We have a great Christmas present and new year offering for you.
But you need to act quickly to have a chance to take it!

We want to help 18-30 year olds with aniridia kickstart your careers, advance your studies or gain more independence and enjoyment in life.

We’ll do this by paying to send a lucky few to meet others like you to an event in Stockholm in 2024. The first ever European Aniridia Leadership Academy will empower and equip you with the skills and knowledge to unlock your potential.

Over 3 days you’ll benefit from discussions and activities run by leading lights in the aniridia community. They will share their experiences and expertise to help you follow in their footsteps and go beyond. They come from a wide range of professions plus 3 paralympic athletes who have aniridia

• Ben Goodrich: judo from USA
• Veronica Tartaglia: fencing from Italy
• Gianmaria Dal Maistro: skiing from Italy    

Katie and James who have aniridia and who sit on the Aniridia Network trustee board will also be presenting sessions and be available during the event. So there will be some friendly British people there as well as all the continental Europeans.

Plus you’ll connect with other young people from across Europe, who face similar challenges relating to aniridia, to gain practical tools for your daily life and future endeavours.

Afterwards there will be opportunities to get direct mentoring to push your personal and professional development further. You will also get an attendance certificate to show your commitment and knowledge gained.

We would also like to see you volunteering for Aniridia Network or Aniridia Europe in future.

This academy will run alongside the 7th European Aniridia Conference. It is a scientific event for the best doctors and researchers working on aniridia. You’ll have the chance to meet them too. Both events will be in English but there will be people from dozens of countries there. Read about our past experiences at the European Aniridia Conferences.

Plus you can explore the vibrant city of Stockholm, Sweden. Perhaps you could extend your stay to visit the sights and soak in the culture more.

Becoming a leader is both rewarding and exhilarating, but it also entails dedication and hard work. The European Aniridia Leadership Academy (EALA) will put you on the path to success by expanding your horizons, growing you as an individual and showing you how to make the most of your opportunities….

…. Like this one to come to learn about both aniridia and leadership! Your first challenge is to make a successful application to take part in the European Aniridia Leadership Academy.

Costs

Aniridia Network will cover reasonable expense for taking part in the academy including for: travel, accommodation, food and the academy ticket. You may need to pay for some of these yourself at first and then request reimbursement afterwards.

Eligibility

You must

• have aniridia
• be a member of Aniridia Network
• be a UK resident  
• be between 18 and 30 years old on 31 May 2024.
• be able to travel to Stockholm for the event on 31 May to 2 June 2024 (this covers your availability, assistance, health, passport for example).
• commit to documenting your academy experience for publication online by Aniridia Network or Aniridia Europe and perhaps elsewhere.

Apply

For a chance to grasp this great opportunity email your name and contact details to info@aniridia.org.uk. Include a statement no longer than 500 words setting out how taking part in the EALA would help you to:

• develop an aspect of your life
• help other people through actions, setting an example or taking the lead in something.
• contribute to the success of Aniridia Network and/or Aniridia Europe

The deadline is 11.59pm on 3 January 2024.

The trustees of Aniridia Network will decide whose application to support.

The final decision on who can go to the EALA will be made by representatives of Aniridia Europe later in January.

There are likely to only be 1 or 2 successful applicants from the UK. It is not common to have aniridia so we are looking for ‘rare talent’!

More information

If you have questions about the European Aniridia Leadership Academy email conference2024@aniridi.se

If you have questions about the application to Aniridia Network email info@aniridia.org.uk