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John Smith Trust

Fellows’ Ideas Exchange 2026

Democracy for a new era?

Democracy is facing a crisis of confidence. Trust in traditional leaders, the establishment and institutions is low. Our societies are increasingly fragmented and polarised. Marginalised communities are scapegoated. Division and uncertainty are used by leaders with authoritarian and populist tendencies to degrade democratic norms and consolidate power. Societies across the globe are facing different manifestations of these same challenges.

As one of this year’s Ideas Exchange Programme participants commented, “It’s clear that democratic values are under strain in many parts of the world, and there’s an urgent need to rethink how we preserve and adapt those principles in a rapidly changing global context.” Leaders around the world are engaging in a process of reflective practice to re-think, re-imagine and respond to the new era. We invite Fellows and UK counterparts to come together to explore values and principles that enable people to live in dignity and justice and draw on their local experiences to develop ideas for how we can practise, embed and defend the values that we believe in to shape the evolving global context. Together we are well-placed to develop cross-regional and cross-sectoral connections, create space for new ideas and share expertise at a time of increasing polarisation.

Through a series of online workshops culminating in a 3-day in-person residential programme, Fellows and UK counterparts will engage in discussions and facilitated workshops to share skills, tell their stories and generate ideas on the following questions:

  • What is your experience of a healthy political system? What are the signs that society is working well for everyone? How does the ‘crisis in democracy’ manifest itself in your context, sector or community?
  • What values and skills are needed in today’s leadership in order to embed political and social practices that foster people’s well-being? How can leaders embody and practise these in our everyday interactions?
  • How do we connect with our collective past and break repetitive cycles of violence, inequality and trauma? What role does tending to intergenerational trauma play in building fair and resilient societies?
  • What can we and others do to defend the values and principles we believe in? What stories do we need to tell and what actions do we need to take in order to call others in to take meaningful action?

Please express your interest in participating by answering the questions below. The deadline for registration is October. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch: amy.melson@johnsmithtrust.org

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If you have any questions or would like to discuss your participation, please contact admin@johnsmithtrust.org.