A global community of 138 Future Leaders, coming from Think Tanks, Innovative Businesses, Civil Society, and Civil Servants, convened the in-person "NEXT Milan Forum" a two-day international event which took place in Milano on 18-19 March. During the occasion, young talents and future leaders debated and shared policy proposals with global policymakers, personalities, and business leaders on the key challenges for today's and tomorrow's world. The participants came from 60 different countries around the globe and were selected based on their previous experiences. The program included masterclasses, interactive plenary sessions, networking, and cultural events to strengthen the future global community. The Forum was co-hosted by ISPI, Bocconi University, and OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development).
Walaa El Dandachli, Head of Programs in Lebanon, contributed on behalf of AVSI. She joined the Idea Slam, a competition where the 138 participants were called to provide policy ideas to address three major global challenges: Sustainability & Responsibility; Inclusiveness & Politics; Multilateral Cooperation. Walaa took part in the competition with an intervention entitled: 'Comprehensive Approach in Managing Emergency Crises,' centered on the theme of Multilateral Cooperation. After undergoing evaluation, her proposal was chosen to be presented in the plenary. The evaluation process was conducted by a committee comprising Senior Policy Researchers from ISPI, Bocconi University, and OECD. The Head of the Middle East Center at ISPI expressed strong support for Walaa’s policy idea and highlighted that it brought concrete elements based on her remarkable previous experience. During the plenary presentation, Walaa’s idea received the second-highest rank following a vote by 1,000 attendees.
I am honored to have been invited here as a future leader. Drawing from our extensive experience in emergency crises within developing countries, I presented to them how fundamental it is to adopt a comprehensive approach that does not only focus on humanitarian aid, but complements it with development endeavors.
Walaa El Dandachli, Head of Programs for AVSI in Lebanon
