Credit: Jana Degrott

Jana Degrott, a young Luxembourgish activist, jurist and politician, has announced that she is among 36 emerging leaders selected to join the Obama Foundation Leaders Europe programme.

This programme will train participants in leadership development and civic engagement to help build their skills and scale their work across public, private and non-profit sectors. This year’s cohort represents 24 countries across the region.

As part of the six-month, non-residential programme, these selected changemakers will convene virtually each week for interactive sessions designed to help them drive change by honing their leadership skills, building deep relationships with their peers and engaging with thought leaders and members of the Obama Foundation community. They will also have an opportunity to participate in various virtual experiences and special events, including one-on-one conversations with experienced mentors in the Foundation's global network.

Launched in 2020, Leaders Europe builds upon the legacy of former United States President and First Lady respectively, Barack and Michelle Obama, and their deep commitment to the region, with a focus on shared values and ethical leadership. The programme aims to create a network of leaders who drive positive, innovative change in their communities throughout the continent and across the globe. The 2022 class of Europe Leaders are working across a broad range of issues and focus areas, including human rights, climate change, strengthening democracy, and more.

The Obama Foundation Leaders programme is designed to further inspire, empower and connect emerging leaders from Africa, Asia Pacific and Europe to change their respective communities and the world. 

Representing Luxembourg this year is Jana Degrott, co-founder of We Belong, an initiative to inspire next-generation leadership for young European women of colour to create a future pool of role models. As a believer in the importance of youth voices in government, Ms Degrott is also a local councillor (Democratic Party - DP) in her hometown of Steinsel and one of the youngest elected politicians in Luxembourg.