Even though the Emerging Leaders Conference (ELC) is not the first World Youth Alliance (WYA) Europe project I participated in, it definitely stands out as the most outstanding and informative. Outstanding in its uniqueness and special participants and most informative thanks to the various workshops, debates and EU institutions visits.
The Emerging Leaders Conference is an annual event organized by the WYA Europe, that brings together young leaders, active members and youth advocates from all over Europe to interact with policy makers, experts and trainers on current global issues. It also offers young people special training on programs in various areas to give them the right tools to make a difference in their own communities. 40 young people from 10 European countries participated in the event this year which was held between November 15 and 17 in Brussels – the Capital of Europe – with one main objective which was to empower them and help them have a better understanding of human rights, and also to raise awareness about the importance of civil advocacy knowledge.
During the conference, along with the other participants, I gained knowledge on how to get involved in advocacy processes and prepare strategies that will help me be informed about EU institutions, human rights and youth dialogue and policies.
One of the most standout features of this year’s ELC is that it happened during the pandemic of Covid19 and proved that young people are responsible because the event was a huge success despite all the measures. We still got to visit the Parlamentarium, visit the European Parliament Hemicycle and met some Members of the European Parliament and policy makers.
The ambiance during the event was one of my favorite moments, chatting with young change makers, making friends, visiting Brussels at night and eating waffles.
The event was charming in every aspect, the hotel where the participants were hosted was unique in a beautiful way that fits youth, the venues where the conferences were held were also extremely comfortable and fitting. All this thanks to the WYA Europe staff members who did a great job at making sure that everything was perfect.
The program was informative, and because it was interactive, we never felt overwhelmed. The participants were always encouraged to express their opinions, to debate and to make proposals. I especially liked the Leadership workshop held by a Minerva representative because young leaders need a good understanding of leadership.
The Emerging Leaders Conference is a fulfilling experience that aims in an innovative interactive manner to shape leaders and help change makers get out of their shells and take actions.
Published: December 10, 2021
Written by Moutiaa Gouaida, Participant of the 2021 Emerging Leaders Conference
