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In 2022, the Managing Global Governance (MGG) Academy, a dialogue and training programme for young professionals facilitated by IDOS, took place in Bonn at IDOS again after two years of digital academies. During the four months of the MGG Academy, the participants from Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Germany, Mexico and South Africa exchanged about questions of global governance, sustainable development, and international cooperation. At the same time, they developed their competencies further and worked jointly on practice-oriented projects. “The MGG Academy has enriched me with huge development on personal and professional level“, as Zahrina Zul, participant from Indonesia, sums up her experience.
As in previous years, it was the objective of the MGG Academy to support the participants in their role as change agents. Grand sustainability challenges, such as social-ecological transformation, climate justice, or digitalisation were discussed, while at the same time, participants reflected on their own position as change agents in leadership seminars. In joint change maker projects, the participants translated their new learnings into practice. A study trip to Brussels, a stay in Berlin for the “International Futures” programme organised by the Federal Foreign Office and DGAP, as well as many joint activities during their free time completed the programme of the MGG Academy.
In order to make the learning journey as attractive as possible, the MGG Academy used a large range of different exchange formats and creative methods both digitally as well as on site. A central element of the Academy is self-reflection, as Zuko Makaula, participant from South Africa states: “My main take away is reflection, reflection, reflection. It is one of the tools that is of great importance in our fast-paced world to assess results, decisions, motivations and attitudes.”
Next to the exchange on topics, the MGG Academy aspires to inspire empathy, understanding and trust among participants. A strong sense of connection provides a basis for respectful dialogue even on contested topics – not only on the smaller scale of the Academy, but also on the level of global governance for sustainability. In this vein, David Bates, participant from Mexico states: “The MGG Academy allowed me to discover the beauty of our diversity, and the importance of our seven countries working together to respond to the most pressing challenges of our global environment”. Participant Dr Santana Khanikar from India adds: “We still have time to work together for a better world for all of us, but we have no time to lose.”
During the official farewell ceremony in BMZ on 6 December 2022, the emotional bond between the participants became evident. The participants will therefore leave Bonn with mixed feelings – happy to travel back to their home countries as newest members of the MGG network, sad to leave behind the friends they made during their joint learning journey. For the future around the globe, Dr Frank Hofmann, head of division “Policy Issues of Sectoral and Bilateral development cooperation, emerging economies” at BMZ encouraged the participants to further pursue their paths as change agents: “Just do it”!
Link zum Video „Glimpses into the MGG Academy“
