Citizens of both established democracies and the world’s most repressive regimes have become less free in recent years, with 8 in 10 people living in “Partly Free” or “Not Free” countries, according to the Freedom House. While democratic Ukraine’s fierce resistance has galvanized a steadfast international response, efforts by democracy champions to turn the tide on authoritarianism and build inclusive, multigroup democracy remain siloed—segmented by national boundaries.

Keseb a new global nonpartisan nonprofit organization, and the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University have partnered to host the inaugural Global Democracy Champions Summit. The summit will create a forum for democracy entrepreneurs, activists, academics, journalists, philanthropists, and policy makers to uplift compelling ideas, share insights across national boundaries, and create a global network of activists and civil society leaders committed to building inclusive, 21st century democracies.

Sessions will include: the state of global democracy; battling the effects of conspiracy theory and disinformation; building enduring people power; imagining a co-governance model; entrepreneurship as a vehicle for building inclusive and multigroup democracies; and the global youth movement for democracy.

For detailed information about the summit sessions and speakers, please visit this page. 

• 11:00-15:00 ET each day (08:00 San Francisco, 12:00 São Paulo, 15:00 GMT, 16:00 Lagos, 18:00 Nairobi)

Conference Overview:

For the second year, Democracy Moves, an international coalition of youth activists across the world focused on improving democratic conditions in their respective communities, will hold a multi-day virtual convening. We will gather hundreds of youth activists and scholars from around the world over three days to showcase organizational leaders who work with youth activists, young people themselves, and scholars focused on effective examples of youth activism.  The conference will be in English but offer Spanish translation services. 

To register, click here or on any of the events below. 

Click to download the Conference Speakers overview or Conference Schedule. You can also download the documents below. 

Conference Highlights

The virtual conference will connect youth activists with civics practitioners and scholars from around the world in order to discuss the best practices of youth advocacy and challenges facing democracy in the current moment. Bringing together stakeholders from all corners of the world, including Thailand, India, South Sudan, Paraguay, and more, these two days will foster connections between disparate movements, inspire greater efficacy in the global fight for democracy and justice, and set the stage for future collaboration and conversations

To recognize the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment, the SNF Agora Institute will host a virtual conference that will explore the multiple ways women have—historically and today—used voting, legislating, and other forms of civic engagement to shape our democracy.