The “Leadership for Equity” program, developed in conjunction with the Pontifical Antonianum University of Rome, begins its online phase this Saturday and will culminate in October with an intensive week of training and meetings in Rome.
New York, September 4, 2026 – This Saturday, September 5, marks the start of the 11th International Diploma Program of the International Academy of Catholic Leaders, one of the institution’s leading international training initiatives. This year’s program will bring together 86 participants from 16 countries under the theme “Leadership for Equity.” www.liderescatolicos.net/Roma2026/
The Diploma is developed by the International Academy of Catholic Leaders together with the Pontifical University Antonianum of Rome and includes a training proposal in two complementary phases: a first online stage during September and a second face-to-face stage that will take place in Rome from October 5 to 9, 2026.
The virtual phase will take place over four Saturdays in September, with synchronous classes, lectures, roundtables, and synodal sessions organized by country. Following this, participants will meet in Rome for an intensive academic, spiritual, and international exchange program, culminating in graduation at the Pontifical University Antonianum. The complete program comprises approximately 36 hours of training.
The proposal is based on the principles of the Social Doctrine of the Church —human dignity, common good, solidarity and subsidiarity—, but seeks to apply them to the great challenges faced today by those who exercise responsibilities in politics, business, education, the Church, communication and civil society.
For this reason, the program incorporates particularly current issues for the training of a leader: artificial intelligence and new technologies, economic transformations, democracy and public service, communication and disinformation, female leadership and the care economy, vulnerability and inequality, human development, multilateralism, integral ecology, the dignity of the person and the construction of the common good.
“Today, forming a Catholic leader doesn’t just mean transmitting knowledge. It means helping them understand a world that is changing at an enormous pace and giving them criteria to discern, decide, and act, always placing the human person at the center. We want leaders capable of engaging in dialogue with artificial intelligence, economics, politics, communication, and the great social changes of our time, grounded in the depths of the Church’s Social Doctrine,” said Lara Bersano Calot, executive director of the International Academy of Catholic Leaders.
A training program with international benchmarks
The opening of the Diploma course will be led by Mario J. Paredes, president of the International Board of Directors of the Academy; Juan Pablo Faúndez, president of its International Academic Council; Lara Bersano Calot, executive director; and Father Andrés Ramos Castro, who will accompany the participants as chaplain of the XI International Diploma course.
Among the professors, lecturers, and panelists at this edition are the Italian philosopher and former minister Rocco Buttiglione; Cardinal Christophe Pierre; former President of Costa Rica Miguel Ángel Rodríguez; Mexican congresswoman and former first lady Margarita Zavala; former Peruvian minister Marisol Pérez Tello; Enrique Segura; former president of CAF–Development Bank of Latin America Enrique García; Guzmán Carriquiry, former secretary of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America; Rodrigo Guerra López; Paola Binetti; José Ramón Amor Pan; and specialists from the academic, business, political, ecclesial, and communications sectors.
Rome as an academic and spiritual experience
The in-person phase will take place primarily at Casa La Salle in Rome and will include lectures, panel discussions, group work, and liturgical celebrations. The program also includes student participation in the General Audience with Pope Leo XIV, a meeting with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, a special visit to the Vatican Library, and an optional pilgrimage to Assisi. The graduation ceremony will be held at the Pontifical University Antonianum.
The International Diploma constitutes the highest training level of the International Academy of Catholic Leaders and seeks to generate not only knowledge, but also an international community of leaders capable of transforming their professional, social and ecclesial realities based on a training that integrates faith, ethics and action.
Press contact:
Lara Bersano Calot · Executive Director
lbersano@liderescatolicos.net · +1 202 460 9573