CIFAL Flanders to Brussels: A New Chapter in Sustainable Leadership

Established in 2014 as CIFAL Flanders, this centre affiliated with UNITAR, offers a wide range of activities related to leadership for sustainability through training workshops, seminars, conferences, and online courses. More than a decade on from its founding, the organization has grown into one of Belgium's most active platforms for translating the UN's 2030 Agenda into concrete capacity-building action.

CIFAL Flanders, now Brussels is devoted to strengthening a just transition towards a sustainable society and economy through capacity building of all actors in society, and the 2026 Kick-Off made clear that this work is entering a more institutionalized and networked phase, with a formal Board of Directors now in place to provide strategic governance and continuity.

Mr. Peter Wollaert, Managing Director of CIFAL Brussels, led the day alongside contributions from the experts Mr. Jan Danckaert, Ms. Patricia Delbaere, Mr. Oskar Bonte, Mr. Xavier Vanrolleghem, and Mr. Peter Garré. Ms. Adriana Lopez, Global Coordinator of the CIFAL Global Network from UNITAR, opened the session online and shared insights on UNITAR and CIFALs’ priorities in a rapidly evolving global context. During the closing plenary, key milestones were marked with the presentation of the Board of Directors and the awarding of new SDG Ambassadors, led by Mr. Geert Aelbrecht, Vice-Chair of CIFAL Brussels and representative of BESIX, followed by closing words from Ms. Michaela Majcin Dorcikova from UNITAR’s Division for People and Social Development. Together, the speakers brought perspectives spanning the private sector, academia, and the broader sustainability ecosystem, reflecting the cross-sectoral character that has always defined CIFAL Brussels' approach.