The seventh edition of the EU-U.S. Young Leaders Seminar took place from March 20-22 in Brussels. For 2024, the topic was “The Security Implications of Climate Change.”

The program included panel sessions on how to best prepare for the risks posed by climate change in Europe and the United States with speakers from both sides of the Atlantic, including experienced professionals from EU institutions, think tanks, and academia. Highlights included a reception co-hosted by Ambassador Michael Adler (U.S. Ambassador to Belgium) and Ambassador Mark Gitenstein (U.S. Ambassador to the EU) and an engaging workshop on storytelling for change.

This year's program featured an impressive line-up of speakers renowned for their expertise and experience in tackling climate change challenges, including representatives from the European External Action Service, DG CLIMA, DG ECHO, NATO, U.S. Department of Defense, IOM – UN Migration, the World Health Organization, European Network Against Racism (ENAR), and more.

Speakers emphasized that being a young leader in the 21st century involves understanding the profound threats posed by climate change to global security, advocating for sustainable policies, and mobilising communities to mitigate and adapt to its effects. Embracing this proactive stance is vital to safeguard our continued existence on planet earth.

Participants were invited to discuss the far-reaching consequences of climate change on our health, food resources, and land. Participants also discussed pilot projects and potential solutions to the impacts of climate change, and worked with MobLab Collective to gain insights on how to communicate a "change" message that is locally, nationally, or globally relevant.

This annual event brings together 50 young European and American leaders to Brussels to discuss a common key topic or challenge facing the EU and United States. Previous topics include migration, the future of work, disinformation and media literacy, the future of cities, and active civic participation. Participants are current beneficiaries of the U.S. Fulbright Program and current beneficiaries or alumni of the Erasmus+ and Marie Skłowdowska-Curie programs. Speakers often include, among others, representatives from the European Commission, U.S. Mission to the EU, think tanks, academia, and civil society organizations from both sides of the Atlantic, as well as international organizations including in 2024, the United Nations.

The seminar is co-organized by the Delegation of the European Union to the United States, the U.S. Department of State, the German Marshall Fund of the U.S., the Fulbright Commission in Brussels, and the Directorate-General for Education and Culture of the European Commission.

• Fulbright Schuman
• The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF)
• For more information, please contact Annika Vollmer at avollmer@gmfus.org.   

Click here to view our Flickr album from the 2024 seminar!

Click here to view our Flickr album from the 2023 seminar!