The Congress was held on 16-17.05.2023 at the Centre for the Meeting of Cultures in Lublin and the Nasutów House. The organisation of the aforementioned event was inspired by the implementation of seventeen editions of the Economic Forum of Young Leaders (EFYL), the largest international socio-economic conferences in Central and Eastern Europe. The Eastern Congress of Young Leaders was attended by more than 180 people not only from Poland, but also from Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania and Georgia. The congress was an excellent place to discuss, exchange opinions, views and strengthen cooperation among young people. Young people participated in panels devoted, among other things, to artificial intelligence, employers' expectations, and the background to the city of Lublin becoming European Youth Capital. On the second day of the event, participants were able to learn about: what European information networks offer them, what challenges International Meeting Centres are currently facing, and they were also able to meet young leaders who have been helping Ukrainian refugees since the first days of the war. The final point of the event was an intercultural evening attended by an AZS UMCS Lublin basketball player and her coach. During the Congress, there also was a meeting with a special guest, who was Minister of Climate and Environment Anna Moskwa. At the meeting, the Minister talked about the situation with regard to renewable energy sources, as well as the challenges the Ministry is facing in relation to this issue. The young people asked our guest a number of questions on topics such as geothermal energy, as well as the problems of disposing of batteries from electric cars.



- 54 panellists and moderators spoke;

- 186 participants from 5 countries took part;

- 7 discussion panels, 1 Oxford debate, 1 meeting with a special guest and 1 intercultural evening with the participation of the basketball player AZS UMCS Lublin and her coach were organised

The following speakers took part in the Congress:

• - Anna Moskwa - Minister of Climate and Environment

• Łukasz Rzepecki - Advisor to the President of the Republic of Poland
• Kazimierz Choma - Member of Parliament of the Republic of Poland
• Daniel Milewski - Member of Parliament of the Republic of Poland
• Tomasz Kalinowski - Honorary Consul of the Republic of Slovenia in Lublin
• Bartłomiej Bałaban - Member of the Board of the Lublin Voivodeship
• Beata Stepaniuk-Kuśmierzak - Deputy Mayor for Culture, Sport and Participation, Presidential Plenipotentiary for European Youth Capital
• Iwona Nowakowska - Deputy Director of the Department of Education of the Lublin City Hall
• dr Maria Mazur - Rector of the University College of Enterprise and Administration in Lublin
• Agnieszka Parol-Górna - Coordinator of the European Youth Capital Lublin 2023
• Maria Pichura - Coordinator of European Youth Capital Lviv 2025
• Tomasz Tokarski - President of the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin Development Foundation
• Oksana Basaraba - Borderland Spiritual Culture Foundation
• Agnieszka Gąsior-Mazur - President of Lublin Business Club
• Seweryn Szwarocki - Director for Strategy and Sustainable Development at Lubelski Węgiel Bogdanka S.A.
• Marek Przyszlak - HR Senior Manager Business Partner at PwC
• Damian Lawenda - Co-owner of Vilaro Marketing Agency
• Jacek Lis - Chancellor of the University College of Enterprise and Administration in Lublin
• Wojciech Kaczmarczyk - Director of National Freedom Institute Centre for Civil Society Development
• Robert Żurek, PhD - Managing Director, Member of the Board of the Krzyżowa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe
• Lyudmila Zubareva - President of the Board of 'Great Idea'
• Pr. Stefan Batruch, PhD - Chairman of the Board of the International Youth Meeting Centre "Kultura Pojednania"