– I believe that you want to be the leaders who build social bounds and break the patterns as well as are ready to achieve the goals which might seem ostensibly unreal, said Wojciech Piech, the Vice President of Nowy Sącz. He listed the most urgent challenges which should be taken up by the leaders of contemporary Europe, including the unsolved economic crisis, uncontrolled immigration from the Northern Africa, anti-European attitudes and crisis of solidarity of the Old Continent.
Marshal of the Małopolska Region, Jacek Krupa, emphasized the importance of the economic development of the region and displayed its impact on the general self-perception of the district's citizens' well-being.
I would like to dearly congratulate the organizers of the Economic Forum of Young Leaders on their creative approach to individual panel discussions, which important part is going to be the social entrepreneurship, said the Marshal.
Paweł Poszytek, Ph.D, the CEO of the Foundation for the Development of the Education System (FRSE), drew attention of the participants to the vast offer of the international programs available for the young Europeans, which aim to support their education and their being active.
Meetings like this one are not the vacant discussions', said FRSE CEO. He gave an example of the Eastern Partnership Youth Forum, which was organized in June 2017. The result of the discussion was creation of concrete recommendations, which were accepted by the European Council,he emphasized.
The creative as well as tactile dimension of the Economic Forum was stressed by Agata Dziubińska-Gawlik, the Chairman of European Meeting Centre – Nowy Staw Foundation.
Young people across Europe have been coming here for 12 years in order to create a new image of the Old Continent, she said. Each of us has a challenge. Talk, create, ask questions, look for the answers. Europe is waiting for it!, she spoke encouragingly.
"Po Brexicie, wojnie na wschodzie Europy, kolejnych kryzysach gospodarczych i migracyjnych pytanie zawarte w jednym z paneli tegorocznego forum czy Unia będzie istniała w 2025 roku brzmi nie tylko złowrogo ale też jest prawdziwym wyzwaniem dla młodego pokolenia liderów zebranych dziś w Nowym Sączu. Te wyzwania to przede wszystkim innowacje w sferze produkcji, programowania, zarządzania, to przedsiębiorczość nakierowana na zrównoważony rozwój. Młodzi liderzy Europy dyskutujcie, twórzcie, nawiązujcie relacje, zadawajcie pytania, słuchacie i szukajcie odpowiedzi. Nasz kontynent czeka na wasze pomysły. Niech to Forum będzie prawdziwą inspiracją dla europejskiej przyszłości." Agata Dziubińska-Gawlik, prezes Fundacji Nowy Staw.
Leaders wanted to find out what leadership means to the participants of the 12th Forum. Young leaders defined it as "ability to inspire the others and to get inspired" as well as "open-mindedness and being ready to make mistakes".
There is nothing like one proper model of leadership and there are thousands of its definitions – what was emphasized by Professor Christopher Bezzina from the University of Malta (Malta) and Uppsala University (Sweden) as well as Professor Joanna Madalińska-Michalak, the Head of the Polish Educational Research Association from the University of Warsaw (Poland), during motivational lecture entitled "Modern leadership- a leader, charismatic reformer, explorer".
Another person emphasizing the importance of self-reflection was Professor Joanna Madalińska-Michalak.
– Who am I? How do I imagine myself as a leader and how am I perceived by the others as a leader?, these are the most important questions we should often ask ourselves – she suggested.
The researchers also emphasized the significance of having a passion and being fascinated with what you do because it encourages people to take up new challenges and responsible tasks.
Group 1: workshop: A leader between East and West
The leaders should not be afraid of undertaking challenges while managing projects and acting as a source of inspiration for their teams. What challenges do they face though when it comes to implementing international cooperation projects? What competences and skills are useful to overcome barriers and stereotypes when linking East and West? How to remain strong and consistent subjects in order to promote your own visions and, at the same time, constantly strive for your goals? What obstacles can be encountered and how to overcome them while achieving milestones and expected outcomes of cooperation? The core objective of the workshop is to provide its participants with guidelines and basic tools that can be helpful in dealing with joint transnational initiatives, networking and building new partnerships between organizations from the EU and partner countries.
Group 2: workshop: Drop...and Change – inspiration motivation and change
It aims at evoking of inspiration and motivation in order to make changes in private and social life of young people. The workshop Drop... and Change will focus on gaining specific knowledge about psychology of change, education, motivation and communication. It all will be presented in very interesting way involving the art of juggling. During the workshop you will have the chance to acquire the ability to deal with new situations, crossing internal barriers, developing creative and innovative thinking. You will also be motivated to take up new challenges.
Group 1: workshop: Drop...and Change – inspiration motivation and change
Group 2: workshop: "A leader between East and West"
Moderator: Kuba Gąsiorowski Ph.D
Guests
Young Leader from Romania, Ciprian Dragomir raised the question concerning Brexit: What is going on, the real thing with Brexit? He also pointed out that leaders have their own agendas and they are not interested in educating youth who will soon take their places"
European Meeting Centre - Nowy Staw Foundation
Ul. Przechodnia 4, 20 – 003 Lublin
tel: +48 81 536 10 83
