Boróka, originally from Transylvania, Romania, is a biologist and teacher, and the President of the Biomimicry Innovation and Education Association (Biomimicry Hungary). She has a strong background in community leadership and education. Her work focuses on fostering innovation and sustainability. Currently, she is on a world trip, exploring new perspectives and experiences. She sent this report from New Zealand.
There is a pink folder at the bottom of my closet – carefully stored. On the folder it says: Leadership 2014, Marosvásárhely. This was my first leadership training, at the age of just 16. The training had been organized by Nagy Gizella from UNOSZ, the Unitarian Women’s Organization in Romania, and ICUUW. Tina Huesing, current president of ICUUW, was one of the presenters. I remember the faces, the laughter, the confident voices – each of their stories shaped me in some way. Perhaps this was when I first began to truly understand the unique flow of women’s thinking and actions, and how it differs from the way men approach the world.
Different women, different stories – and I experienced all of this as a teenage girl. As a high school student, the power of community had a particularly strong impact on me. From what I recall, at the first leadership training, I was the only teenage girl present, among experienced women and remarkable speakers. It was inspiring to see how confidently and powerfully they could present, lead, and influence a community. Perhaps this was the first time I noticed that people’s knowledge intersects in different areas, and that these intersections come in varying dimensions. I found knowledge attractive – I wanted to learn, and I set it as my goal to share what I learned with others.
The impact of the leadership training showed itself in my life quite quickly. A few weeks later, I conducted my first mini research project in psychology – though it was not very scientific and I soon shifted my focus to biology, my interest in psychology remained. During my university years, while preparing for psychopedagogy classes (at the intersection of psychology and education), I often took out the pink folder and used the notes I had collected there. Later, as a teacher in Budapest, I frequently drew on this knowledge in my teaching.
I have always loved volunteering, being among people, and learning about their life stories. The ICUUW community was particularly appealing to me because it addresses social issues and challenges. At the time, I was a member of several community boards, so the leadership training was especially useful, both professionally and practically.
As a young girl from Transylvania, the training gave me so much: I met women activists from different countries and continents, which strengthened my desire to travel and to discover as many cultures, ways of thinking, and problem-solving approaches as possible.
ICUUW provides an opportunity for women from around the world to connect, and to develop international collaborations through personal projects. Through this network and via Gizi, I had the chance to connect with Renee in Australia,who has generously provided advice to me.
For me, ICUUW is an exemplary organization: it values education, healthcare, international collaboration, and networking. As a biologist and ecologist, it is particularly inspiring, as organizations like this contribute to sustainability, population growth management, healthcare, hunger reduction, education, and gender equality. I also draw on the knowledge I gained during these training sessions in my role as President of the Biomimicry Innovation and Education Association (Biomimicry Hungary).
Although I now approach life more from a scientific rather than a spiritual perspective, I believe that the experiences and skills I gained during the leadership training remain fundamental to me – in decision-making, community work, and building international relationships. Overall, the leadership training not only provided knowledge and practical experience but also shaped and strengthened me, and reinforced my belief that women are capable of leading, inspiring, and making a meaningful impact as members of their communities.