This unusual journey started in my homecountry Austria, where an introduction to Rui Nunes da Silva of IPAV atthe European Forum Alpbach in August 2025 led to a personal invitation to experience the Ubuntu Leaders Academy in Portugal. But why?

I am a seasoned management consultant andbprevious senior executive at IBM and Kyndryl, who recently decided to move from several decades of high-paced global leadership roles in multinational organizations towards a more personal contribution to selective business projects of sustainable value and humanitarian initiatives in support of people, businesses, and society altogether. Working in the corporate world taught me to consider people the most important asset in any business, and trust as thecurrency that matters most.

In Alpbach Rui and I met to brainstorm with a mixed group of European business leaders about responsible leadership, in Portugal then I dived deep into exploring leaders leading responsibly and showing their civil engagement.

From November 25-27, 2025, I traded Vienna’s early snowfall for bright sunshine in the Portuguese capital. I was a curious visitor expecting to listen and learn, while from the minute I arrived at IPAV I felt having acquainted new friendships and leaving the country deeply inspried and as an advocate of a truly transformative movement. The core of my visit was an immersion into the Ubuntu training methodology. This philosophy, centered on mutual respect, collaboration, and empowerment, permeates the culture of those who embrace it. The days were filled with visits to diverse institutions — various schools, a high-security prison, and a training center for the unemployed — all of which were just in the process of conducting an intense “Ubuntu Week” during our visits.

The social and emotional impact of the program were obvious and deeply moving. I was struck by the cordial openness and attitude of the participants every where we went. Whether speaking with students, inmates, or job seekers, there was an authentic sense of them being profoundly touched and changed by the Ubuntu principles. It was clear that IPAV and its Ubuntu Leaders Academy is delivering on its mission: embodying "the change you want to see in the world." This genuine spirit of mutual respect and empowerment is a powerful antidote to currentworld’s widespread cynicism and detachment in seek of hope.

The transformative impact of the UbuntuLeaders Academy experience can be profoundly understood through the lens of the Jewish philosopher and author Martin Buber and his philosophyof dialogue, which is close to my heart. Buber, with his central claim that all real living is meeting and his exploration ofthe I-Thou relationship, provides a strong framework for the opennessI encountered. The Ubuntu methodology fostered genuine, mutual encounters, allowing for recognition of the other's whole being and inherent dignity. This profound sense of connection and shared humanity, where I felt leaving as a"friend," is the very essence of Buber's relational philosophy putinto powerful, practical action by the Academy.

Undoubtedly, Ubuntu Leaders Academy is on aroll and its widespread footprint and societal impact keeps rising at rapidrate and speed. Built on mutual determination and trust the family of trainers, facilitators, and staff members of IPAV have experienced fabulous growth and substantial impact in the growing list of countries and people they have touched.

Having met exceptional contributors and rolemodels in social engagement like Monica Rocha e Melo, Jessica Ramírez and several others, alongside their inspirational first servant Rui Nunes da Silva, highlighted the quality of the leadership and determination driving this precious initiative.

From Portugal I have returned with a clear conviction: the Ubuntu Leaders Academy, championed by IPAV, is a critical resource for social cohesion and personal development in Europe and beyond. I am excited about exploring how my experience can best assist IPAV and Ubuntu in their ambitious goals to scale and expand their presence internationally. I am anxiously looking forward to joining an Ubuntu Week in Finland myself early next year to gain a deeper, hands-on understanding of the process. I am also eager to assist IPAV inrealizing their vision, helping to bring this message of human connection and mutual respect to a wider audience.

„I am because you are“, that powerful statement encapsulates the essence of Ubuntu Leaders Academy also for me. The seeds of change planted in Lisbon have taken root, and I am excited to contribute to their growth.

by Christian Klezl | Senior Vice President and Managing Partner at Kyndryl