6-8 July 2017 – As we were witnessing a new wave of populism and authoritarianism to emerge in Greece, Europe and the world, simplistic solutions,“alternative facts” and scapegoats profoundly distracted us from the real underlying adaptive challenges we had to confront, both collectively and individually.

Building on the success of its previous editions, the 2017 Young Leaders Project took place in Crete between July 6-8, offering an experiential three day program prepared by KONU in synergy with the Symi Symposium, designed to counter this alerting movement by building a pipeline for leadership committed to progressive, humanistic values and focused on the real challenges.

An exclusive group of emerging leaders across sectors and disciplines with a strong commitment to social challenges, democracy and peace was equipped with a toolkit of leadership skills that helped them explore new options for inclusive leadership in transforming their communities, improving their working lives, and most importantly, regaining their sense of trust and possibility in the public sphere and beyond.