Nom des conférencières :
Namatai Kwekweza, Fondatrice et directrice régionale de WELEAD Africa
Clémence Godineau, Case Manager, International Criminal Court
Léa Moukanas, Présidente d’Aïda et écrivaine
Athénaïs Oslati, Co-founder & CEO, Ontbo

At the last Aspen Women Luncheon hosted by Anne-Gabrielle Heilbronner, four extraordinary young women from the worlds of AI, international justice, feminist activism and advocacy for young people with illness, came together for a powerful discussion on leadership and collective action.

⚖️ Clémence Godineau, lawyer and case manager at the International Criminal Court, working with victims of war crimes and crimes against humanity;

🌍 Namatai K., Pan-African feminist, human rights activist and founder of WELEAD Africa, a youth leadership organization operating in Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa;

🎗️ Léa Moukanas, author and founder of Association Aïda, an organization supporting teenagers and young adults with cancer, and co-founder of Collège citoyen de France;

🤖 Athénaïs Oslati, AI engineer and founder of ONTBO AI, a deep-tech company developing AI agents with long-term memory and contextual reasoning capabilities.

These four women are championing different causes and come from different backgrounds. Yet, they share a unique trait: their respective passions and personal commitments grew into a force that extended beyond their individual paths and contributed to positive change within society.

Three key reflections stood out:

💡 Commitment often arises from personal experience
Exposure to injustice, conflict or vulnerability at a young age shaped the speakers’ trajectories and sense of responsibility toward others. Their journeys showed that commitment is not an innate talent, but a conscious choice, often difficult and constantly renewed. Because commitment requires endurance, motivation can sometimes fade. Finding inspiration in family and community is therefore essential to sustaining commitment.

🤝 Support systems are crucial for young women
The discussion highlighted the many barriers young women face. Financial resources, mentorship, paid opportunities and support within universities empower young people to lead and engage in civic life. Solidarity networks and mental health also emerged as key for sustaining confidence and well-being. Moreover, representation matters: seeing women in leadership positions generates ambition and legitimacy.

🌱 Collective action is necessary to build a more just future
In a world marked by democratic backsliding, climate anxiety and conflict, young generations are rethinking leadership through new lenses including feminism, justice and representation. One message resonated: meaningful change cannot happen individually. Young people must continue to mobilize in order to shape a freer and more equal future.

🙏 Many thanks to Christine Ockrent for leading this discussion and to McCourt Global for its support.

📅 The next Aspen Women Luncheon will be held on 10th June 2026 on the theme: “How does high-level sport inspire collective action?”