GLAP IΙ: Participatory Leadership in Practice

The "land beyond”, in collaboration with Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom and with the support of European Expression, organized a 6 day interactive laboratory between 15-21 July 2013, on the subject of the building and running of a party or political actor based on the principles and tools of participatory leadership. 50 people attended the seminar, most of whom were young people, who are involved or want to be involved in politics or in political participation of any kind. The seminar was led by professionals and trustees of the network "Art of Hosting” and took place in Vitsa, Zagori.

We learned participatory techniques as a way to turn our ideas into reality through collaboration and participation, and we focused on empowering ourselves as leaders of the new forms of political actions, as real solutions are not found on a leader or a view but in a larger image of collective intelligence. Participative leadership regards methods, mental models and nonlinear solutions that create the conditions, so that all the ideas, opinions and abilities of a group of individuals can emerge, focusing on individual and collective development in terms of self-organization.

Elements of the seminar, the political values​​, principles and vision, party building and democracy, choosing civilian personnel, the political strategies and an emphasis on efficiency.

The basic principles adopted by the participants themselves are: freedom, meritocracy, equality, imagination, hardworking. On the last day, a simulation game was conducted with the participation of leading political figures, based on the knowledge and the experience gained. On Thursday 18.07, the team was guided to the monastery of Agia Paraskevi, after a hiking of 3 km, on Friday the group participated in a rafting activity in Voidomatis and on Sunday 21.07, 20 participants crossed the Vikos Gorge (9Km), after descending the stairway of Monodendri, reaching the springs of Voidomatis and arrived in Vitsiko in Papigko.

The conclusions and expectations, the excellent evaluation and the enthusiasm that prevailed with the end of the seminar, led to the creation of the http://www.facebook.com/groups/547999505259999/ and to the decision, 1) Getting our acts together - bringing together people from the different Greek liberal parties, groups and persons into a gathering in September to prepare a forthcoming European elections common project, 2) Re-estabilishing Vitsa's population to 500 permanent residents and 3) Continuing to learn together (this group is a good start).

After the week seminar on Participatory Leadership in practice was successfully over, on Sunday the 21st of July 2014, a significant number of participants – 21 persons – did the Vikos crossing from Monodendri to Vitsiko. A fully informative session was given the day before both at the Info point of the National Park of Northern Pindos and at the Land beyond concerning the program, the equipment and the route. At the end of the journey the most courageous took a swim into the frozen Voidomatis river. The return to Vitsa by bus was full of fatigue, pride and joy. Everyone had the chance to taste the unique mushrooms of the region at "Kanella kai Garyfallo” restaurant, but also to be awarded the diploma of successful crossing, the yellow t-shirt which followed the event and the DVDs of the rafting on the 19th of July.

After that leaving Land beyond meant to start accompanied by decisive promises to return. Future leaders are to spout from Vikos gorge and from the Land beyond.