Belgium's 40 under 40

Passing the torch to the next generation of societal leaders

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Follow here the recent updates of Belgium’s 40 under 40! 
Community

Passing the Torch: How Mentorship Sparks Leadership Across Generations

At 40u40, the goal is to “pass the torch to the next generation of societal leaders!” One way to do so is through the intergenerational exchanges that Mentorship offers: a powerful and personal dialogue between seasoned leaders, known as 40u40 Supporters, and emerging changemakers, the Fellows. We invited three Mentorship pairs, Julie Lescut and Alexandra Boogers (Cohort 2021 Autumn), Bruno Colmant and Adélaïde Charlier (Cohort 2023) and Koen Bouckaert and Sebastiaan Vermeersch (Cohort 2024) to reflect on their Mentorship journeys!

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22/05/2025
Community

Building Societal Change: The Five Phases of Field Work

The Field Work projects are one of the four pillars of the 40u40 program, empowering Fellows to grow as leaders while tackling real-world societal challenges. Over the years, the Field Work process has evolved, incorporating new insights and refining methods to ensure that it truly empowers Fellows to develop as societal leaders. Today, the process is structured into five phases: Listening and Dreaming, Ideating and Exploring Ideas, Choosing a Direction, Experimenting, and Reflecting and Learning.

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17/04/2025
Community

Insights from the 40u40 Annual Leadership Seminar: Positive Influence and Building Legacy​

Once a year, 40u40 organizes a multi-day seminar focused on leadership growth and community building. These seminars bring together the entire Community, including Alumni, Supporters, Coaches, and Fellows, for an opportunity to learn from accomplished societal leadership thinkers invited for the occasion. In 2024, Tsun-Yan Hsieh and Huijin Kong joined 40u40 for a seminar on their concept of Positive Influence. Over two and a half days, they helped the participants to embark on an accelerated leadership journey, deepening their societal impact.

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30/01/2025
Fellows

Field Work Story: Exploring Mental Health with the Pink Elephant

Mental health is an omnipresent topic, hovering in plain sight yet too often swept under the rug. The more we try to ignore it, the more undeniable its presence becomes: like a glaring pink elephant in the room. This analogy inspired the name of the Pink Elephant Field Work Group, created by the Cohort 2023 Fellows Khalid El Hatri, Johan Heymans, Valérie Lucq, Laurent Pantusa, Kristel Van den Bergh, and Sofie Vandenhende. The Fellows grouped together to explore the growing mental health challenges faced by young Belgians. Their mission took them into the field, connecting with organizations, engaging in conversations, and attending seminars and workshops.

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19/12/2024
Alumni

Beyond Graduation: How the Alumni Continue to Lead, Learn, and Impact Society

What does it mean to be a 40u40 Alumni? The graduation from the one year program is not the end of the journey, but the start of a lifelong commitment to leadership, growth and impact! The 40u40 Alumni Community is a vibrant space where connections thrive, learning continues, and meaningful change happens. Through engaging activities, such as workshops or Conversation Circles, impactful projects, and the support of a network that inspires and uplifts one another, being a 40u40 Alumni means being part of a Community committed to making a difference!

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21/11/2024
Impact

From Storytelling to Societal Transformation: The Impact of Art and Culture

Art, in its many forms—literature, music, visual art, and more—serves as a powerful vehicle for storytelling. It not only reflects cultural narratives but also drives societal transformation by evoking emotions, sparking dialogue, and inspiring actions for change. 40u40 Alumnae Veerle Simoens (Cohort 2021 Spring), Florence Derck (Cohort 2021 Autumn), and Lynn Tytgat (Cohort 2023) discuss the profound impact of art and culture on society, exploring the significant role they play, how they achieve a positive impact, and why art and culture are essential components of societal progress.

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05/09/2024
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