2023 Summit Overview

The year of 2024 presents a “rare convergence of election cycles” involving countries representing more than half of humanity – approximately four billion people. Citizens across more than 50 countries are expected to head to the polls next year including in the European Union, India, Indonesia, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Featuring 15+ sessions and speakers from 12+ countries, this year’s Global Democracy Champions Summit hosted by Keseb confronted the pressing challenges facing democracy during this unique election year and in an era where freedoms have declined and inclusivity has become a wedge issue. With a focus on countering authoritarianism and building an inclusive and resilient 21st-century democracy, Keseb and the Summit’s five sponsors united to create a space for transnational dialogue and knowledge exchange.

Bringing together democracy entrepreneurs, activists, academics, journalists, philanthropists, and policymakers, each day of the Summit focused on a specific theme: 

• October 24 | Countering authoritarianism and safeguarding civil liberties;
• October 25 | Protecting our information ecosystems; and
• October 26 | Building towards a pluralistic democracy.

The 2023 Summit was co-sponsored by The Center for Analysis of Liberty and Authoritarianism (LAUT), the Center for Effective Government at the University of Chicago, the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law (CDDRL) at Stanford University, The Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance at the University of Cape Town, and the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University.