The Aspen Institute Kyiv and Klitschko Foundation’s first seminar for teenagers abroad on 7-13th of July

The Aspen Institute Kyiv and Klitschko Foundation held their first seminar for teenagers abroad from July 7 to 13: “Aspen Teens: Fight for UA Dream. Leadership in Times of War.”

This event was challenging for our teams, as we had just returned to the live format for teenage seminars this March. Five months later, we gathered a second group of participants aged 15-17 and held a seminar in a picturesque mountainous area in Austria. 

During the seminar, participants engaged in moderated discussions based on texts, visited the University of Innsbruck, and worked on a group creative project, “Leader of the Future.” 

It was a truly inspiring experience for our young participants. Despite the already intensive seminar program, participants continued to create new meanings during breaks, lunch, and even after the seminar day ended: What is the role of a leader in times of war? Is there a difference between education and being educated? What kind of society can be considered righteous? 

In today’s world, where challenges and problems are constantly changing, the dialogue format effectively engages young people in finding answers, understanding, and taking responsibility for the outcomes of their decisions. Communicating with peers in a safe environment fosters the formation of personal judgments and the creation of a vision for the future. 

Our strength lies in the diversity of thoughts and experiences. Engaging teenagers in dialogues about the future is crucial for shaping conscious and responsible citizens. Young people develop critical thinking and communication skills and express their views and ideas, which may become the foundation for important decisions for the country in the future. 

Oleksandr Dobroyer, sociologist and public figure, expert in communication strategies development, and co-founder of the international business community Board, and Anastasia Donska, a PhD in political science and project manager of the online tutoring project “Osvitniy Sup” from the NGO “Teach For Ukraine,” moderated the seminar. We thank the participants for their meaningful and inspiring thoughts. 

We are also grateful to our partners from Klitschko Foundation for jointly implementing the project and to the organization #weareallukrainians, Dörte Kruppa, Tatjana Kiel, and Kohlerhof Hotel for their warm hospitality!