After one year of being a part of AIESEC, I’ve come to the conclusion that AIESEC is about more than self-development. 

It’s also about creating a community of leaders that are ready to change the world. One of the ways to bring these leaders together is through our conferences, which typically happened physically. Like everyone else, the pandemic forced us to adapt to virtual conferences which still pose several challenges to organize.

I was a part of the team organizing AIESEC’s most first-ever edition of The Leadership Congress. It hosted 4000 participants from 110+ countries across the globe, happening over the first week of March.

The conference had a lot to offer, from workshops delivered by partner companies to sessions tailored for the organization’s various leadership bodies to a Global Village event for the celebration of our diverse backgrounds.

Being part of the organizing team, I had a lot of responsibilities that let me develop my skills and learn some valuable lessons. Here are some main takeaways:

Diversity is beautiful

The Leadership Congress taught me a lot about the diversity that AIESEC has to offer. It’s a beautiful thing to learn from many people around the world. AIESEC has given me an understanding that we’re not alone. We have each other to rely on. We can learn from each other and create an impact together no matter our background, country, or preference. We are here together with one mission which is peace and fulfillment of humankind’s potential. 

Agility is key

With the global pandemic going on, we cannot run the conference physically and meet everyone like we used to do. As an organization, we often tell ourselves that we need to be agile. Adapting to the current context is key. We made a lot of difficult decisions, and they made us grow and learn how to be adaptive. I couldn’t meet with my teammates physically, but we still find other ways to connect and create change despite all odds. 

Be Brave

When I applied for this position, I was scared of the uncertainty. But then I realized that being scared when you’re not even trying yet is not how AIESEC wanted me to be. As AIESEC members, we learn to trust ourselves and trust the process. No matter what the result would be. We learn to be brave. I know that it’s easier said than done, but the opportunity will not come to you twice. Therefore, you need to learn to take risks and trust yourself. 

Every contribution  matters

Being on this committee made me realize that every contribution, no matter how big or small, is still significant and counts. As AIESEC members, we know very well that you don’t need to have a long AIESEC journey or have a high role in this organization to make a better world. Everything starts small. 

You don’t have to be great to start

I was in the role of event organizer in my local AIESEC branch before applying to this role. Back then, I couldn’t imagine myself being where I am now. I was insecure, and I didn’t consider my role good enough to grant me this new position. But now, I understand that I don’t need to be great to start, but I need to start to be great. So, next time you feel insecure, give yourself a pep talk. You can do it! AIESEC has a lot of development spaces like this conference in the future. For example, our Global Leadership Day.

Global Leadership Day is an opportunity for young people like you to engage with high-profile speakers and thought leaders from various areas and learn more about leadership-related topics. Sign up now through this link. It is free and across four time zones!