Last night, more than a hundred people gathered in Brussels to celebrate the launch of Ucoopia, the interuniversity NGO formed by the merger of Eclosio (an NGO affiliated with ULiège) and ULB-Coopération (an NGO affiliated with ULB), joined by UMONS.
The event brought together numerous academics from the three universities, alongside funding institutions, civil society representatives, and the NGO’s teams and partners.
Among the many prominent figures in attendance were Elisabeth Degryse, Minister-President of the Government of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation; His Excellency Mr. Bonkoungou Léopold T. N., Ambassador of Burkina Faso; and Mr. El Hadj Lamine Diagne, First Counselor at the Embassy of Senegal.
The evening began with a launch conference, introduced by Julie Simon, Executive Director ofUcoopia. In her remarks, she discussed the project’s origins, its ambitions, and the values that guide the NGO’s daily work.
“With Ucoopia, we want to start a movement, share knowledge, and bring together the perspectives of our three universities, all field actors, and our teams to move forward.”Julie Simon
Joined by Philippe Dubois, Rector of UMONS, and Anne Weyembergh, Vice-Rector for External Relations and Cooperation at ULB, Anne-Sophie Nyssen, Rector of ULiège, emphasized the importance of choosing unity in the face of current challenges.
“Ucoopia is the deep conviction that sustainable solutions cannot be simple or isolated. They must be built through dialogue among all disciplines, institutions, and regions. The cooperation we advocate is attentive, reciprocal, and collaborative. Ucoopia thus opens a new chapter of unity, innovation, and commitment today. ”Anne-Sophie Nyssen
The conference featured numerous video testimonials from people supported in the various countries where Ucoopia operates, as well as an inspiring presentation by El Hadj Ousmane Niang, Ucoopia’s Head of Development and Communication in Senegal, who shared concrete examples of the NGO’s impact on the ground.
A highlight of the evening: the announcement of Ucoopia’s patron, Blandine Sankara, a leading figure in agroecology and founder of the Yelemani association, as well as the organization’s sponsor, Olivier Hamant, a biologist, author, and speaker known for his approach that prioritizes resilience over performance. Their commitment and respective backgrounds pave the way for promising opportunities for collaboration.
The evening then continued in a friendly atmosphere over cocktails, offering participants a special opportunity to chat, share their impressions, and forge new connections.
This launch in Belgium marks a new milestone in the expansion of our NGO and reinforces our commitment to building, alongside our universities and partners, a more sustainable, inclusive, and united future.
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