Diversity in Action - Plan, act, make an impact!

UWC Cyprus Residential Short Course 2025

Dates: 23 July - 3 August 2025

Application deadline: 25 April 2025

Overview:

Are you ready to embark on a transformative journey and learn how you can become agents of change in your community?

Then join the UWC Cyprus residential short course for 2025, Diversity in Action - Plan, act, make an impact!

Over the course of 12 days, we'll bring together 36 passionate youth from Cyprus, and abroad to empower them as  active citizens for a peaceful and sustainable future. Building on the success of previous short courses, this year’s programme focuses on fostering personal development, cultivating leadership qualities, and inspiring social change through interactive workshops, community engagement, and creative projects.

Educational programme:

The 12-day programme, taking place from 23 July to 3 August in Rodon hotel in Agros, includes workshops, discussions, field trips, artistic activities and community engagement projects, all conducted in English. The course fee is fully funded by the European Union, ensuring accessibility for all successful applicants.

Theme:

Centered around "Diversity in Action," our programme emphasizes experiential learning by focusing on personal growth, social responsibility, and practical strategies for making a lasting impact. Participants will explore personal development, leadership, and social responsibility while reflecting on their values, building resilience, and developing empathy—key qualities for driving meaningful change. By the end of the course, they will better understand the importance of communication, arts, empathy, and social responsibility in creating peaceful and inclusive societies.

Objectives:

• Empower youth to articulate their ideas effectively.
• Encourage active civic engagement and social responsibility.
• Foster intercultural understanding and collaboration.
• Develop leadership skills grounded in cooperation and empathy.
• Experience how art can be a tool for social change.
• Promote positive common experiences among diverse youth.

Participants:

Open to youth aged 15 to 17 from across Europe and the Mediterranean regions,. Applications are encouraged from regions that have lived experiences of a divide or former divide.

Course eligibility: 

• You must be between 15 and 17 years old at the time of the short course. 
• You are from and/or live in Cyprus, Europe or Eastern Mediterranean.
• You are able and comfortable speaking and understanding English in order to follow the course.
• You are ready to commit to the whole course duration between 23 July-3 August.

Delivery team:

Led by experienced coordinators, facilitators, and guest speakers, our dedicated team is committed to providing a nurturing environment for personal growth and development. Through interactive workshops, artistic activities, community engagement, and self-reflection, participants will explore personal development, leadership, and social responsibility. They will explore their values, strengthen their resilience, and cultivate empathy—essential qualities for creating meaningful change.

Venue:

Located in the picturesque village of Agros on a mountain peak, Rodon Hotel — a traditionally built establishment that has operated for over 30 years — will offer participants a beautiful environment with panoramic, unhindered views. The location provides a serene setting, allowing them to connect with nature — an ideal atmosphere for learning and reflection. The local field trips will offer a well-balanced combination of outdoor activities and educational experiences. Participants will share rooms with peers of the same gender, while facilitators will stay in separate floors at the same premises - ensuring a safe environment for all. 

Community engagement:

Part of the short course experience will be to actively engage with the Cypriot community actors. Participants will connect with local organisations, changemakers, and strategic partners, gaining inspiration to take action and experience firsthand the power of collective action. participants will collaboratively design and present a creative project, offering the local community an opportunity to engage, learn, and interact with the participants directly.

If you have any questions, please reach the short course team at shortcourses@cy.uwc.org. 

Join Diversity in Action - Plan, act, make an impact! and be the change you want to see in the world!