Salzburg Global Seminar (SGS) and World Urban Parks (WUP) partnership is creating an Emerging Urban Leaders (EUL) Cohort Program to provide thought leadership in safe spaces for emerging urban leaders to collectively advance critical urban parks work. Applications are accepted now through January 29, 2021.

Who is an Emerging Leader? We are taking a broad approach to who is an Emerging Leader. Its not based on age or CV! Here are some ways to think about an emerging leader.

• One who is new to urban parks work
• One who has an idea or concept but not a platform to build it out
• One who is changing careers

The Emerging Leaders Cohort Program is designed to incorporate the following elements in the program:

• Create and build connections with emerging leaders
• Provide opportunities for cohort members to serve as co-incubators of innovative work accelerating the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) through urban parks work
• Peer to peer networking
• Professional readings and discussions
• Bridge between research and practice
• Connect with private sector innovations
• Provide cohort members with professional mentors from around the world
• Connect cohort members with urban park leaders from around the world
• Engage cohort members with World Urban Parks and develop leadership opportunities where interest aligns within World Urban Parks 
• Have cohort members co-create programs, articles, webpages, social media for upcoming World Urban Parks Congress, Salzburg Global Seminar, and other relevant convenings
• Provide public speaking, article writing, and/or social media opportunities for cohort members

Cohort Program time frame, participant make up, and program start:

• Program will run for 12 months, with plans to create an annual new 12-month cohort each year
• Annual program will have approximately 20 participants
• Participation in the cohort will be by expressed interest and application only  
• Goal is to have cohort representation with gender balance and equitable distribution based on World Urban Park regions of the world – Africa, Asia/Pacific, Central/South America, Eastern Europe, North America, Western Europe
• Initial Cohort Program will start March 2021
• Application criteria for first cohort will be available December 14, 2021 with applications accepted through January 29, 2021  
• Given the impact of COVID-19, it is expected the initial 12-month cohort will be a virtual program
• If the program is able to have in-person experiences during the initial 12-month program, there may be the opportunities for scholarships for cohort participants   

Find out more here.