITY COORDINATOR at UWC Dilijan College and had the honor of organizing the INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE SEMINAR called 'UWC Climate Panel'. The event took place online and involved numerous experts in the field of sustainability, including scientists, communicators, and activists. I personally contacted each of them to ensure their availability to speak at the event. The main objective of the UWC Climate Panel was to raise awareness among the international community about the need to promote sustainability and address the global challenges of climate change. Additionally, we aimed to highlight the difficulties faced by communities most affected by climate change on a daily basis and the role of indigenous communities in the fight for environmental and climate defense. One of the most challenging aspects of organizing the seminar was coordinating the various UWC campuses scattered around the world. Thanks to Zoom, we were able to connect the 18 UWC colleges so that students could participate in real-time and ask questions to the speakers. I had the responsibility of MODERATING the discussion and collecting questions from the audience and students so that the speakers could address their concerns and inquiries.
Outdoor Leadership
I was SELECTED as a member of the Outdoor Leadership Committee at UWC Dilijan School in Armenia. I worked closely with our teacher, a veteran of the 44-day war between Armenia and Azerbaijan, to COORDINATE the school's sports activities. It was an incredible experience to participate in numerous excursions across Armenian territory, including hiking and climbing. The most memorable one was a week-long trek in the Armenian mountains, which also included an introduction to cave exploration. I was thrilled to have the responsibility of managing winter ski trips to the Soviet-era ski resorts in Tsaghkadzor and providing skiing lessons to my peers. This experience taught me how to work in teams and handle emergency situations in remote and challenging environments. Additionally, it allowed me to discover the natural beauty of Armenia and appreciate the local culture.