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Aizere Seitjan, an entrepreneur from Kazakhstan, spent a week in Istanbul working on a project focused on improving maternal healthcare for pregnant women in Indonesia. She and her team sought to create a platform connecting women with essential resources, medical advice, and support networks to ensure healthier pregnancies and better outcomes.

Seitjan was one of more than 90 participants from 47 countries around the world who participated in this year’s Global Village on the Move (GVotM), which culminated with a capstone week in November in Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city.

“Global Village on the Move was an incredible experience that brought together talented young leaders from around the world to collaborate on impactful solutions for real-world challenges,” Seitjan said. “This program not only expanded my perspective on global collaboration but also deepened my commitment to using technology for social good."

This marked the third consecutive year for Global Village on the Move, a seven-week program offered by Lehigh University’s Iacocca Institute. It seeks to help participants grow as global leaders, particularly in sustainable development and service to their communities.

Fostering Innovative Approaches

Participants worked in teams to develop projects intended for real-world application. They also connected over shared challenges in their home countries, developed strategies for collaboration, and engaged in practical, hands-on activities to create tangible impacts in their communities.

“The program emphasized tools, frameworks, and real-world applicability to empower participants to effect change in their home countries,” said Carrie Duncan, Program Director at the Iacocca Institute. “Discussions and collaborations during the program fostered long-term partnerships and innovative approaches among participants.”

Muhammad Didan Fahrezi, a Global Village on the Move participant from Indonesia, is a pharmacy student aspiring to make a meaningful impact on his community. He said the program provided invaluable knowledge and tools to achieve that goal.

“The insights I gained about sustainability and its role in community development are practical and will undoubtedly shape future projects I undertake,” Fahrezi said. “Additionally, the program offered an excellent platform for networking and learning from diverse perspectives. The connections I made and the lessons I learned from others have been enriching and will significantly benefit my professional journey."

Global Village on the Move is fully funded through the U.S. State Department alumni development funding via American Councils for International Education, with Lehigh as a key partner. 

“There’s Only Upside”

American Councils provided follow-on grants, enabling participants to partner on projects post-program. Several participants were already finalizing grant proposals, Duncan said.

More than 400 applicants sought the 90 available spots in this year's highly competitive program. This marked the second year Global Village on the Move was hosted in Istanbul. The capstone week was held in Kyrgyzstan and North Macedonia in the program’s first year.

Bill Whitney, in his first year with the program, served as Academic Director, delivering workshops and framing a design challenge centered on sustainable development, social entrepreneurship, and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“This is such a unique program because there’s only upside to participate in this,” Whitney said. “They don’t necessarily need to impress somebody, they just need to be there, soak it up, and get the most out of the experience. I think most of them came in with that mindset, and that made them receptive to new ideas and new perspectives.”

The participants visited two municipalities in Istanbul, Duncan said. One was Sultanbeyli, a community center supporting Syrian refugees, fostering integration, and providing essential services. The other was Avcılar, an Eco-Education Park promoting environmental awareness and hands-on learning for urban children

A Shared Vision of Positive Change

Selami Gedık, a businessman from Mersin, Turkey, who represented private enterprise, hosted a session highlighting the importance of cross-sector partnerships for achieving goals.

UCLG-MEWA (United Cities and Local Governments – Middle East and West Asia) also contributed through presentations and coordinated field trips, showcasing local government efforts to address social and ecological challenges.

Scott Koerwer, Executive Director of the Iacocca Institute, also discussed the Nut Island effect, an organizational behavior phenomenon in which a team of skilled employees becomes isolated from distracted top managers resulting in a catastrophic loss of the ability of the team to perform an important mission.

"Global Village on the Move was an incredible opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals from diverse backgrounds, all driven by a shared vision of positive change,” said Vadim Iasko, a program participant from Moldova.

“The program helped me build long standing connections that will not only enrich my personal and professional life but also empower me to continue the mission of fostering global collaboration and innovation,” Iasko said. “It reinforced my belief in the power of teamwork and cultural exchange to tackle challenges and create meaningful impact."

All Global Village on the Move participants have previously participated in the U.S. State Department high school exchange programs Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) and Youth Exchange and Study (YES), which are facilitated by American Councils.