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Embarking on the new Century: New Waldorf Schools around the World

100 years after the inauguration of the first Waldorf School in Stuttgart, Germany, new Waldorf Schools are emerging in many parts of the world. Founding a school is always challenging. In the vast majority of countries, independent schools do not receive state funding – and, in any case, there are no financial resources available during the founding phase. With your help we would like to support these schools and thus the new Waldorf education.

Waldorf schools in the early stages need support

100 years after the opening of the first Waldorf school, a strong worldwide movement has emerged. The Waldorf School in Dessau was opened in the school year 2019/2020, as the most recent German Waldorf school. For a long time, there had been no new school initiative in East Germany. All the more reason to welcome the school in Dessau in the second century of Waldorf. In 2019 the Dublin Waldorf School opened in Ireland. It is inspiring that Ireland, which is currently in the focus of political debates over the so called Brexit, can welcome both a new Waldorf School in Dublin and a new upper school within the Waldorf School of Kildare – the second Waldorf upper school of the country. The fact that a new upper school has finally been approved in Ceské Budejovice, Czech Republic, that several Hungarian-language Waldorf Schools can start their work in Sfintea Gheorghe and other smaller towns in northern Romania, whose teachers will be trained by colleagues from the teachers' seminar in Solymar, Hungary, that new schools will open this year in the Baltic States, a school will be prepared on the Black Sea coast in Georgia and one in Saguramo, all this indicates that the signs continue to point towards growth.

In South America and Mexico, too, signs are clearly pointing towards growth. Despite a lack of experienced teachers, funds, and buildings, parents start Waldorf schools for their children, for example in Arica in the arid north of Chile, in Romeral in the south of Chile, from Tijuana to Puerto Escondido in Mexico, from Misiones to Patagonia. Seeds grow on the African continent, for example in the new Waldorf Kindergarten in Nanyuki, Kenya - or the first seeds are sown in Senegal, Togo, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cameroon, and Madagascar. While growth in China is limited to a normal level, there is a growing interest in Vietnam. The fact that mentors are now needed even in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, shows that here, too, the signs continue to point towards growth.

It is only because we focus on the individual that Waldorf education is an answer to the longings of children and parents - also in the next century of Waldorf School.

And you can contribute to it with your donation. We estimate that the upcoming tasks can be solved with about 300.000 euros. Every small contribution matters.

Cuenca, Ecuador: A constant challenge

Founding a Waldorf school in Ecuador is a huge challenge given the social, political, and economic situation of the country. José Luis Rodríguez from the founding team describes a major hurdle: "We had to raise our own funds for training, travel, workshops, supplies and part of the school’s furnishing. Now we lack the financial means for teachers' salaries, and rents, for example. It's a difficult situation. The team around José Rodríguez wants to continue to fight: "Because we aim to offer a harmonious space that promotes a life of love for learning".

Find out more about the school in Cuenca.

Dublin, Ireland: For Freedom in the Curriculum

Waldorf education has existed in Ireland since the 1980s – currently, there are seven schools. Waldorf schools in Ireland may be partially subsidized, but they have to make profound compromises with regards to their curriculum. The small new Waldorf School in Dublin has decided to work independently of these compromises. Thus it is completely dependent on parental contributions and is competing with the many free Catholic schools and the few state schools in the country. It can't be done without donations. The renovation of the rooms requires 12.000 euros.

Find out more about the new school in Dublin.

San José, Costa Rica: "The creative part in us never sleeps"

In the language of the Bribri, an indigenous people in Costa Rica, KATÙ means "firefly" or "collection point". A very suitable name for this Waldorf initiative, which began in January 2018 with the founding of a nursery school. The nursery school in the capital of San José rests on a solid foundation: Step by step a Waldorf seminar had developed, from which a school eventually will emerge. But on the way, there are many obstacles that the founding team surmounts with a lot of creativity and perseverance - and hopefully with our help. In order to run the school, every child has to pay school fees, but many families are not able to. To make the school accessible for everyone, donations are urgently needed.

Find out more about the new school in San José.

With a heartfelt request for your donation,

Nana Goebel, Henning Kullak-Ublick, Bernd Ruf, Andreas Schubert

 

Donation account (Germany)

Freunde der Erziehungskunst
GLS Bank Bochum
IBAN: DE47 4306 0967 0013 0420 10
BIC: GENODEM1GLS
Key word „New Schools“

Calls for donations (archive)

Empower & donate now
Empower & donate now