Forever Phoenix (Winter Alumni E-News 2025-2026)

In her Winter message, Dr Elizabeth Gale shares warm wishes with all of our Phoenix around the world and celebrates a season filled with meaningful milestones, including a deeply memorable UN Day marking the UN’s 80th anniversary.

She highlights how Service Learning continues to make a difference for communities in Hanoi and around Vietnam, especially at this time of national crisis. She also invites every member of our community to take part in Annual Giving, in whatever way feels right, unlocking opportunities for students through scholarships, innovation, sustainability, and community partnerships.

Our Alumni Reunion World Tour begins this month, with school leaders looking forward to meeting many of you in person, hearing your stories, and making new memories.

Wherever you are as the year draws to a close, we wish you and your loved ones peace, good fortune and happiness. Know that you remain a valued part of UNIS Hanoi.

Once a Phoenix, Always a Phoenix!

In October, our community gathered beneath Gaia, the seven-metre illuminated Earth installation by artist Luke Jerram. Our Alumni Tour on 14 October and Community Night on 21 October brought Phoenix together across generations, many returning to campus for the first time in years. The conversations, the sense of awe under Gaia’s glow, and the energy around the SDG Experience reminded everyone why global citizenship sits at the core of UNIS Hanoi.

For those who joined us, thank you for bringing your spirit and curiosity back to campus. And for those watching from afar, we invite you to enjoy the video recap and share in the moment with us.

Our Phoenix community is gathering around the world. This season, we began our Global Reunion Tour with a wonderful event in Hanoi, and we are excited to bring that momentum to many more cities in the months ahead.

As we set off to connect alumni across three continents, remember that whether you are a graduate, former student, parent, or staff member, these reunions are a chance to reconnect, reminisce, and meet fellow Phoenix in your city.

Upcoming stops:

• London, 17 January (registration now open)
• Toronto, 5 February (our first-ever Toronto event, registration now open)
• Seoul, March (details coming soon)
• Tokyo, March (details coming soon)
• Amsterdam, June (our first-ever Amsterdam event, details coming soon)

Phoenix spirit was in full force when the Class of 2015 returned to campus for a reunion that felt both nostalgic and electric. Enjoy the recap video that captures the spark of their reunion.

Now the spotlight shifts to the Class of 2016! It is your turn to gather, reconnect, and create your own unforgettable moments. Join the conversation in our Facebook chat group and help shape what your reunion will look like. Please note that this chat group can only be joined via your phone, so we recommend opening the link on your mobile device.

Your reunion story is ready to begin. Let’s build it together.

Nick Shell (Class of 2012) returned to campus to share how his path after UNIS Hanoi led him to develop a farming venture in Vietnam focused on environmental resilience. His work with samphire, a plant that thrives in harsh and salty conditions, highlights how innovative thinking can transform unusable land into a sustainable opportunity.

Speaking with IB Biology students, Nick offered a reassuring and grounded message about life beyond exams, encouraging them to stay curious, explore widely, and trust that fulfillment can come from many different directions.

Watch the video to hear Nick’s story and the inspiration he brought back to our community.

This season, we invite our alumni community to take part in a tradition that strengthens who we are as a UN school. Annual Giving helps create opportunities that go beyond our core budget, supporting scholarships, innovation, sustainability, and service learning across Vietnam. These experiences allow students to learn, grow, and thrive in ways that reflect our shared Mission, Vision, and Values.

Alumni can choose the area that resonates most:

• Learn: Scholarships that open access to a world-class UNIS Hanoi education for deserving students.
• Grow: Experts in Residence, innovation, and solar energy: enriching learning and advancing our sustainability commitments.
• Thrive: Service learning and community engagement, empowering students to take thoughtful, mission-aligned action with partners across Vietnam, including those responding to the impacts of recent storms, flooding and landslides.
• Greatest Need: Flexible funding that allows the school to respond quickly to opportunities and challenges throughout the year.