Argentina—UPF-Argentina launched its 2021 “Leadership and Cooperation” series on July 14, 202,1 with a speech by Christian Oreb, general coordinator of Red Cooperar Buenos Aires (1). The objective of this series is the “formation and training of leadership for participation and commitment, seeking to provide resources and examples of good practices to address the challenges for a more empathetic, cooperative leadership, focused on solutions and with a peace perspective.”
“Participation and Commitment/Operative Leadership in Civil Society” was the topic of the first meeting, broadcast on UPF-Argentina’s YouTube channel, with more than 240 views (2). This initiative, which will take place the third Wednesday of each month, is organized by UPF-Argentina and its different leadership areas: Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP), Interreligious Association for Peace (IAPD), Media Association for Peace (IMAP), Academicians for Peace (IAAP); and Youth and Students for Peace (YSP) Argentina.
Christian Oreb shared concepts and experiences about operative leadership in civil society organizations, raising questions from the audience which he answered after his presentation. He briefly talked about leadership types and the idea-action relationship. He differentiated volunteerism from voluntarism, and then showcased social voluntarism as a leadership practice. “Operative leadership in the CSO is a team effort and represents a system of exchange and reciprocity in many aspects: formative, civic, and spiritual,” he stated.
“The founders of all these organizations have promoted a leadership centered on ‘true love,’ in other words, to live for the sake of others, according to the divine ideal for humanity and the creation. The goal is to have everyone develop and coexist in harmony, for which many saints and patriots sacrificed themselves,” affirmed Dong Mo Shin, regional director of UPF-South America during the opening remarks.
“We have leadership crises and conflicts, mainly due to particular and sectoral interests; a crisis and conflict of values, dominantly material. Thus, UPF promotes a ‘new level of leadership,’ as expressed in its foundational mission,” explained Miguel Werner, president of UPF-Argentina, briefly justifying the context that gave rise to this series.
“The vision of Youth and Students for Peace (YSP) is to create a peace culture all around the world, where the norm is to seek the benefit of others,” announced Emanuel Sayavedra, president of Youth and Students for Peace (YSP) Argentina. He moderated the opening of the series along with Mariela Spangenberg, journalist and host of “Pasaporte Cultural” and member of the International Media Association for Peace-Argentina.
The series will continue on July 21 with Patricia Pitaluga, president of Acercando Naciones, who will address “Teamwork + Fair Game + Clear Rules.” Upcoming speakers will be Juan Bautista Segonds, president and founder of Rugby sin Fronteras (Rugby without Frontiers); and Silvia Carranza, President of CILSA, which is an NGO that promotes inclusion. The end of the series is scheduled for November 17, when certificates will be rewarded to dedicated participants..
Quotes:
1) Christian Oreb, who recognizes that “We should be the change we want to see,” is a social leader, founder and advisor of civil society organizations, whose social work experience was declared of legislative interest by the City of Buenos Aires in Law 3313 (2014). He is the founder and general coordinator of Red Cooperar of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, established in 2005. He received the 2014 “León de Oro” Award from Club de Leones in Buenos Aires, “2012 Participative Neighbor” from Comuna 11 of Buenos Aires City, and was appointed Ambassador for Peace in 2016 from the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) Argentina.
2) Recording of the first 2021 “Leadership and Cooperation” Series Meeting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oaCgLE-9tw
3) Link to register for the 2021 “Leadership and Cooperation” Series:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd_-j-zptsKd9aZ3EnT-fEfn_H7Qq9GkKDAOR7hJFZ50Be0OA/viewform