During their visit, our students Jonas Borgemeister (Germany, UWCD'26), Zhixing (Dan) Song (China, UWCD'26), Mari-Elena Arutyunova (Russia, UWCD'25), and Amevi Kwidama (The Netherlands, UWCD'25) had the opportunity to engage in a brief exchange with President Steinmeier and Ms. Büdenbender, discussing UWC Dilijan, their international backgrounds, and the school’s mission to promote peace and a sustainable future.

Dan Silfwerin, our Philosophy Teacher, has had no opportunity to meet Ruben Vardanyan, the UWCD co-founder, since he moved to Armenia in 2023. However, having followed Ruben’s fate, he was inspired to write a poem about him. Dan said, “I am making a parallel between Ruben and his namesake in the Bible, Jacob’s oldest son Ruben. When Ruben came to save Joseph from the well, he noticed that he was gone and screamed and tore his clothes. That sorrow is what I have drawn a parallel to.”