The Global Concerns in March 2009 will be on the Nordic theme.
The organizing group shall be formed in early January 2009. There will be a sign-up form sent to all students to join the group.
In the meantime, please think of possible topics for this Nordic GC and read about the GC organization group here.
More to come!!
Gammaldans is traditional Norwegian folk dancing which takes place in local village halls, including the Hoegh Centre, every Thursday evening from 20.00 – 22.30. The group from RCNUWC joins local people who have been dancing together for many years and are delighted to share their expertise and enthusiasm with our students. From January, 2009, the EAC group will dance every Thursday and take responsibility for organising and managing the dance in the Hoegh once a month. As this commitment requires several hours, participants can take one evening off a month on the condition that they find a replacement of the same sex. * Equal numbers of males and females are needed for this EAC.*
The ‘Flat Water Project’ is a short beginner course in kayaking, with an emphasise on learning skills that can be used for sea kayaking and river boat.
We left for Oslo on Friday, 6th November 2008 to participate in the SANMUN (Skagerak and Nesbrua Model United Nations) 2008. The venue was Nesbru VGS, an IB-school, in Sandvika. The delegation of the Red Cross Nordic United World College consisted of Ambassador Sarah Asif, and delegates Maryia Rusak, Palden Gyal and Daniek Saman. We were accompanied by Narender Dalal, our MUN director.
The country we represented was Rwanda. A lot of research was done during the Continue reading »
The moving water project EAC is an activity designed for advanced kayakers at RCNUWC, the aim is to find rivers with white water and develop the fundamental principles required to control and manoeuvre river kayaks whilst in the flow. This includes reading the flow, breaking into the moving water and finding eddies, as well as reacting and stabilising the kayak and carrying out Eskimo rolls. The sessions require a lot of physical energy and participants need to work together to over come the logistical challenges and maintain the equipment.
“The moving water project EAC is loads of fun. Physically it is often a challenge (not capsizing in the river in Flekke is not a piece of cake) but despite, or probably to a large extent because of this, it is so incredibly enjoyable. Even when the water is so cold that our fingers and toes get numb, when capsizing makes your head feel like ice and you wish it could be detached just for those few seconds of unimaginable pain, before it goes back to normal pain, and when layers on top of layers of clothes underneath your wet-suit cannot keep you warm, even then it is worth kayaking out in the river, simply because of the rush you get. Moving water project EAC is in my heart 
” Sara Saleh
Every Friday since September a small group of 11 people were trained to become canoe leaders. We started by learning how to manouvring a canoe- something we practised during the whole course. The next session was time to rescue a capsized canoe, with wetsuits. After these two first sessions it was time to explore some parts of the Flekke-fjord. During the last three sessions we learned how to lead a group as a canoe leader. We played some games, we had some trips out to nice places along the Flekke fjord and everyone tried to swim in the fjord without a wetsuit.
Now the canoe leaders can take out non-canoe leaders on small trips in the beautiful Flekke-fjord. It is a nice opportunity to see the area in a different way.
Our ideas are not ideal or our beliefs abstract
Our philosophy is simple yet subtle
A voice for the voiceless
A mirror for the unseen and
An act of defiance against the cruelty
Of humans unto its own kind
When innocence fall victim of crime
And the victors corrupt the society.
We know no borders or any barriers
For we believe Human Rights entitled
To every human being, notwithstanding
Race, gender, color and creed.
ONE WORLD, ONE HUMANITY
Palden
Wednesday, Oct. 29
19.30 – Høegh
Buddhist prayer ceremony conducted by Bhante Dhammaratana – the Chief Incumbent of the Stockholm Buddhist Vihara, which was the first ever Buddhist temple formed in Scandinavia.
20.30 - Høegh
Thursday, Oct. 30
08.30 – All meet in Auditorium
09.55 - Cookie Break
10.15 - Workshops 1A & 1B (see separate schedule)
12.00 - Lunch
13.30 - Workshops 2A & 2B (see separate schedule)
15.10 - All meet in Auditorium for panel discussion with workshop leaders
17.30 Dinner
19.00 - Films (see separate schedule)
Friday, Oct. 31
07.45 - Teachers pick up cases & issues from mailboxes
08.00 - All meet in allocated classrooms for case simulation exercise
12.20 - Lunch
SAFUGE was founded by Joseph Kaifala, a student from Sierra Leone that had survived the terrible Diamond War in his country in the late 90’s to alleviate in some way the plight of a ravaged nation that was trying to rebuild itself through helping its children.
After Joseph went to study in the US, a dedicated group of students continued the group. Today SAFUGE focuses on helping the Leonard Cheshire School for disabled children that have been war victims by providing of school materials and is helping to rebuild a school in Madagascar.
SAFUGE students make cafes, do talks in Norwegian schools to spread awareness and hold two used clothing bazaars among their activities. We just had a very successful one and expect to continue with the projects in Africa into 2009.
Religion and Conflict – the Role of Buddhism in Sri Lanka
Bhante Dhammaratana, the Chief Incumbent of the Stockholm Buddhist Vihara, will hold a workshop on the role of Buddhism in Sir Lanka and the role of religion in the intra-state conflict / civil war between the government and the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka.
(Bhante Dhammaratana)
[For those who know little about the situation, please get some background information. Here are some links for you to consider:
Religion and Humanitarian Relief Efforts
Martin Watson has worked in the field of humanitarian aid for two Methodist relief organizations from 1996 to 2003. He then worked for a Quaker agency on poverty and economic development linked to trade from 1996 to 2003. Martin will talk about Christian organisations in relation to both poverty and humanitarian aid. In both instances, he will focus on the theological convictions that inspire and direct the work of religious organisations and whether these are a source of strength or weakness when it comes to implementing activities. The Methodist and Quaker approaches are also very different (almost contradictory) although they both have their origins in the non-conformist movement in England and its history of colonial expansion.
(Martin Watson)
Omnipresent Changes – Altering Religion and Quickly Mutating Society
Michal Koss, Teacher of Philosophy, Theory of Knowledge, and Classical Languages from the IB School in Gdynia, Poland will hold this workshop.
The main idea is to outline, analyze and illustrate some mechanisms and aspects of the contemporary overwhelming shifts in religious and social domains, and what is more their mutual interaction. The area of this intellectual fieldwork is Poland (detailed case study), Europe (some shared by European countries features), and the Globe. At the same time it will be a good opportunity to enrich the vocabulary of ‘change’!
(Michal Koss)
Are we born to believe? Are we born to help?
Perspectives on human life – with Knut Arne, the priest from Dale
(Knut Arne)
Religion and State
In this workshop we will look at two case studies, Sweden and Iran, to see how significant the influence religion has in two different societies. We will look at these countries in detail, as well as discuss and debate questions relating to these issues. Is it right to mix state and religion? Can a government decide what their citizens should believe? Is it necessary for a country to have a central religion?
(Sebastian + Amelie)
Religion and Conflict – the Case of Jihad
In this workshop we are going to talk about Jihad, what it really is and how it is perceived by the West and the different Muslim points of view about it. We will also take into consideration a couple of interesting case studies.
(Samed + Dag)
Religion and Conflict – the Case of Northern Ireland
For more than 30 years the words Northern Ireland have conjured images of violence and bitter sectarian division. During that period the six counties that make up Northern Ireland — Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry and Tyrone — have witnessed a depressing catalogue of death and injury as Catholics and Protestants fought each other.
Between 1966 and 1999 a total of 3,636 people were killed and 36,000 injured as the conflict spread beyond Northern Ireland’s borders onto the British mainland and elsewhere. Most of the victims were innocent civilians.
What was the reason behind this conflict?? What role did Religion play in this legacy of violence and mistrust??
(Savant + Ezekiel)
Religion and Conflict – the Case of Orissa, India
We shall present the background and the current situation of the recent violence in Orissa, India. We will have debate questions on the various aspects of the issue(s) presented. We hope all of our participant will enjoy and fiercely participate in discussions!
(Anna, Ina)
Catholicism in Latin America
IT’S HOT, IT’S PASSIONATE, IT’S CONTRADICTORY AND FULL OF SUSPENSE.
IT DEALS WITH SEX, PROHIBITIONS, LIFE AND DEATH.
IT HAS A MURDER AS ITS MAIN EVENT.
ITS PROTAGONISTS ARE A GOOD LOOKING MAN, A SWEET VIRGIN AND A CONTROVERSIAL ITALIAN.
IT’S CATHOLICISM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The workshop on Catholicism aims at making people acquainted with the religion by offering a description of its origins, its basic beliefs, its structure and its dissemination throughout history and geographical areas. There is an emphasis on Catholicism in Latin America since the religion was introduced by the Spanish and Portuguese conquerors after the discovery of the continent in 1492. Examples of its influence in art, government, education and society in general will be discussed.
Catholicism today is a divided and controversial issue. After the presentation of its pros and cons in certain areas such as women’s issues, women’s participation, doctrine and sex issues like contraception a debate will be opened to the audience. The workshop was prepared by the first-year Latinos and Diogenes representing Brazil.
(The Latinos)
Religion and Sexuality
This workshop consists of analysing the relationship between sexuality issues and religion. On 28/10 we will show a movie that raises many questions regarding this age-old relationship between sexuality and religion in a concise and meaningful, yet indirect way. Watching the movie is not compulsory, but we highly advise you to do it (bearing in mind that there will be free cake and cookies for those who do it). In the workshop we will show pertinent scenes from the movie to provide a basis for discussion on specific aspects of this topic. We encourage all the participants of the workshop to go willing to bring their own inputs so we have diverse and interesting discussions.
(GAS)
Religion and AIDS
Do you have a religious stand on HIV & AIDS?
Every day, more and more people die from AIDS. This disease cannot be cured and only kept in check with incredibly expensive drugs. The best thing we can do is reduce the spread of AIDS and prevent more deaths in the future. This workshop, conducted by the Youth Against Aids group, aims to inform you about the current AIDS situation in different parts of the world and to challenge you to consider how different faith groups (including atheists!) are dealing with the AIDS situation in their respective communities. This workshop will include personal stories and case studies.
(YAA Group)
Religion and the Environment
The workshop is going to deal with different religions and their views on nature and animals, the relationship between humans and nature. Are we superior? Are we “abusing the nature” for survival needs or just for our own privilege?
Case study: indigenous Warani people from Paraguay, their beliefs, their connection with the nature & the deep-ecology theory vs. species-ism and Anthropocentrism.
(Sally + Malika)
Religion and Arts & Music
This workshop focuses on arts and music. As it is under the humanitarian umbrella, we will be talking mainly about the effect of gospel music upon slaves in Africa during the colonial period. As well as arts we will be talking about many religions.
This is just a teaser. Wanna know more? Come and join us!
(Penguin + Sophie)