The meeting is an opening event for the second cohort generation of the project “WeLead: EU Scheme for Young Professionals in the Western Balkans”, a four-year multi-beneficiary project funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the CEF. The attendance at the meeting is by invitation only.

Young professionals are crucial in creating resilient democracies and sustainable environment that can respond to the challenges from the complex environment. The Western Balkans are confronted by a number of economic, social and environmental issues. In most of the countries the EU accession process presents a framework for addressing these challenges. Meaningful involvement and leadership of the younger generation of civil servants is essential for the successful implementation of the comprehensive enlargement processes.

About this learning event

The meeting will bring together young leaders from the Western Balkans and their supporters to engage in lively discussions about the capabilities modern leaders need when operating in a complex environment.  We are moving away from a complicated world, characterized by linear processes and hierarchies, to a complex world, characterized by non-linearity and interdependency. This shift in the environment requires a new set of leadership skills and capabilities, and foremost a different mindset. At the meeting the participants will explore their individual leadership potential and be inspired to develop innovative leadership visions.

During the event, we will examine leadership from a complex systems lens. We will look into leadership as a system of interplay of multiple roles, which is held collectively within the organizations and is as important as individual leadership development. The participants will be encouraged to create a vivid shared view of the future by visualizing with peers. The interactions are designed to stimulate curiosity, empathy and creative thinking, crucial skills when leading others through complexity.

The meeting will open a space for dialog, seeking answers to questions like:

• What kind of leadership is required when leading in complexity?
• How can modern leaders cope with ambiguity and make decisions in the face of uncertainty?
• How to make sense of the constantly changing environment?
• How to build an adaptive internal environment prone to learning?
• How to leverage partnerships through networks that cross organizational boundaries?
• How can we accelerate the joint development of the region?

It is evident that sustainable development cannot be reached without inclusive cooperation on country, institutional and individual level. In this light the meeting is designed as a platform to increase connectivity among different public stakeholders from the Western Balkans. The young public officials, their leaders and alumni members will have the opportunity to share their visions, exchange ideas and connect.

Who should attend

The attendance at the meeting is by invitation only. The meeting is designed for the participants of the second cohort of the WeLead project, their leaders and alumni members.

Partners

This event is delivered as part of the EU-funded multi-beneficiary project “EU Scheme for Young Professionals in the Western Balkans” (WeLead) implemented by the CEF.