On Saturday, October 5th, the European Leadership Programme (ELP) officially launched its 12th cohort, welcoming a new group of Fellows in a friendly and lively atmosphere. This time, fellows came from Belgium, Italy, Spain, France, Hungary, Croatia, Slovakia, Germany, Austria, Brazil, and Lebanon. The diversity and international background provided an opportunity to learn from each other and see different perspectives. It has been wonderful to see the fellows settling in and getting ready for the semester ahead.

The day began with a warm welcome from ELP manager Botond Feledy, who introduced the program and its five core elements: Leadership, Volunteering, EU Affairs, Coaching & Mentoring and Community. Fellows spent the full day together, getting to know each other and diving deeper into the ELP segments and community building.

As Benoit Willemaers, SJ, the spiritual guarantor of the Programme, reminded all, while each brings personal expectations for the semester, one of the most valuable contributions one can make is simply to be present for each other – listening and responding to the needs of others.

In the afternoon, the day was enriched by the presence of the ELP’s coaches and mentors, who will accompany fellows during the semester. With their guidance, Fellows will learn how to navigate through inner questions and motivations.

The day concluded with the celebration of the mass. Although each of the participants is at a different place in her/his spiritual journey, it was a moment that brought the community together, in a calm and sharing way

Once again, ELP looks forward to seeing the Fellows of this new Fall 2024 Cohort grow personally, spiritually, and professionally, and the enthusiasm shown in the Inauguration Day promises much fruit for the months ahead.

Lucia Trubenová
JESC ELP team