Stories of Challenge & Impact

As Featured on Brainz. Magazine.

I attended the WLC 2025 in Madrid. The World Leaders Convention took place in Madrid from the 27th to the 30th of June in the capital of Spain. There were 50 attendees from all over the world. Young adults from across the globe, including me (ages 16 to 45), came together to connect and grow through inspirational workshops and talks. Do you want to know more about the current stories of people who care about the fate of the world?

The effort to get to Madrid

Diego was 17 years old and flew 12 hours alone from Peru. He was held for 2 hours at customs at Barajas Airport because he was a minor. Sedika came from Morocco. She was only able to sleep for one hour at Tangier Airport as she had to spend the night there. Hawa, from Malaysia, was stuck in Qatar for 11 hours while flying in from Kuala Lumpur because of the tensions in the Middle East.

Complicated names

It takes practice to remember the sometimes complicated names of people from around the world, as I discussed with my roommate José in the Marriott hotel. I kept repeating the names in my head a hundred times until they stuck like spaghetti on the wall.

Tanya: Ukrainian cause & healthcare

Over dinner, I talked with Tanya. She was an American living in Vermont, with Ukrainian roots. Her dad was from Kyiv, and she was going back for the first time since the start of the war more than 3 years ago. We discussed the safety, as I am going there as well in September. We exchanged WhatsApp numbers and are going to stay in touch.

She lobbied for the Ukrainians in Brussels and in the US. She had a real fighting spirit, was a State Senator in Vermont, and knew Bernie Sanders. Feisty, she said, "No single yard can be given to Putin. Ukrainian soil is Ukrainian soil."

We also talked about the healthcare system in the US and Spain. She said that 60% of Americans can't pay a $400 emergency expense, including medical bills. She had a car accident years ago, and even despite paying $700 monthly for private healthcare, she had to pay a $12K bill for a couple of days in the hospital.

I said that in Spain, the quality of private and public healthcare is similar. I don't have to pay when I visit my family doctor, Ángel. There is no billing, invoicing, payment, or claims on insurance. It seems a much more efficient system, administratively as well. According to surveys, Tanya said, 70% of Americans want universal healthcare.

Real life stories of impact

Olha received a $10K grant from the Davis Foundation to support Veterans Affairs in Ukraine. She advised me on the safest area of Kyiv to stay when I go back to Ukraine. That night, I booked my hotel, a potentially life-changing piece of advice.

Usra from Morocco went for a month to help people in Turkey after the earthquake in 2023.

Saad from Pakistan found the funding and distributed winter packs. The Warm Winters program was launched in 7 cities with the support of 90 volunteers. He described it as "caring enough to act."

Adriana from El Salvador helped refugees arriving in Nice, France. As a legal assistant, she guided people through the process of entering France and the EU and heard stories of horror, including rape. "Asylum is a right," she confidently said.

Visa privilege

Many people struggled to get a visa to Spain. Kuvonch from Uzbekistan said it was the first time he was able to leave the country. He mentioned that it's virtually impossible to leave the US, even with a full scholarship.

Mohammed from Gaza has had many visa denials. He fled the Palestinian territory and shared the heartbreaking story of losing his fiancée. He was on the phone with her when the connection was lost. In the morning, he already knew. She and her family had died, and he would never hear her again.

Hamza reminded me of my Belgian passport privilege. He was going to the UN to represent Pakistan. I said, "You can visit Niagara Falls if you have the time." He replied that it would be too complicated, as he would need a separate visa for Canada.

Corrine pointed out that US citizens are privileged by passport, but aren't the most privileged in terms of wealth and influence.

The world is calling

The kindness of young people can be refreshing, and the bonds made can last a lifetime. The eagerness to connect and impact the world is inspirational. We all should surpass our own desires and focus on the needs of others. "For whom does the bell toll? It tolls for thee."