Highlights 2014

As we are coming to the end of 2014 let’s enjoy watching these two videos highlighting the two main gatherings that took place in Fuzine, Croatia in July and August 2014, Economic Diplomacy and Integrity Forum (EDI) and Renewing Our Minds 2014 Leadership and Reconciliation Gathering.

Thank You for Your Partnership

Dear Friends,

We are looking back at the year 2014 with a sense of great satisfaction and gratitude. Your prayers and support is making a big difference in the quality and growth of our ministry. In 2014 we were able to go forward with four major leadership and reconciliation programs: Renewing Our Minds Gathering (ROM) and Economic Diplomacy and Integrity Forum (EDI) in Fuzine, Croatia; ForumRegathering on Fruska Gora near Novi Sad, Serbia; and EDI Transylvania in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

Although our work is sixteen years old, since the time of our reorganization into a new organization, Forum for Leadership and Reconciliation at the end of 2011, we have witnessed a notable progress in the growth of our donor base. This is why we were confident to add every year a new content to our programs, especially aiming towards strengthening the follow-up and mentoring areas of our work in Southeast Europe.

In 2015 we are moving forward with the following projects and programs, with an added emphasis on the missional character of our work: Renewing Our Minds Gathering 2015 (ROM), leadership and reconciliation conference in Fuzine, Croatia; Economic Diplomacy and Integrity Forum 2015 (EDI), leadership conference for business professionals in Fuzine, Croatia; Middle East leadership and reconciliation seminar; Economic Diplomacy and Integrity seminars in Albania and Romania; Completing the process of establishing seven to eight regional representatives in the Balkans; Returning of Tihomir Kukolja and his family to Southeast Europe with a four-year commitment of service.

People like you, filled with a profound understanding of the need for the transforming work of Forum in the lives of the hundreds of young leaders internationally, are making our ministry possible. Thank you for partnering with us in the important ministry of reconciliation and development of leaders transformed by the person of Jesus. In the world that is becoming increasingly fragile our work is becoming increasingly important and needed.

We continue to need your support. Give us an opportunity to start the year 2015 well. Please consider giving at this time of Christmas. Your gifts and prayers are making a difference around the world. You may donate electronically by clicking on “Donate Now”.

May the Lord Jesus fill your hearts with joy at this Christmas Season.

Tihomir Kukolja, Executive Director, Forum for Leadership and Reconciliation
Martha S. Weiss, Chairwoman, Forum for Leadership and Reconciliation

Ambassadors for a Better World

Onehundred ROM and EDI alumni, together with their family members, from ten countries, celebrated together 16 years of the Renewing Our Minds (ROM) initiative and 8 years of Economic Diplomacy and Integrity Forum (EDI), formerly known as Economic and Diplomacy Seminar, at the 2014 Forum Regathering held on Fruška Gora near Novi Sad, Serbia, 10^th – 13^th October, 2014.

The 2014 Regathering was a time of learning, reflection and celebration of the history of ROM and EDI since 1999. In a special program reflecting on their history Stevo Dereta, the president of Life Center International in Croatia, ROM visionary and its cofounder, spoke about the early beginnings of ROM in the post-war years prior to 1999. Mihaita Lupu from Romania shared his experience of attending the ROM Gathering in 2001. Justin Kagin form USA and Milan Pavlovic from Serbia, cofounders of EDS, now EDI, talked about how ROM inspired the birth of Economic Diplomacy and Integrity Forum in 2006. Mihaela Kovacs from Romania, founder of EDI Transylvania, spoke about how two years ago the vision of EDI in Croatia inspired the birth of EDI Transylvania in Romania. Martha S. Weiss, the chairwoman of Forum for Leadership and Reconciliation (Forum) spoke about the origins and work of Forum, the organization that oversees and supports the activities of both, ROM and EDI since 2011. Maria van Oost, ECPM representative from The Netherlands welcomed the partnership between European Christian Political Movement (ECPM) and Forum for Leadership and Reconciliation (Forum).

Tihomir Kukolja, who has been serving the ROM initiative since the end of 2001 as its director, reflected on the early days of ROM when Vesna Tift and Drazen Glavas, its first directors, set the basic framework and strategy for ROM. He stated that reconciliation, peacemaking, leadership of service and integrity remain to be the key ingredients of ROM. “But it is the centrality of Jesus that has made ROM uniquely successful and genuinely transformative in the lives of its participants in all the years since 1999”, said Kukolja. He said also that ROM is changing too, not in its vision and spiritual focus but in its scope of services, in tune with the changing times and their challenges. He said, “We need to bare in mind that today we are beginning to receive among the ROM participants the children of those who attended ROM gatherings 15 or 16 years ago.”

The overarching theme of the Regathering was “Ambassadors for a Better World”.  Speakers and topics were well selected. They covered ethical leadership, ethics of reconciliation, integrity in economy, struggle against modern-day forms of slavery, and centrality of faith in Jesus in all spheres of leadership. Among the main speakers were Samuil Petrovski and Aleksandar Santrac from Serbia; Allen Belton, Justin Kagin and Jeremiah Collins from USA; Zefjan Nikolla from Albania; Jack Fallow and John Field from UK. The Regathering highlight was the presentation of Marko Stupar and Dobrila Pejin from Serbia, two outstanding activists involved in spreading the awareness about the evils of human trafficking in Serbia and the region.

In addition to the main annual events Renewing Our Minds Gathering (ROM) and Economic Diplomacy and integrity Forum (EDI), both held in Croatia for two weeks every summer; and recently developed project EDI Transylvania in Romania, and a new Middle East reconciliation project, every second year Forum organizes regatherings such as this one with the intention to bring together alumni that have attended its programs at different times since 1999. Some of the previous regatherings took place in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Serbia and USA. The purpose of the entire spectrum of Forum activities, including regatherings, is recognized in its vision and mission statement: “Developing leaders transformed by the person of Jesus in a divided world.”

The 2014 Regathering was organized by Forum for Leadership and Reconciliation from Seattle, USA, in partnership with EUS – Association of Evangelical Students from Serbia, ECPM – European Christian Political Movement from The Netherlands, and LCI – Life Center International from Croatia.

As We Move into the Summer 2014

Ahead of us are two leading Forum programs in Fuzine, Croatia, EDI – Economic Diplomacy and Integrity Forum, 13^th – 27^th July, and ROM – Renewing our Minds Leadership and Reconciliation Gathering, 2^nd – 17^th August, 2014. Let’s be refreshed with the vision and objectives of Forum, ROM and EDI.

Forum for Leadership and Reconciliation is about advancing the Kingdom of God through development of leaders with noble, reconciled and serving characters, in tune with the teachings of and example of the person of Jesus. Forum’s mission is pursued through intentional, holistic, transformative and relational education, training, mentorship and coaching, as well as through development of serving and caring communities, and networking through strategic partnerships. Our vision is about developing leaders transformed by the person of Jesus in a divided world, and our two main initiatives are ROM – Renewing Our Minds and EDI – Economic Diplomacy and Integrity Forum.

Renewing Our Minds (ROM), an international reconciliation and leadership development initiative, with its roots in Southeast Europe (Balkans), has become a worldwide mission. ROM advocates forgiveness, reconciliation, peacemaking, loving one’s neighbor as oneself, integrity and leadership of service. It teaches young leaders how to embrace others and develop lasting friendships despite their religious, national and ethnic differences.  ROM is a mission that challenges paradigms and assumptions, refines the character of young leaders according to the teachings and example of the person of Jesus. For hundreds of young participants from 50 countries ROM has been life defining and life changing. Many alumni have emerged as leaders of influence, and are today making a difference in the political, social, humanitarian and religious arenas of their countries. A vision of ROM is about building communities through transformative leadership.

Economic Diplomacy and Integrity Forum (EDI) is built upon the leadership and peace-building principles of ROM to support the development of young professionals and students in the areas of economics, business and politics. EDI Forum believes that the best way to fight against corruption, greed and unhealthy rivalry between and within nations is to establish an economic and political community informed by the principles and character of Jesus.

Visit this place often during the summer months of 2014 for fresh updates about the progress of EDI in July and ROM in August. More to follow beyond the 2014 summer months.

Renewing Our Minds Highlights: Croatian TV Features ROM Gathering 2013

Renewing Our Minds Highlights: Croatian TV Features ROM Gathering 2013: On July 20 th and 21 st , 2013 Croatian TV (HRT) featured Renewing Our Minds Gathering 2013 in its weekly program “Spiritual Challenges...

Forum Video Update March 2014

ROM – Renewing Our Minds initiative is going strong after 15 years of its service to the young leaders of the Balkan region and the world. So are its sister initiative EDI – Economic Diplomacy and Integrity Forum, and our governing organization Forum for Leadership and Reconciliation. Together, for the year 2014 we have planned seven key projects that focus on reconciliation, peace building, and leadership development and mentoring – all of them firmly grounded in the teachings and example of the person of Jesus. Watch this video update to learn more.

Serving and Loving Children With Special Needs

Brett McMichael, a psychologist from New Jersey, USA and a member of the Executive Team of Forum for Leadership and Reconciliation, reflects on his life of service to children with special needs and young adults in Honduras, Romania and Croatia. Brett lived and served in Croatia for more than ten years, establishing camps for children fighting various kinds of illnesses, such as cancer, down syndrome, diabetes. Since 2004 Brett has also served as the core member of the leadership development and reconciliation initiative ROM – Renewing Our Minds that serves the entire Balkan region. Brett continues to serve with passion and compassion children with special needs and young adults despite having to face himself some health challenges in recent years. Brett shared his story at the end of ROM Gathering 2013 in Fuzine, Croatia. Time 9:23.

Transformational Leadership Seminar in Romania

Photo: Participants attending EDI Transylvania Seminar in Sigishoara, Romania



Economic Diplomacy and Integrity Forum (EDI) is expanding its work and influence under the leadership of Justin Kagin, EDI Director. Mihaela Kovacs, the Forum for Leadership and Reconciliation Representative for Romania is also the Project Director of a new EDI project, EDI Seminar Transylvania that took place last weekend (October 11-13, 2013) in Sigishoara, Romania. EDI Seminar in Romania focused on the themes of transformational leadership in business and politics rooted in the person of Jesus. In this interview Mihaela Kovacs highlights the reasons that made this first EDI seminar in Romania into a very successful project and a blessing to more than 60 participants attending the event. Time: 8.45 min.

ROM, A Life Changing Initiative

Renewing Our Minds (ROM) Gathering 2013 was the fourteenth annual ROM Gathering held in the picturesque township of Fuzine, Croatia. Since the first gathering in the summer of 1999, ROM has remained consistent with its vision -“Developing leaders transformed by the person of Jesus in a divided world”.

A two-week long ROM Gathering 2013, 13^th – 28^th July, attended close to 60 young leaders from 15 countries. They came from Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, Israel, Northern Ireland, as well as Australia, New Zealand and the US.

The 2013 ROM program, designed to be intentional, relational and transformational, majored on friendship development between young leaders of different faiths and ethnicities. Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants, Muslims, and agnostics were present. The program focused on leadership of service and on leading young leaders to their own personal transformation in regard to forgiveness, reconciliation and peace building.

ROM Gathering 2013 was uniquely impacting and transformative in the lives of all attending. The intensity of mutually encouraging communication that has flourished between all participants since the end of ROM Gathering 2013 two months ago, as well as the contents of journals and surveys, witness to the depth of the impact.

“Initially when others told me that ROM is a life changing experience, I did not believe them. But now I can say that ROM 2013 has been a life changing experience for me”, said a participant from Romania attending a ROM gathering for the first time. “I am excited to be in relationship with world changers who long to participate in creating a world that transcends history of brokenness, fatalism and despair”, wrote a ROM 2013 participant from New Zealand.

A participant from Albania said: “This is what inspires me! In our own society to create the same society of genuine, loving friends that we had there in Fuzine, by loving each other with the great love of God!” And a 2013 team member from Macedonia reflected on her first ROM experience four years earlier: “I felt the infinite and unconditional love of God, given to me through the organizers and speakers at ROM 2009. I decided then to follow Jesus, and this was the beginning of my spiritual journey that truly changed my life and healed my past.”

One of the successes of ROM Gathering 2013 is seen in the number and quality of presentations delivered by young speakers emerging from within the ROM community itself.

While ROM Gathering 2013 enjoyed the contribution of a number of academically proficient professionals in the fields of peace building and leadership development from the world and the region, the strength of this gathering was the quality and variety of themes covered by speakers who were ROM participants only a few years ago; most of them from the Balkans.

Their presentations included themes such as human trafficking in the Balkans, serving the least in our communities such as the poor and children with special needs, and fighting the evils of ethnic and minority discrimination. Moreover, the prevailing themes at ROM Gathering 2013 were – leadership with personal and corporate integrity, forgiveness and reconciliation, and following Jesus of Nazareth as the best example in leadership and peace building.

Another success of ROM Gathering 2013 was the official launching of the first five Forum (ROM and EDI) Southeast European Representatives; the project had been in formation for a few years but came to fruition in 2013. Their role will be to coordinate the follow-up of ROM and EDI activities, as well as to assist the vocational and spiritual growth of ROM and EDI alumni across the Balkan region. Another four Representatives will be added in the summer of 2014 to complete the process of adequately covering the needs of ROM and EDI communities across the entire Balkan region.

In summary, every element built into a two-week long 2013 ROM program played a deliberate role in helping the process of education and transformation of all attending. Some of them were the Empathy Night, sharing evenings, lectures, workshops, various group activities, Café Dialogue, Trinity Forum, and purpose driven film nights and excursions.

In the heart of the 2013 ROM Gathering, however, were well-structured small groups. We had five small groups that met every day for two hours. It is within the privacy of a small group that the change of heart and transformation takes place in the lives of ROM participants.

In the past years ROM was governed by its founding organization, Life Center International (LCI) from Rijeka, Croatia. Since the end of 2011 ROM, as well as Economic Diplomacy and Integrity Forum, are governed from Seattle WA, USA by a new organization, Forum for Leadership and Reconciliation (Forum), while LCI remains to be the key regional partner in the ministry of ROM and EDI in the Balkans.

ROM initiative in the Balkans and beyond is unique in that it brings Jesus and genuine demonstration of His love into the heart of its reconciliation, peace building and leadership development curriculum. Therein is the secret of the high transformational impact of ROM demonstrated in the lives of hundreds of young leaders who have encountered ROM .

Tihomir Kukolja, Renewing Our Minds, Director

Croatian National Television (HRT) Features ROM Gathering 2013

On July 20 and 21, 2013 HRT – Croatian Television featured ROM Gathering 2013. Watch the video. Produced by Duhovni Horizonti – Spiritual Challenges. Producer and Presenter: Petra Pajdakovic Sebek. Used with permission.

SC:  “Who or what influences your mind?“ is a guiding question of the 15th international ROM Gathering, which started one week ago in Fužine. Young people from all over the world will spend two weeks reflecting on their roll in a divided society. ROM project, which stands for Renewing Our Minds, started in 1999, with the idea of reconciliation of the youth in the region and development of the future leaders.

Tihomir Kukolja: The goal of ROM is to bring together young people already recognized as potential leaders in the society; young leaders in the political arena of tomorrow, or the leaders involved in social and humanitarian services, working with minorities or tackling the issues of division in society; for instance, class differences between the rich and the poor.

SC: Bonding, building friendships and reconciliation are the foundations of the project. Recently more current topics were added, like human trafficking and attitudes towards ethnic minorities. This is the reason why two years ago a partnership was formed with Forum for Leadership and Reconciliation from the USA.

Martha S. Weiss (USA): In some ways there is less peace and reconciliation today in the world than during the war years in the region. This is why it is important that we continue focusing on reconciliation.

SC: Some come to Fužine several times, first as participants, and then as assistants in the project realization. One of them is Mihaela from Romania, a Roma who was encouraged to help her own people through her experience of ROM:

Mihaela Kovacs (Romania): I had a problem accepting my Roma heritage. I did not communicate with my people due to the discrimination and negative image of Roma. ROM helped me to reconcile with my identity. Today I am working with Roma people, and am building relationships between Roma and Romanian people.

Margareta Mihalic (Croatia): I applied as a member of the ROM team because I really believe in the vision of ROM, which is reconciliation between the Balkan nations. We work with the young people who are recognized as prospective and emerging leaders, because they are the agents of change in their countries.

SC: Today, many of the former ROM participants are active in political parties, NGO`s, and church communities. Friendship with people from different cultures helped them to change themselves and their worldview. That is also a hope of Thomas and Iryna, who are here for the first time.

Iryna Rak (Ukraine): I would like to change a difficult political situation in Ukraine. I work as an assistant of the member of the Ukrainian Parliament and I would like to contribute to our society. I would like to experience a change myself while here and bring that change into my own county.

Thomas Kibble (Australia): I`m expecting to learn a lot about Balkans and the history of the region, but also how to lead and inspire people and how to connect with people of different cultures and beliefs.  In Australia, we don’t have that opportunity because we are all simply Australians.

SC: ROM was created as an original Croatian project. Over the years it gained international significance. Today the speakers at ROM are university professors, economic experts, theologians and peace activists from all over the world. Even though the idea of ROM is rooted in Christianity, people of different religious backgrounds, as well as atheists and agnostics, are invited.

Tihomir Kukolja: Our platform is defined very clearly by the person of Jesus Christ. We are not a church organization. However, we believe that there is a certain power and inspiration in the fact that our spiritual and philosophical foundation is the person of Jesus Christ.

SC: For another whole week Fužine will be the center of intensive conversations, laughter and friendship between the young people gathered here. The organizers are hoping that at the end they will return to their countries energized, and with the hope in changing the world.

Broadcast by HRT (Croatian Radio Television). Produced and presented by Petra Pajdakovic Sebek. 
Translation: Margareta Mihalic.