About

The European Young Leaders (#EYL40) is a flagship programme of Friends of Europe that brings together a new class of leaders from across Europe every year. 

At a time of deep geopolitical shifts, economic uncertainty and growing pressure on democratic systems, the programme creates a space to step out of silos, connect across sectors and explore how Europe can respond concretely and collectively. 

Why it matters now more than ever 

Europe is facing a defining moment. War on its borders, rising geopolitical tensions, rapid technological change and increasing social pressure are reshaping the environment in which decisions are made. At the same time, there is a growing gap between European ambition and people’s day-to-day realities. 

The challenge is no longer only to define priorities but to deliver on them, in ways that are tangible, inclusive and credible. 

EYL40 creates the conditions for open, trusted exchange between people who would not usually sit in the same room, from policymakers and entrepreneurs to scientists, artists and civil society leaders and across political sensitivities and countries. 

Through seminars, labs, public engagement and ongoing exchanges, the programme focuses on: 

  • connecting perspectives across sectors and countries 
  • challenging assumptions and testing ideas 
  • translating discussions into concrete proposals and collaborations 

The approach is simple: move beyond conversations and contribute to shaping solutions. 

A core element of the programme is its interactive formats — including “Europe to-do list” labs — where participants work together on key challenges. 

The impact of the programme does not stop here. European Young Leaders engage in their own countries, sectors and communities, helping to reconnect European discussions with local realities and contributing to a more inclusive and forward-looking Europe. Our Europe is broader than the EU’s physical borders. Our Europe stretches from the United Kingdom to the Western Balkans, Ukraine and Moldova.  

EYL40 is built on the idea that leadership today is not about titles or sectors, but about the ability to listen, connect and act across boundaries. It is about bringing together people who are willing to question, collaborate and take responsibility in shaping Europe’s future. 

Alumni come from a wide range of backgrounds, from a former refugee who became both a professional footballer at AC Milan and a medical doctor, to a Michelin-starred chef, founders building Europe’s next generation of clean tech companies, members of national and European parliaments, a barrister and bestselling author, a Sámi rights activist, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist, an ESA astronaut, and artists using theatre and storytelling to challenge societal norms to name just a few. 

What connects them is not where they come from, but their willingness to engage, challenge and contribute to shaping Europe’s future.


Tune in to the EYL40s on Friends of Europe’s podcasts

Policy Voices | Are we alone in the universe?

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Policy Voices | Are we alone in the universe?

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Policy Voices | AI & Democracy: Empowering informed citizens

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Policy Voices | AI & Democracy: Empowering informed citizens

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Policy Voices | A glaciologist and a greentech entrepreneur on a mission to fight climate change

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Policy Voices | A glaciologist and a greentech entrepreneur on a mission to fight climate change

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Policy Voices Podcast | Keeping the human in the loop: How to make a success story of AI in health

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Policy Voices Podcast | Keeping the human in the loop: How to make a success story of AI in health

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Meet the EYL40

Dawood Azami
Dawood Azami

Multi-Media Editor (News and Current Affairs) at BBC World Service and 2012 European Young Leader (EYL40)

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Dawood is one of the most promising young journalists and scholars of his generation in the UK. He has been working for the BBC World Service in London as a Senior Broadcast Journalist and is a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Westminster, where he teaches Globalization, Power and International Governance. He joined the BBC in 1998 and also worked as the BBC World Service Bureau Chief and Editor in Kabul, Afghanistan. He was also a visiting scholar at Ohio State University, USA. He holds three Bachelor’s and three Master’s degrees, including Science, Law, International Relations and Diplomacy. In 2010, Dawood became the youngest person to ever win the biggest award in the BBC, the “Global Reith Award for Outstanding Contribution”. He is also a poet/writer, calligrapher and painter/artist.

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Sarah Joseph

Chief Executive Officer and Founding Editor of emel Magazine and 2012 European Young Leader (EYL40)

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Sarah is the CEO and Founding Editor of emel, the premier Muslim Lifestyle brand. Through emel, she fundamentally formed the concept of Muslim Lifestyle, creating a seismic shift in the way Muslims were perceived and marketed to. She was a member of the Home Office Task Force on extremism after the July 2005 London bombings. Sarah was awarded an OBE in 2004 for services to inter-faith dialogue and the promotion of women’s rights. She was listed as one of the UK’s most powerful Muslims in the Muslim Power 100 by Carter Andersen, and one of the World’s 500 Most Influential Muslims by Georgetown University and the Jordanian Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre.

Lindsey-Nefesh-Clarke_EYL40
Lindsey Nefesh-Clarke

Founder & Managing Director of Women's Worldwide Web (W4), Senior Fellow for Women, Peace and Security at Friends of Europe and 2012 European Young Leader (EYL40)

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Lindsey Nefesh-Clarke is Founder & CEO of W4.org, a social enterprise dedicated to protecting girls’ and women’s human rights and promoting their empowerment around the world, with a focus on Sustainable Development Goal 5b: harnessing technologies. Nefesh-Clarke worked in human rights and development in Africa and Asia at Human Rights Watch, UNICEF, Enfants d’Asie, before founding W4. Named a “Women in IT Role Model” by the European Commission and one of the “Inspiring Fifty” women leaders in Europe’s technology sector, Nefesh-Clarke is a board member of the Women’s Economic Imperative (WEI), which aims to advance the work of the UN Secretary General’s High-Level Panel on Women’s Economic Empowerment. She is also a Senior Fellow for Friends of Europe’s Connect Europe initiative, and a member of the advisory board of UN Women France.

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Jon Worth

Political Blogger and Campaigner, #CrossBorderRail Project and 2012 European Young Leader (EYL40)

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Jon is one the best-known political bloggers and commentators on all things EU politics and Brexit. His commentary on his blog (jonworth.eu) and Twitter account (@jonworth) are well known in Brussels and EU circles. His work around Brexit and especially his famous Brexit diagrams have been featured in international media, including The New York Times and ARD. Jon is a Visiting Lecturer on politics and online communication at the College of Europe in Bruges. He also leads workshops at the Graduate Institute in Geneva, the University of Maastricht and the Italian School of Public Administration in Rome. The Founder of Trains for Europe, a campaign that demands the European Union take action on the issues surrounding long distance rail travel in Europe, Jon is an experienced campaigner, having previously organised a number of online campaigns for United Kingdom politicians and the Atheist Bus Campaign.

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Selection process

Thank you for your interest in the European Young Leaders (EYL40) programme.

Each year, we bring together a small group of outstanding individuals from across Europe, the Western Balkans, the United Kingdom, Ukraine and Moldova to join this community.

We look for people aged 30 to 40 who have already made an impact in their field, and who bring curiosity, openness and a genuine willingness to engage, people who want to help shape Europe’s future.

We will post here more information on calls for upcoming classes.

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