Next month, the term of the Kingdom of Belgium's presidency of the Council of the European Union ends, coinciding with the upcoming European elections.

What achievements should be noted in a brief summary?

The presidency of the Council of the European Union is rotational and is held by each member state in turn. It involves directing the Council’s work on EU legislation, ensuring the continuity of the EU’s work, managing legislative procedures, and fostering cooperation among member states. The Council of the European Union—a treaty body—collaborates with elected members of the European Parliament and the European Commission through its presidency, which primarily performs mediatory functions.

The period of the Belgian presidency, from January 1, 2024, to June 30, 2024, coincided with the ongoing war in Ukraine and the 20th anniversary of the accession of nearly a dozen countries to the EU, including Poland. The goals of the presidency, intended to bring about a new impetus for change, included: defending the rule of law, democracy, and unity; enhancing competitiveness, achieving a fair ecological transition, strengthening the EU’s social and health program; protecting people and borders; and promoting the global dimension of Europe.

These priorities can be found on the social media of the Belgian presidency.

The highlight of Belgium’s six-month presidency was the extraordinary meeting of leaders within the European Council, held from April 17 to 18, 2024. During this meeting, the Council of the European Union was called upon to implement an aid plan for Ukraine by providing equipment and ammunition to the front. The conclusions of the meeting addressed the need to gather heads of state in the country holding the presidency, an event which had not previously taken place in Brussels during this heated legislative period.

Did the measures adopted for wartime overshadow the socio-economic situation in Europe? Not necessarily, as at the end of the presidency, it was possible to vote on the important Migration Pact for Western Europe, adopt the Artificial Intelligence Act (a regulation of the European Parliament and Council), and a directive on improving working conditions through online platforms. Although these legal acts are not yet binding, as they have not been published in the Official Journal of the European Union, they were adopted between March and May of this year. It is hoped that they will be implemented in the next presidency—Hungarian. We will continue to monitor and present the results of the current leadership in the EU on our websites.

Sources:
1) https://www.consilium.europa.eu/pl/council-eu/presidency-council-eu/– Accessed: 19.05.24.
2) https://belgian-presidency.consilium.europa.eu/en/programme/priorities/ – Accessed: 19.05.24.
3) https://www.pb.pl/dodatkowy-szczyt-na-wniosek-belgii-1213599 – Accessed: 19.05.24.

The third edition of the Sustainability Leadership Academy has concluded!

The grand finale took place at the Warsaw Stock Exchange on December 4, 2023. Participants of this program attended dozens of training meetings led by experts from various fields of science, ecology, business, and law. Sustainability Leadership Academy 3 aimed to create projects focusing on the main principles of ESG. Work on these projects lasted for 7 months, after which they were presented at the final gala, where the jury meticulously and demandingly evaluated them.

The project themed “ESG Municipal Academy” emerged as the winner, focusing on creating training sessions on sustainable development for municipalities, aimed at raising awareness among the society.

Sustainability Leadership Academy 3 was a time of change and development. We can proudly mention lectures given by Prof. Dr. hab. Jerzy Hausner on “Regenerative governance transformation,” as well as Joanna Erbel discussing “The action of developmental cooperatives and economic democracy as tools for building urban resilience.” Workshops during SLA 3 were also conducted by experts such as Dr. Maciej Kawecki, Dawid Zieliński (President of Columbus Energy), Aureliusz Leżeński (President of the Robinson Foundation), and many others.

During the final gala, the President of the Lions Warsaw Foundation, Michał Wigurski, stated, “Elements influencing sustainable development in the social sphere are essential to develop the world so that no one feels excluded and everyone can derive value from the world around us in the right way.”

On the other hand, the President of IME, Mariusz Borkowski, mentioned, “What matters in creating such events are not the funds, but the willingness to share experiences through such actions. This is how we become better leaders, managers, and better people.”

We were delighted to host Marek Dietl, the President of the Warsaw Stock Exchange, at the gala. Additionally, our evening gala was enriched by the visit of District Governor 121 – Hanna Sobiech, and we were honored by the performance of Natalia Lesz!

It was an exceptional evening full of joy, conversations, and new ideas. And we invite you to the Sustainability Leadership Academy 4 in the summer of 2024!

On December 2, 2022, Max Bojarski, along with other representatives of European organizations promoting humanistic values, participated in a high-level meeting with Margaritis Schinas – Vice President of the European Commission, and Othmar Karas – First Vice President of the European Parliament. The meeting was part of the consultations of the European Commission regarding the implementation of Article 17 (cooperation of EU authorities with representatives of organizations promoting humanistic values).

The main topic of the meeting revolved around the question of the impact of the war in Ukraine on the European Union, both currently and in the future. It was a fruitful discussion on supporting Ukraine, defending European democratic values, fundamental rights, and the rule of law. Max Bojarski addressed, among other things, the potential impact of psychological education on the development of societies in the spirit of sustainable development, and drew attention to some threats to freedom of belief within the EU coming from outside the Community’s borders.

Following this meeting and in response to the issues raised during it, the European Commission decided to appoint Frans van Daele as a Special Envoy for promoting freedom of religion and belief outside the EU. Mr. van Daele assumed this position immediately. The Special Envoy will report to Vice President Schinas, who is responsible for conducting the Commission’s dialogue with churches and religious communities, as well as with philosophical and non-denominational organizations. It is important to note that freedom of religion or belief is under attack in many parts of the world, hence the role played by Frans van Daele will be crucial in this regard

The grand finale of the second edition of the “Sustainability Leadership Academy” program is here!

Balloons, Jupiter-like glow, and a champagne atmosphere were all present at the grand finale gala concluding the “Sustainability Leadership Academy” program!

On Thursday, August 25th, at the Warsaw School of Business, participants presented their final projects prepared during the program. Five groups showcased five exceptional ideas for sustainable development initiatives. After each presentation, a panel of experts evaluated the projects.

Adding to the academy’s atmosphere of gamification, the event concluded with the announcement of results and the ceremonial awarding of prizes to the program participants. The positive atmosphere was further enhanced by the academy coordinator, Usamah Afifi, announcing the start of the third edition of the SLA program.

After the excitement subsided, everyone present enjoyed refreshments, accompanied by long conversations over glasses of wine.

For the second time in organizing the SLA program, we succeeded in raising awareness among young people in the field of sustainable development, which we addressed through the four pillars: technology, personal development, entrepreneurship, and society. By imparting ESG competencies, we aim to highlight the importance of this foundation for a better future, contributing to overall well-being.

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