Mary Yvonne

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 GDC Global Forum may have lasted one day, but the thinking, collaboration and generosity behind it stretched far beyond Athens. As we continue reflecting on the GDC Global Forum 2026, we want to thank even more of the people who helped make its conversations so rich. A huge thank you to our facilitators, @KyraB_Partners of PartnersGlobal and Vukasin Petrovic of Future Perfect, for helping create the space for deep listening, exchange and collective thinking. We are equally grateful to our academic contributors, @BeattyRiedl of @Cornell, @NoamLupu of @VanderbiltU, Rachel Sigman of @josefkorbel at the University of Denver, and Laura Gamboa of @NotreDame, for bringing research into conversation with the experiences of democracy practitioners from around the world. A special thank you as well to @itsmarirodrigz and Joel Day for their important contributions to the framing papers that helped shape the discussions. And to our case study contributors, Elise Ditta of @CarterCenter, SM Shaikat of @serac_bd, Clare Byarugaba, @KetteringFdn Global Fellow, and Stefanos Loukopoulos of @vouliwatch, thank you for grounding these bigger questions in experience and practice. We also want to recognize @ana_rev for her contribution to the work that informed the Forum. Finally, thank you to Urban Strandberg of the International Youth Think Tank for jumping in last minute and help us deliver the algocracy framing for the day. Research meeting practice. Regional experience meeting global perspectives. Different voices coming together around a shared commitment to democracy. That is what made Athens so special. #GDCGlobalForum #GDCForum2026 #Democracy #DemocraticTrust #KeepDemocracyAlive

Athens reminded us what becomes possible when we make space not only to speak, but to truly listen to one another. Almost a week on from the #GDCGlobalForum 2026, we are still reflecting on the energy, openness and extraordinary collective spirit that filled the room. To everyone who joined us in Athens: thank you. Thank you to our Regional Forum hosts @mayvnne of @NuruTrustKenya, Olga Caballero of @AlmaCivica and Dr. James Gomez of @asiacentre_org for carrying the conversations from Nairobi, Asunción and Seoul all the way to Athens. And although Ľubica Kováčová of the @WeAreEDYN, who hosted our Europe Forum in Prague, was unable to join us, she and the Europe Forum community were very much with us in spirit. Together, these four Regional Forums laid the foundations for the global conversation we brought together in Athens. A very special thank you to @Pita_MFP for opening our Forum and challenging us to think deeply about democratic participation and trust, and to @IngvillBR of the @NobelPeaceOslo and Pavle Cicvaric for helping us bring an extraordinary day of conversations to a close. To our incredible facilitators, Jaco Roets of @AccountLab, @LauraLThornton of @Princeton, Lina Antara, and Kourtney Pompi of Democracy Renewal Group: thank you for creating the conditions for meaningful exchange, guiding conversations across different experiences and perspectives, and ensuring that every voice had space to be heard. And to our note-takers, thank you for listening closely throughout the day and capturing the ideas, insights and reflections emerging from these conversations. Your work was essential to a Forum intentionally built around equal voice, deep listening and participation. Above all, thank you to every GDC partner, democracy practitioner, civil society leader, researcher, advocate and friend of the Coalition who joined us. You arrived ready not simply to attend another democracy conference, but to participate: to question, challenge, listen, share experiences across regions and think collectively about what comes next. From the Regional Forums in Nairobi, Asunción, Prague and Seoul to our gathering in Athens, this Forum has always been a collective effort. The success of the day belongs to everyone who brought their ideas, experience, honesty and commitment into the room. Thank you for making the GDC Global Forum 2026 what it was. Athens may be behind us, but the work we began together continues. #GDCGlobalForum #GDCForum2026 #Democracy #DemocraticTrust #CivilSociety #CollectiveAction #RenewingDemocracy

13 days to go until the #GDCGlobalForum2026 in Athens. Over the past seven months, democracy advocates, civic innovators, researchers, and youth leaders have come together through four GDC Regional Forums across Africa, the Americas, Europe and Asia. Together, they explored how democracy is being challenged, renewed and reimagined in vastly different contexts while identifying lessons that connect regions rather than divide them. On 1 October, those conversations will converge in Athens as the regional hosts who helped convene these dialogues join us for the GDC Global Forum 2026. We are delighted to welcome: @mayvnne, Executive Director, @NuruTrustKenya Olga Caballero, Executive Director, @AlmaCivica Ľubica Kováčová, Executive Director, @WeAreEDYN Dr. James Gomez, Regional Director, @asiacentre_org From Nairobi to Asunción, Prague to Seoul, the ideas, challenges and innovations that emerged throughout the Regional Forums will help shape the collective conversations ahead in Athens. The question now is how we turn regional insights into collective action. Join us as democracy practitioners from around the world come together to listen, learn and build the next chapter of democratic collaboration.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

As the 2026 GDC Regional Months come to a close, we are looking back at some of the most powerful insights that emerged from regional conversations across Africa, the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Over the coming weeks, we will revisit quotes and insights from each region that capture a key theme from this year's forums. We begin with a throwback to the #GDCAfricaForum, held in Nairobi under the theme Reclaiming the Democratic Promise: Youth Agency, Digital Resilience and Combating Kleptocracy in Africa. This reflection from @hon_kangwa, Founder of @GGP_Africa, speaks to a question that surfaced throughout the Forum: how can democracy better respond to the realities, aspirations, and needs of citizens? Across discussions on democratic legitimacy, youth leadership, accountability, and civic participation, participants stressed that democracy must be measured not only by institutions and elections, but by whether it delivers justice, inclusion, meaningful participation, and tangible improvements in people's lives. The Forum highlighted both the challenges facing democratic governance across the continent and the growing role of young people, civic innovators, and grassroots movements in shaping a more responsive and inclusive democratic future. Stay tuned as we continue this journey through the insights that defined the 2026 regional forums. #GDCAfricaForum #GDCForum2026 #YouthAgency #DemocraticRenewal #CivicParticipation #ReclaimingTheDemocraticPromise

Building movements that last requires more than passion, it requires the structures, leadership, and shared ownership that allow people to step up and move a mission forward. Our Coalition Partner Social Movement Lab is hosting two free masterclasses designed for leaders of movements and people-powered organizations who are ready to stop carrying everything alone and start building something sustainable. Taking place online on 23 June and 25 June, these sessions will focus on how to lead in a way that empowers others, strengthens team accountability, and enables movements to grow without depending on one individual at every step. Many movement leaders will recognise the challenge: despite hard work and commitment, progress can stall when decision-making bottlenecks, delegation falls short, or difficult conversations are avoided. These masterclasses aim to address exactly that, offering practical insights on how to create the conditions for people to take responsibility, contribute meaningfully, and drive momentum forward. Participants will explore what it takes to foster real ownership within a team, why people may not be stepping up as expected, and how leadership approaches can shift to unlock collective action. Ultimately, the sessions are designed to help leaders build movements that are resilient, effective, and capable of thriving beyond any one individual. The masterclasses are free to attend, open to all, and we encourage you to share them across your networks. The registration link is available in the comments. #Leadership #CollectiveAction #CivicEngagement #CapacityBuilding #MovementBuilding

A month after convening in Asunción, the conversations from the 2026 #GDCAmericasForum continues to resonate across the region. We’re pleased to see our Coalition partner @ddintorg reflecting on the Forum in two recent blog posts, capturing both the energy and the urgency that defined these two days of exchange under the theme “Inhabiting Democracy: From Crises to New Civic Energies in the Americas.” Bringing together civil society organizations, community leaders, researchers, and policymakers from across Latin America, the United States, and Canada, the Forum created space not only to diagnose the challenges facing democracy, but to surface the innovations and civic energies already emerging in response. From regional dialogue and expert exchanges to hands‑on workshops on democratic renewal, the conversations highlighted both the depth of the crises and the creativity of the solutions taking shape across the Americas. Democracia Digital’s reflections also spotlight the importance of initiatives discussed at the forum, where leaders and practitioners explored how digital tools, collaborative approaches, and locally rooted action are reshaping participation and rebuilding democratic legitimacy. What stood out throughout the Forum, and is echoed in these blogs, is the recognition that this is a complex moment for democracy in the Americas. Polarization, misinformation, and shrinking civic space are real and pressing challenges. Yet at the same time, there is a powerful undercurrent of engagement, particularly among youth, women, and local communities, who are finding new ways to organize, connect, and drive change. As we continue our regional journey toward the 2026 GDC Global Forum, these reflections remind us that democratic renewal is already underway across the region, shaped not only by institutions, but by the collective effort of those working to reimagine participation, rebuild trust, and strengthen democratic practice on the ground. Read the full reflections in the links in the comments. #GDCAmericasForum #AmericasRegionalMonth #GDCForum2026 #KeepDemocracyAlive

Starting with our last regional month in June, next week we’ll be convening a regionally diverse group of researchers, practitioners, and civil society leaders to reflect on one of the most pressing questions shaping democratic trajectories across Asia today: why do democratic openings so often fail to lead to lasting democratic governance? On Thursday, June 4, we are hosting the Asia Pre‑Forum Webinar, ‘Democratic Openings Without Democratic Consolidation: Rethinking Democratic Renewal in Asia’, co‑hosted with @asiacentre_org. The conversation will bring together voices working across the region to unpack evolving patterns of democratic mobilisation, institutional fragility, and authoritarian resilience. Joining us are Narayan Adhikari, South and East Asia Lead at @accountlabnp, Ananya Kundu, Founder and Executive Director of White Dot Solidarity Network (WDSN), Jeremiah Tomas, Former Youth Chair, @asian_liberals, and Ika Ningtyas, Fact‑Checking Coordinator and Journalist at Tempo Indonesia and Advisory Board Member of SAFEnet. Together, they bring perspectives spanning civic engagement, media integrity, regional advocacy, and accountability work. The discussion will be moderated by James Gomez, Regional Director of @asiacentre_org. Their insights will help surface broader structural tensions shaping democratic transitions across Asia, from shifting forms of mobilisation to the evolving strategies of authoritarian actors. These reflections will feed directly into the 2026 GDC Asia Regional Forum in Seoul and the Asia Regional Report. We look forward to welcoming Coalition Partners and others working on democratic governance in Asia to join us online on Thursday, June 4, 2026, at 9:30 AM CEST / 2:30 PM ICT via Zoom, with a livestream on the GDC YouTube channel.