Dear reader,

Some of you might be UWC students who may have heard, but Norway (UDI) has rejected a Palestinian student's VISA. Denying their entry into Norway, and the opportunity to attend the UWC of Red Cross Nordic. Another student from Palestine, who is still in Gaza, has not had the opportunity to apply for his VISA due to his circumstances.

As a group of students from the Norwegian National Committee, we are truly disappointed in The Directorate of Immigration (UDI) and will do everything in our power to make a change and be heard. This is our co-year and first year that we are talking about, and YOU can help make a change.

Waseem and Mustafa were good friends from before and applied together.

 Waseem was unable to get to an embassy due to the genocide going on in Gaza, and when the school tried to apply for him they were refused.

Mustafa, on the other hand, made it to Egypt where he applied through the embassy. In the application, he wrote that the plan was to complete upper secondary school at the UWC school, and then to the USA for higher education thanks to a scholarship UWC students receive. Nevertheless, he was refused on the basis that it was possible that he would not leave Norway afterward.

Our group of students from the Norwegian National Committee created a “readers letter” which was sent to Norwegian newspapers nationally, in the hope of bringing awareness. We have also contacted our Prime Minister, and are waiting for a response.

Depriving someone of the opportunity for further education is a violation of human rights. Not to mention, UDI had accepted students from countries in conflict such as Ukraine with no problem, but not the two Palestinian boys. This is discrimination. 

We need your help. By signing this petition, and helping spread the word, you may be able to help make a difference for our first-years at UWC Red Cross Nordic.