First and foremost, on behalf of the Africa Leadership Initiative: Compliments on the New Year! May it be a year in which we live up to our fervent desire to positively and meaningfully impact our society.
As always, each year dawns upon us with a brand-new energy and fresh resolutions waiting to be accomplished. This year is no different. We, as the Africa Leadership Initiative, look forward to connecting you, and connecting with you, to achieve our collective ambition to positively impact our society. This year, we aim to facilitate more engagement and participation amongst all Fellows and to ensure we support you in finding ways of moving “from thought to action”.
We are therefore excited to roll out a number of activities for the year. These are just some of the plans the Africa Leadership Initiative has in store for you this year:
We will be increasing our monthly dialogues
The purpose of the Leadership Dialogues is threefold. Firstly, to engage ALI fellows in thinking individually and collectively about how we live up to our commitment to “actively build the good society”. Secondly, to use our extensive network to begin to shape national debates and discourse around key leadership challenges. Thirdly, to encourage and inspire specific actions and initiatives around priorities that emerge from the dialogues.
Launching Class 11
The Board has appointed Ralph Freese as the Dean of Admissions for Class 11 of ALI. Ralph, a Fellow of the Inaugural Class and a former Board member of ALI, has significant experience to draw upon to ensure the selection of another great group of leaders who are seeking to “move from success to significance”. We hope to launch Class 11 in September 2017. Please assist Ralph with your knowledge and networks to ensure we have the strongest possible Class.
Launching our Inaugural ALI Action Forum
Subject to funding, we plan to launch a 2-day Action Forum where Fellows from South Africa and other African AGLN programmes can engage to find and accelerate action to change their societies.
This will be modelled on the Aspen Action Forum, “which includes inspiring readings-based seminar dialogues, roundtable dialogues on leadership, intensive networking opportunities and ‘Action Workshop Dialogues’ offering help to those facing hurdles as they tackle challenges in their communities, countries and the world. The purpose of this event is to give birth to, or help current projects initiated by Fellows and to propel them to the next level.”
Create a financially sustainable ALI
A significant focus for the year will be to secure commitments for funding ALI to 2019 (3 years) to enable us to achieve some of our strategic objectives; in particular to launch a class each year, to increase the staffing capacity, to support Fellows with their projects and other action initiatives and run the various Fellow engagements.
Overall, we trust that you are ready to make the most of 2017. All with a purpose of impacting the societies we live in for the greater good.
Best wishes for the New Year.
Adi
Let Integrity Lead.
