Insights and inspiration for project professionals

Today, on UN's International Volunteer Day, we celebrate you. Our entire chapter is built by volunteers, and this day is a heartfelt thank you for every hour you give, every task you complete, and every idea you bring forward.

Your dedication, passion, and commitment are the heartbeat of our chapter. Because of you, we grow, innovate, and create meaningful learning and networking opportunities for project professionals across Belgium. Your contributions elevate not only our chapter, but the entire profession of project management.

A Year Powered by You

Looking back at the past months, there were countless moments when your energy brought our community to life.

The year began with our New Year’s Reception in Mechelen, a moment to reconnect, share ambitions, and launch the board’s renewed vision. It also marked the start of the Women in Project Management (WiPM) community, whose first major milestone took place on International Women’s Day.

And then came LadiesTalk. What began with eight women gathering online quickly grew across borders, welcoming voices from Portugal, France, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, and Turkey. Sometimes we were two, sometimes eight, but always connected. These simple, agenda-free weekly sessions have become moments of reflection, support, and sisterhood. When a leader was needed to carry this growing movement forward, Shirley stepped into the role with pride and purpose.

Learning, Exploring, and Dreaming Together

A drone incident over Zaventem unexpectedly reminded many of us of our Start2Drone Event at DronePort, a day when Roeland opened the door to the fascinating world of flight rules, challenges, and innovation in aviation.

Our Members Day at Labiomista carried that spirit of exploration further. Despite the rain, friendships were formed, and inspiration took shape. The CosmoGolem sculpture invited us to write down our dreams, dreams still symbolically guarded today by the little dragon watching over them. In the calm of this nature reserve, we reconnected project management with nature, taking a meaningful pause in our shared journey.

Co-Creation That Transformed Us

Our collaboration with the IIBA Chapter and Randstad Digital brought two impactful events to life. Guided by the expertise of Didier Timperman, we explored the story of Happy Town and listened to a product owner’s perspective that opened new ways of thinking. These sessions sparked deep reflection within both communities.

A defining moment this year was the PMI BeNeLux Summit, a bold fusion of three chapters united by one vision. Moving from a national event to a joint international conference required courage, strategy, and trust. How do we stand out among the many AI-focused events? How do we engage both members and non-members?

The answer was simple: our volunteers.

Your enthusiasm transformed the summit into far more than an event. It became a milestone, filled with laughter, debates, and vibrant cultural diversity that lifted the entire experience.

The Power of Community

We concluded the year with the R&D PPM Cross-Sharing and Development Day at UCB, delivered by the Community of Life Sciences. Born last year at GSK, this community has grown through monthly co-creation and now extends far beyond a single annual event. Whitepapers, webinars, and roundtables are already on the horizon.

To sustain this momentum, a leadership duo emerged: Benoit Schmitt and Kamil Mroz. Their complementary strengths will guide the CoP Life Sciences forward, continuing to expand its reach and proudly sharing the CoP pin with all who join.

One highlight for me was seeing our board member Paolo Alagna lead a parallel session on rethinking project success in pharma, drawing on PMI’s M.O.R.E. principles. Watching him confidently take the stage reminded me how leadership within our board is shared, collaborative, and deeply committed to our members. And when he emphasized that PMI is M.O.R.E. than just certifications, the message resonated strongly with everyone present.

Our True SUPERPOWER: You

The strength of our chapter does not come from titles, structures, or events. It comes from you, our volunteers.

Your dedication turns ideas into action.
Your generosity creates spaces where knowledge can grow.
Your teamwork makes us resilient, innovative, and bold.

Because of you, we are not just a community. We are a SUPERPOWER community. A community that moves faster because we share. A community that stands stronger because we support one another. A community that reaches further because we believe in what we can create together.

Thank you for your time, your energy, your creativity, and your heart.
Thank you for showing what becomes possible when people unite around purpose.
Thank you for making this year unforgettable.

Together, we are unstoppable.
Together, we are a SUPERPOWER.

 

With smiling greetings,

 

Anja Vandenbergh, PMP
President, PMI Belgium Chapter
president@pmi-belgium.be