Kettering Foundation

What does it really mean to humanize democracy? In the second article of our Coalition Partner and GDC Global Forum sponsor @KetteringFdn's latest Interconnected newsletter, @mayvnne, Executive Director of fellow Coalition Partner @NuruTrustKenya, reflects on that question through her experience at the Athens Democracy Forum. From Nairobi to Athens, Mary carries three deceptively simple questions: Who gets to speak? Who gets heard? And who is left outside the room? Her reflection challenges us to look beyond who is represented in global democracy conversations and ask who actually has the opportunity to shape them. She explores the gatekeeping that persists across the democracy sector, the barriers facing grassroots voices from the global majority, and why meaningful intergenerational dialogue requires bringing young people into the conversation, not placing them alongside it. And she leaves us with an important challenge: “None of this is about lowering the bar. It is about widening the door.” This is a reflection worth sitting with. If democracy is meant to serve everyone, then the spaces where its future is debated must become braver, broader and more human. Don’t miss Mary’s powerful reflection. Link in the comments. #Democracy #GDCForum2026 #GDCGlobalForum #AthensDemocracyForum #YouthParticipation #InclusiveDemocracy

The conversations are important. The way we have them matters too. As we prepare for the GDC Global Forum 2026 on 1 October in Athens, we are pleased to introduce some of the facilitators who will help guide participants through a day of analysis, exchange, deep listening and collective action. The Forum brings together insights from this year's regional dialogues in Nairobi, Asunción, Prague and Seoul around a common question: Why does democratic participation continue to grow while trust in democratic institutions continues to decline? We are delighted to welcome: Jaco Roets, Programs & Learning Manager of @AccountLab @LauraLThornton, Democracy expert, Policy Workshop Director and Lecturer at @Princeton Lina Antara, Elections, Political Affairs & Democracy Support Specialist Kourtney Pompi, Co-lead at Democracy Renewal Group Drawing on expertise from across the democracy field, our facilitators will help create the conditions for meaningful participation, cross-regional learning, and the development of concrete collective missions that participants can carry forward beyond Athens. We look forward to welcoming democracy practitioners, researchers, civil society leaders, policymakers and partners from around the world as we move from listening to collective action. The GDC Global Forum is sponsored by the @KetteringFdn and @CarterCenter. Registration and the full programme are available through the link in the comments. #GDCGlobalForum #GDCForum2026 #KeepDemocracyAlive #AthensDemocracyForum