Maïa Madani Davies (Vice President), Laura (Director of Operations), and Ana Opre (Secretary General) recently were invited by Aspire, a Romanian NGO that connects young leaders from Eastern Europe, to attend their Global Weekend in Amsterdam to hear discussions on: Romania’s position in Europe; Europe’s geopolitical movement; and AI in regards to the future of work.
Speakers from the weekend included Prof. Dr. Annette Freyberg-Inan, Vassilis Ntousas, and David Timis, each offering a unique perspective to ongoing issues in European politics.
In her session titled “Romania in Europe, Europe in the World: Mapping the Political Playing Field”, Prof. Freyberg-Inan, from the University of Amsterdam, offered a nuanced exploration of Europe’s shifting identity and the broader geopolitical terrain. Drawing on her extensive work in political psychology and social justice, she unpacked Europe’s internal tensions and external responsibilities, particularly in relation to Romania’s role within the EU. Her reflections challenged us to think critically about civic education, labour rights, and EU integration as not just policies but lived experiences shaping the continent’s future.
Vassilis Ntousas, Senior Manager at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, took the stage with “Europe’s Geopolitical Moment,” confronting head-on the continent’s struggle to define its global role amid growing authoritarianism and shifting alliances. With experience in both diplomacy and think tank strategy, Ntousas emphasized the urgency of defending democratic values, not just in Romania and the rest of Europe, but globally. We were encouraged to reflect on how young leaders and institutions can respond to disinformation, bolster democratic resilience, and shape a proactive European foreign policy. His session left us inspired to take further action which Maïa hopes to continue at Y20 this summer in Johannesburg.
Finally, David Timis offered a compelling perspective of how artificial intelligence can empower, rather than displace, the global workforce. With his current role as Global Communications & Public Affairs Manager at Generationas and previous experience at Google, Timis championed an inclusive, values-driven approach to digital transformation. His emphasis on reskilling and ethical AI sparked engaging discussion among us in the audience, reminding us that technological progress must be matched with social responsibility.
Thank you to the organising team: Emma Mora, Lisa Savitskaia, Ana Stefan for providing such an amazing weekend and also to Costin Bǎroiu, President of Aspire Romania.
