Launch of Ucoopia in Belgium: A Look Back at a Unifying Event

Following successful launches in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, and Benin, it was Belgium’s turn to celebrate a key milestone in Ucoopia’s history on Thursday evening. More than a hundred people—from academia, funding institutions, civil society, as well as our partners and teams—gathered at the VUB/ULB Learning and Innovation Center to officially mark this defining moment for our NGO.

This major event was graced by the presence of numerous prominent figures. Among them were the Minister-President of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, Elisabeth Degryse; His Excellency Mr. Bonkoungou Léopold T. N., Ambassador of Burkina Faso, Mr. El Hadj Amadou Lamine Diagne, First Counselor at the Embassy of Senegal, the Rector of ULiège Anne-Sophie Nyssen, the Rector of UMONS Philippe Dubois, and the Vice-Rector for External Relations and Cooperation at ULB, Anne Weyembergh.

A launch conference featuring numerous testimonials and insights

The evening began with a launch event at 5 p.m., introduced by Julie Simon, Executive Director of Ucoopia. In her remarks, she discussed the project’s origins, its ambitions, and the values that guide the NGO’s daily work: “Ucoopia is a realistic dream. We thought big, we imagined, we created, we evolved, and today, here we are—we’ve done it! With Ucoopia, we want to start a movement, share knowledge, and bring together the perspectives of our three universities, all the people on the ground, and our teams to move forward.”

The presidents and vice-presidents of our founding universities then took the floor to express their universities’ commitment and enthusiasm for participating in the Ucoopia project. “For me, Ucoopia represents the deep conviction that sustainable solutions cannot be simple or isolated. They must be built through dialogue among all disciplines, institutions, and regions,” stated Anne-Sophie Nyssen, Rector of ULiège.

Anne Weyembergh, Vice-Rector for External Relations and Cooperation at ULB, highlighted the role of the NGO: “Today, three universities are coming together in the spirit of solidarity to better address the challenges of tomorrow and make Ucoopia a major—if not indispensable—player in committed academic cooperation.“

The practical and human dimension of Ucoopia’s work was illustrated by video testimonials from people supported through our projects, as well as by a presentation from El Hadj Ousmane Niang, Head of Development and Communications in Senegal. In his speech, he highlighted the exchanges between academic communities and on-the-ground actors, as well as the flow of knowledge and the resulting innovations.

A godmother and a godfather for Ucoopia

We were delighted to announce that Blandine Sankara, an international advocate for agroecology and founder of the Yelemani association, has agreed to serve as Ucoopia’s patron. In a video message addressed to the evening’s attendees, she expressed her enthusiasm for taking on this new role alongside us. Read this article to learn more about Blandine Sankara.

Olivier Hamant, a biologist, author, and speaker known for his approach that prioritizes resilience over performance, has also done us the honor of becoming a patron of Ucoopia. Read more about him in this article. His commitment to our cause opens up new possibilities for building more resilient and sustainable societies capable of facing the challenges of today and tomorrow.

The evening then continued in a relaxed atmosphere over cocktails, providing attendees with a special opportunity to chat, share their thoughts, and forge new connections. This gathering perfectly captured the spirit of collaboration and co-creation that drives Ucoopia.

This launch in Belgium marks a new milestone in the expansion of our NGO and reinforces our commitment to working alongside our partners to build a more sustainable, inclusive, and compassionate future.