Gold Award Ceremony

May 21, 2024

Celebrating the achievements of 33 of our students!

UWC Maastricht students finished all their activities which linked to the Gold Award. This Award teaches students leadership skills through various projects. To acknowledge their time and dedication to these, a ceremony was held in which they received the medals and a prestigious award certificate. Special guests, His Royal Highness Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg and Mr. Wim Hillenaar, Mayor of Maastricht, had the honour to present the students with these.

The Ceremony

The ceremony is a significant event at UWC Maastricht, as we celebrated the extraordinary achievements and dedication of our students who participated in the ‘International Award for Young People’ program. Over the past school year, our students have dedicated themselves to a series of challenging activities in five key categories: voluntary service, personal development, physical recreation, a residential project, and an expedition where they ventured into nature with a small group, going back to basics.

The presence of HRH Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg, Chair of The Mérite Jeunesse Luxembourg and working close with this organisation, and Mayor Wim Hillenaar added an extra layer of significance to the event. Their support emphasized the importance of youth empowerment and the development of leadership skills among young people. In addition to their Gold Award certificates, the students also received MDT certificates (Maatschappelijke Dienst Tijd) from the Dutch government for their proven commitment to Dutch society.

The International Award for Young People

This organisation, also known as The Award, is part of the International Award Foundation. This foundation had existed in the Netherlands for 30 years, as well as in 140 other countries. The program aims to make young people aged 14 to 24 world ready by positively challenging them to push their personal boundaries while simultaneously making them responsible for their own development.