RYLA ALey 7.0

RYLA Aley 7.0: Unfolding the 7 Ways to Lead

The Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA)returned to Aley this year with its highly anticipated 7th edition,bringing together young leaders, professionals, and change makers under the inspiring theme: “Unfold the 7 Ways to Lead.”

Held at the AFDC center in Ramlieh, Aley, the two days program blended training, workshops, and interactive sessions designed to empower participants with practical leadership skills, creative tools, and community centered perspectives.

A Powerful Theme

The central theme, Unfold the 7 Ways to Lead, reflects RYLA’s mission of cultivating leadership through knowledge, empathy, and innovation. The program was designed to highlight the many dimensions of leadership ranging from peace building through listening, emotional mastery, maternal and child health, education’s ripple effect, environmental sustainability, rapid creativity, and voice empowerment.

A Strong Lineup of Speakers

This year’s edition featured a diverse roster of speakers and trainers, each bringing expertise in their respective fields:

• Jihane Chahwane: Peace starts with Listening: A communication coach and education consultant with     over seven years of corporate training and career guidance experience.
• Jana Issa:     Emotion Disease to Health Release: Accredited coach trainer and NLP practitioner specializing in mindset and emotional mastery.
• Denise Dibeh: From Womb to World: Nurse     and midwife with 25+ years in maternal health and community leadership.
• Aya Barakat:     The Literacy Ripple Effect: Educational consultant and certified executive coach with more than two decades of experience in empowerment programs.
• Sylvana Raydan & Fatima Nasereldine: Guardians of the Green & Blue: Agriculture engineers at LRI, promoting sustainability, farmer training, and environmental awareness.
• Bilal Zahalan:     Ideate in Minutes: Tech entrepreneur and creative operator with expertise     in scalable systems and brand growth.
• Nizar El Joukhadar:     Echoes of Leadership: Voice activation coach and sound healer focusing on confidence and trauma healing.
• Christophe Awada, Elissar Ezzeddine, and Fadi Hammoud: Rotary leaders contributing to youth leadership  missions and Rotary’s long-term vision.

The Program Highlights

Over two intensive days,participants engaged in a rich agenda of keynotes, interactive sessions, andnetworking:

Day One included sessions on from peace building through listening, emotional mastery, maternal and child health, education’s ripple effect, environmental sustainability, rapid creativity, and voice empowerment.
Day Two focused on creativity in leadership, voice empowerment, and Rotary’s mission, before closing with the official ceremony.

The Driving Team

Behind RYLA Aley 7.0 stood a dedicated team of organizers, led by President Stephany Said and Chairperson Nathalie Fakhereddine, supported by:

• Assil Ghoubar     (Deputy Chairperson)
• Karine Ichtay     (Program Officer)
• Alia Jdeydani     (Logistics Officer)
• Jana Said     (Marketing Officer)
• Simar Ghaida     (Entertainment Officer)
• Adam Chehaib     (Sponsorship Officer)
• Bahaa Hilal     (Finance Officer)
• Sarjoun Chehayeb     (Registration Officer)

Their collective efforts ensured a smooth, professional, and impactful edition of the leadership program.

An Experience Beyond the Workshops

Participants were guided on practical matters too: from recommended packing essentials (comfortable clothing, yoga mats, party attire, and chargers) to preparing for the expected warm weather in Aley (between 21°C and 30°C).

A Gathering for Future Leaders

With its strong educational content,diverse speakers, and commitment to sustainability and empowerment, RYLA Aley 7.0 proved once again to be a leading platform for shaping Lebanon’s next generation of leaders.

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