UWC Changshu China holding the First Charity Auction in Shanghai 

All student performers greeting on stage 

 Media Session  

Fashion Show 

On 26th April, 2016, UWC Changshu China held its first charity auction in Shanghai to raise scholarship funds. Auction items were donated by UWC alumni and well-known Chinese artists. The Auction was conducted by an auctioneer from Christie’s. The charity auction dinner also received sponsorship from many enterprises and individuals. Over 200 guests from the art, education, culture, finance and business sectors joined leaders of UWC Changshu China at the dinner.

Founded in 1962, United World Colleges (UWC) now have 15 schools on five continents.  UWC Changshu China, the 15th UWC, opened in September 2015 with 127 students from 54 countries and regions.  Among them, 80 per cent receive partial or full scholarships.  Fundraising will ensure that we continue select students based on merit and potential to maintain the diversity of student body.  It is this diversity which catalyses our students to strive for UWC’s mission of “uniting people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future.”

All 17 items were auctioned after rounds of competitive bidding by generous supporters of UWC movement.  Mr. Wang Yi, the Vice Chair of the Board of UWC Changshu China,  announced at the end of the auction that nearly five million RMB had been raised and with the matching of Davis-UWC IMPACT Program, the total amount will reach nearly RMB10 million. All funds raised will be used as scholarships for students at UWC Changshu China.

During the dinner, a charity project founded by students of UWC Changshu China put on multi-cultural performances and an environmental - friendly fashion show to call for support to the World Earth Day, showcase the value of sustainable development of UWC and to raise funds for charity.  Before the dinner, one of the main student organizers of the show, Michelle Wong, told the media:“UWC is a mini UN.  We have the chance to study and live together with other students from different cultures to take actions to create a better world.  This is a very valuable experience.  Our ideal is to make our own contributions to help improve other people’s life, to provide them with better education and realize their dreams.”  

Mark Jiapeng Wang, founder and Chairman expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Christie’s and all those individuals and institutions who provided so much support to the charity auction dinner.  Mark said: “Without scholarship, I would not have had the chance to study at UWC.  UWC changed my life and now my dream of establishing a UWC in the mainland of China has become true and I hope with the support of so many of the kind hearted people, more talented youngsters with be able to receive UWC’s transformative education and become the future leaders ready to serve the community.  I also hope the education philosophy of UWC which is in line with the development of the world and aims at meeting challenges of the future, providing a multi-cultural,experiential learning environment will enlist more and more support so as to make our contribution to the reform and innovation of China’s education.”