For 10 years, I have had the privilege of being around the new generation of lawyers. They are civil servants, working in a wide variety of institutions, from local town halls to the central authorities of the Romanian state and even the European institutions in Brussels. Some of them are even diplomats, others are legal advisers, either in the state or privately. Police officers (traffic, public order, judicial, anti-fraud) and prison officers-educators. Notaries, litigation and advisory lawyers, investigative and supervisory prosecutors, civil, criminal and administrative judges.
In the Leaders for Justice programme, my role is to facilitate a learning process for them. Together with other trainers and guests, sometimes alongside graduates from previous years, we deconstruct preconceptions about how justice works (why this way and not the other way?) and reconstruct the vision of how it could work better, in the interest of the citizen. It's a difficult process that comes with bumps, because it takes us all out of our comfort zone, but it's bloody beautiful! And it enriches me enormously, year after year, because each generation has different needs, different concerns, so they learn in a different way.
This process, whereby we unlearn and then relearn together, keeps me hooked. It gives me confidence in the future, it helps me overcome my fears. And their successes fill my heart with joy! That's exactly how I felt last night at the premiere of the documentary "People of Justice." The idea came to them in October at the Costești Forum, together with colleagues from Moldova. By December, they already knew why, how and what they wanted to do. In January, they were already filming. In March, they already had a communication plan. They worked hard, mobilised their friends, dedicated their time, energy and resources to achieve a concrete goal: To show the world that justice is done by the people, for the people. That Justice breathes values, lives emotions, has doubts and desires.
The film includes interviews with 13 of them. But I personally knew about 200 from Romania and another 50 from Moldova. (Perhaps the LEAD graduates will make a film like this too, when the time comes.) Beyond those I have met in these 10 years, there are many other "people of justice" acting in good faith in civil society, in business, in administration, in diplomacy, even in politics. People with similar values, with converging aspirations, able to understand and accept that there are complementary solutions to any problem. People who value respect, dignity, freedom, integrity, merit, competition... People who can't accept the huddle behind a single solution.
From now on, because they put their heads out into the world, because they put their souls on a platter, because they exposed themselves, they have just assumed the greatest of responsibilities: to remain role models, examples to follow. To put forward their ideas, their visions (alternative, consecutive, complementary or convergent) for the success of all of us, of all citizens, together. I am confident that they know how to do this without bias, but with pathos; without bias, but with aplomb. I will support them with everything I can, because I have a personal and direct interest in their success, in bringing us success or, rather, in leading us to success - so that I can live in peace in retirement when my time comes.
