Building democratic resilience – insights from SI Leader Lab Sweden Week

A week of leadership, collaboration, and democratic dialogue
The SI Leader Lab Sweden Week brought together 100 civil society leaders for an intensive week designed to strengthen leadership skills, encourage collaboration, and explore innovative advocacy methods. One of the week’s highlights was the conference “New era for democracy? Finding ways forward in tomorrow’s democratic landscape” hosted in collaboration with Ideell Arena, a non-governmental organisation gathering around 100 organisations from civil society in Sweden.  

The conference offered participants an opportunity to connect with Swedish civil society and share best practices, while also discussing the evolving nature of democracy in their respective countries.
Throughout the conference, participants shared insights from their home regions, noting the rise of disinformation, growing political polarisation, and the erosion of democratic norms.  

In her keynote address, philosopher and Swedish Academy member Åsa Wikforss explored the core principles that underpin healthy democracies. She highlighted the alarming trend of democratic backsliding worldwide and framed current skepticism among young people as an invitation to deepen the intergenerational dialogue:
 
“One thing that worries me is the anti-democratic propaganda targeting young people, portraying democracy as weak and dysfunctional. Data from the Open Society Foundations shows that only around 53 percent of 18- to 35-year-olds consider democracy was preferable to any other system.

The role of youth shaping the future
Mehmet Ilhanli, co-Founder of Young Peacebuilders of Türkiye echoed this concern, drawing from his grassroots work with youth:
 
“It’s more important than ever to show young people the good that can come from democracy and participation.” 

Several participants underlined how small, local initiatives can spark broader societal change – a true “butterfly effect” of civic engagement. As Oleksandra Buglak, from Humanitarian NGO Platform in Ukraine, shared: 

“What really moved me in our discussions is the importance of democratic role models. We’ve seen great examples here in Sweden and within our network. This gives me hope. I truly believe in the butterfly effect.” 

Pavel Sviardlou, Editor-in-Chief of two Belarusian independent media outlets in exile – Belarus Tomorrow and European Radio for Belarus – addressed the crucial role of independent media in resisting authoritarian narratives: 

“Autocrats replicate their tactics. That’s why it’s essential that we share ours. When our colleagues are imprisoned, it becomes even more important to do what they cannot. We must inspire others, share experiences, and adopt new strategies to defend democracy.” 

In roundtable discussions held under Chatham House Rule, participants explored the growing disillusionment with democracy among youth, who increasingly see it as Western propaganda. It was also noted how democracy and human rights are often perceived as elitist ideas, and the importance of reframing them in a way that resonates with all people – through everyday language and local relevance.  

Åsa Wikforss finalised the keynote by emphasising on the importance of reinforcing democratic pillars in society: 
 
“We need to talk about democracy’s strengths and the fact that they make better decisions across many dimensions. They avoid famine. They don’t go to war with each other. People in democracies are healthier, happier, and live longer. If we don’t communicate this to young people, we risk losing them.” 

Looking ahead – the work continues 
As SI Leader Lab participants return to their home countries to continue the three-month-long online programme, they do so with renewed motivation, strengthened networks and a lot of exchanges of best practices.  

Kurt Bratteby, Director of the Department for International Relations at the Swedish Institute, reflected:   

“We are facing unprecedented challenges, and the need for forums like this has never been greater. Real change is only possible through collaboration. Seeing this network of committed experts gives me great confidence in our shared potential.”