People Powered 2026 Conference

The People Powered Conference 2026 was held in Nairobi, Kenya, from March 2–5, 2026, bringing together a global community working to advance participatory democracy. Organised under the theme “Global Challenges, Participatory Solutions,” the convening explored how people-powered approaches can address some of the world’s most pressing challenges, including the climate crisis, the need for more inclusive democratic systems, and the importance of reshaping public narratives around participation and governance.

Across the world, citizens are calling for transformative change—demanding political systems that respond to their needs and solutions that reflect the complexity of today’s crises. At a time when public trust in institutions is declining and authoritarian tendencies are gaining ground, there is an urgent need for democratic practices that are inclusive, transparent, and capable of delivering meaningful results.

Participatory democracy offers one such pathway by enabling people to actively shape decisions that affect their lives, in partnership with governments and institutions. The People Powered 2026 Convening focused on co-creating innovative participatory solutions and strengthening global collaboration. It brought together organizations, civil servants, researchers, advocates, and funders to learn from one another, exchange experiences, and collectively shape the future of democratic participation.

Representing our organisation, Ms. Nikita Rakhyani participated in the conference.

The programme combined practical training, collaborative workshops, and field visits, creating opportunities for participants to engage with real-world participatory initiatives and develop shared resources and partnerships.

March 2: Participants visited local participatory programmes in Nairobi, observing participatory democracy in action through guided site visits and cultural exchange.

March 3–4: Workshops and networking sessions enabled participants to exchange ideas, address common challenges, and build collaborations. Discussions covered topics such as inclusive participation, advocacy strategies, programme implementation, narratives and messaging, climate participation, scaling democratic innovations, and fundraising.

March 5: Members of People Powered came together for a strategic planning session to reflect on key priorities and shape the network’s direction for the next phase of work.