The Youth Café At The Summit For Democracy | Strengthening Democracy In Times Of Peril
Since day one, the Biden-Harris Administration has made clear that renewing democracy in the United States and around the world is essential to meeting the unprecedented challenges of our time. As President Biden stated on the International Day of Democracy, “No democracy is perfect, and no democracy is ever final. Every gain made, every barrier broken, is the result of determined, unceasing work.”
On December 9-10, 2021, President Biden will host the first of two Summits for Democracy. The Youth Café is delighted to be joining the Youth Town Hall during the Summit for Democracy. The Summit for Democracy will be a virtual event hosted by the President of the United States and joined by other Chiefs of State, Heads of Government, international and civil society organization leaders, and other governmental and non-governmental participants.
It will consist of a two-day, leader-level virtual meeting preceded by a half-day of official, non-leader-level events. The Leaders are expected to set forth an affirmative agenda for democratic renewal and to tackle the greatest threats faced by democracies today through collective action.
“Democracy doesn’t happen by accident. We have to defend it, fight for it, strengthen it, renew it.”
The Summit presents an opportunity to discuss how to strengthen democracy in times of peril and to show how democracy still works and can improve people’s lives in tangible ways. It aims to show how open, rights-respecting societies can work together to effectively tackle the challenges of our time, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the climate crisis, and inequality.
The Summit will solicit innovative and bold commitments centered around the following goals (1) to galvanize commitments and initiatives across the three principal themes of strengthening democracy and defending against authoritarianism, fighting corruption, and promoting respect for human rights; and (2) to engage, listen, and speak honestly about the challenges facing democracy globally and within participating countries, including the United States.
The attendees are asked to make meaningful commitments to furthering democracy in their countries, with a follow-up summit planned for next year. The Summit will include both live and pre-recorded video segments and will be live-streamed for public and press viewing.
The United States President has said that the challenge of our time is to demonstrate that democracies can deliver by improving the lives of their own people and by addressing the greatest problems facing the wider world. In his first six months in office, the President has reinvigorated democracy at home, vaccinating 70% of the population, passing the American Rescue plan, and advancing bipartisan legislation to invest in our infrastructure and competitiveness.
And he has rebuilt our alliances with our democratic partners and allies, rallying the world to stand up against human rights abuses, to address the climate crisis, and to fight the global pandemic, including by donating hundreds of millions of vaccine doses to countries around the globe.
Some of the sessions at the summit include: On Wednesday, December 8th, 6:00 AM - 7:00 AM EST: Media Freedom and Sustainability. This event, co-hosted by the Netherlands, will highlight the importance of media safety, freedom, and sustainability in the health and vitality of democratic societies.
Wednesday, December 8th - 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM EST: Young Democratic Leaders Discussion. The U.S Secretary of State is hosting an online discussion during the Summit for Democracy with young leaders from around the world to explore what democracy means to youth, their critical role in promoting democracy, and ways to increase the participation of young people in democratic processes.
Wednesday, December 8th- 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM EST: Private Sector Forum - Our Business Too: Democracy & Private Enterprise Delivering Together. This session will open with a welcome and keynote address by Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, after which the Secretary will host a fireside chat with two executives from the private sector.
Wednesday, December 8th- 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM EST: Empowering Prosperity: Advancing the Status of Women to Advance the Status of Democracy Co-hosted by the United States and the Government of Sweden on Day Zero of the Summit, this event will showcase women’s civic and political leadership and participation as central to democratic progress and demonstrate how champions of all gender identities.
Wednesday, December 8th - 1:00 PM - 2:15 PM EST: Democracy Affirming Technology: How Innovation Can Be Used to Support Democratic Values. Chaired by the President’s Science Advisor and White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Dr Eric Lander, this event will highlight technologies that can asymmetrically advantage democratic values.
Wednesday, December 8th- 2:15 PM - 3:00 PM EST: A Conversation on the Future of the Internet. This moderated panel discussion will explore the evolution and future of the Internet, and its complex relationship to democracy. Panelists will discuss how governments, civil society and other stakeholders can work together to reaffirm commitments in upholding democracy.
Wednesday, December 8th- 3:00PM - 4:00PM EST: Voices of Political Prisoners. This event will highlight the plight of political prisoners and underlining the need for increased international collaboration to press for their release.
On Thursday, December 9th- 8:00 AM - 8:15 AM EST: President Biden's Opening Remark where he will open the Summit for Democracy with introductory remarks designed to frame the themes of the Summit; challenge participants to consider the ways in which they can best contribute to the strengthening of democracies around the world.
Thursday, December 9th - 8:15 AM - 9:15 AM EST: Leaders' Plenary with U.S President Biden. Thursday, December 9th- 9:15 AM - 10:15 AM EST: Leaders' Plenary with EC President von der Leyen. Thursday, December 9th- 10:30 AM - 10:45 AM EST: Remarks - Bolstering Democratic Resilience. New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, will provide 5-7 minute, pre-recorded remarks focused on democracy, pluralism and partnership; the impact of COVID-19 on democratic resilience; democracy in the age of the internet including Christchurch.
Thursday, December 9th- 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM EST: Panel Discussion - Bolstering Democratic Resilience: Building Back Better Together from COVID-19. A high-level panel will share views on bolstering democratic resilience in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This session, hosted by Secretary Blinken and moderated by journalist Enrique Acevedo. Thursday, December 9th- 12:00 PM - 12:15 PM EST: Remarks - Preventing and Countering Corruption. President Sandu and Mr Ibrahim will outline the existential threat that transnational corruption poses to democracy around the world; the challenges and opportunities faced by anti-corruption reformers and activists around the world.
Thursday, December 9th- 12:15 PM - 1:15 PM EST: Panel Discussion - Preventing and Countering Corruption Chaired by Secretary of the Treasury Yellen, this panel will outline the centrality of the fight against corruption to maintaining healthy democracies. Panelists will describe efforts to close deficiencies and vulnerabilities in legal and regulatory policies.
Thursday, December 9th- 1:15 PM - 1:25 PM EST: Remarks by U.S. Political Leaders. This session will feature a Republican and a Democratic governor who will speak on how “democracy delivers” for American citizens at the state level, highlighting the need to find common ground and work across the aisle to respond to citizens’ needs.
Thursday, December 9th- 1:25 PM - 1:35 PM EST: Closing Remarks by Vice President Harris. Vice President Harris’s Day One closing remarks will tie together themes discussed by assembled leaders during the Summit for Democracy’s first day.
On Friday, December 10th- 6:00 AM - 6:05 AM EST: Opening Remarks by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations. This session, which opens the Summit for Democracy’s second day of leader-level programming and occurs on Human Rights Day, will feature UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who will address the Summit’s overarching themes of strengthening democracy.
Friday, December 10th- 6:05 AM - 6:20 AM EST: Protecting Human Rights Prime Minister of Sweden Magdalena Andersson, and President and CEO of the International Peace Institute Dr Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, will deliver remarks on the imperative of promoting human rights and protecting civil society, including human rights.
Friday, December 10th- 6:20 AM - 7:30 AM EST: Panel Discussion - Expanding Civic Space: Empowering Human Rights Defenders and Independent Media Within and Across Borders. In an era in which space for civil society is closing in many countries, this panel discussion, including leaders, journalists, and human rights defenders, seeks to illuminate ways that governments can better protect universal human rights.
Friday, December 10th- 7:45 AM - 8:00 AM EST: Strengthening Democracy and Defending Against Authoritarianism. President of Lithuania Gitanas Nauseda, and Belarussian politician and human rights advocate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, will deliver remarks on how to bolster democracies and their democratic institutions against the threats and challenges posed by authoritarianism.
Friday, December 10th- 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM EST: Panel Discussion - Protecting Democratic Institutions: Elections, Rule of Law, and a Resilient Information Space. This session will discuss the necessity of protecting key democratic institutions and processes, including but not limited to elections and the rule of law. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss how free and fair elections are necessary.
Friday, December 10th- 9:15 AM - 9:30 AM EST: Remarks - Technology for Democracy. This session will feature two sets of remarks on the theme of how to make technology work to advance democracy and human rights. Friday, December 10th- 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM EST: Panel Discussion - Countering Digital Authoritarianism and Affirming Democratic Values. This session will discuss how to make technology work for democracy and human rights, and illuminate concerns regarding the spread of digital authoritarianism, in which technology is developed and governed in ways that undermine democratic principles.
Friday, December 10th- 12:15 PM - 1:15 PM EST: Youth Town Hall. USUN Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield will host a one-hour town hall for youth and engage with young leaders from around the world in an open conversation on democracy. This live-streamed conversation includes approximately 70 participants, representatives from across the world.
Friday, December 10th- 1:30 PM - 1:45 PM EST: Closing Remarks by President Biden - A Shared Democratic Future. President Biden will close the Summit for Democracy with an address entitled “A Shared Democratic Future”, which will emphasize the themes of the Summit and challenge participants to identify ways to strengthen democracies through the upcoming Years.
The Youth Café was nominated by the US Embassy in Kenya as one of the only 70 global young leaders to have a conversation with the senior administration officials. In the Summit for Democracy, we will highlight our work that strengthens democracy and supports democratic ambitions.
We have been given an opportunity to ask the President of the United States of America a question which is: “Many young people want to take part in politics but are disheartened by the negative image projected by the current political elite and their apparent inability to tackle the multiple crises of recent times. Although young people in schools and universities acquire some notion and perhaps the experience of democratic practice, some are seeking opportunities in a non-formal learning environment to enhance their capacity to become active citizens and democratic leaders, strengthened by a set of fundamental values to guide their action and to do things differently.
How effective are non-formal education approaches in developing democratic attitudes? What are their assets and pitfalls? Are such initiatives making a difference? What can be done in countries where civil society is under pressure and such activities are perceived as a threat by authorities?”.
While active on a number of cross-cutting issues, The Youth Café works mainly in eight priority areas to which it brings a multidisciplinary and multi-perspective approach. Of these 8 thematic areas, the ones that align best with the work that Democracy Townhall does, are our Peace and Security, and Governance and Political Inclusion initiatives.
Ensuring a transparent, democratic and accountable environment is a strategic objective of The Youth Cafés work, which contributes “to reducing fragility, fostering political stability and effective governance, and enabling sustainable and inclusive development and growth”. The Youth Café has invested significantly in developing skills to be used in governance-enabling activities.
An example of this work is the Kenyan Youth Manifesto 2017 which The Youth Café authored in collaboration with the young people. The Kenya Youth Manifesto opened interactions that fed into the general democratic scene and stimulated proposals of transformative solutions, marking a departure from past elections. Some of its provisions were a call for free universal secondary schooling and the increased allocations of funds for youth enterprises.
Making a Youth Manifesto that is representative of an entire country's youth was an ambitious undertaking. Hence, there was a need to collaborate with numerous individuals, youth-serving organizations, political parties and key development stakeholders. It is worth noting that the non-partisan, collaborative, and inclusive writing process challenged Kenya's norms and practices with respect to youth engagement, especially during elections.
Currently, The Youth Café is working with partners and young people to come up with a Regional and National Manifesto that will be used to give voices to the young people in light of the forthcoming general elections. Furthermore, The Youth Café seeks to equip young people with key media literacy skills, including but not limited to: critical thinking, fact-checking, online safety, social media verification, and quality assessment of online information and their sources through a dedicated handbook.
As a youth-led and youth-serving organization, we aspire to embrace multicultural bridge-building through creating conditions for inclusivity and diversity, to reduce discriminatory practices based on ethnic/religious/minority, and excluded youth groups, with policies that foster knowledge of the law, contribute to citizens' awareness and empowerment of these youth groups to interact with each other in meaningfully programmed engagements.
Our scope reflects on enhanced youth-centered capacities to generate, collect, synthesize, and disseminate information, powered by youth-friendly digital platforms that ensure seamless knowledge transfer to enhance young people's competencies for leadership and development.
With youth-led engagement, impactful innovations, and progressive policies that promote young people's socio-economic and political participation and engagement at national, regional, and global levels while enhancing their ability to stand for their rights, prioritizing marginalized, vulnerable and, minority groups, we intend to implement programs that bring positive change to youth through self transformations for positive and lasting changes of mindsets, attitudes and, behaviors. Thus, the resulting Digital Media and Information Literacy (DMIL) handbook is one of our projects.
The Youth Cafés overarching goal around youth inclusion and participation in politics is to increase the number of informed youth participating in the upcoming 2022 elections in Kenya, as well as increase the participation of marginalized groups like women in the elections.
To this effect, we partner with various stakeholders such as the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to drive voter education and enhance the voters’ registration drive. This collaboration will provide young people with a forum to fully and effectively deal with issues important to them during the electioneering period. The inclusion of youth idealisms in this collaboration will reduce the possible outcomes of politically incited wars and violence and enhance young people's skills needed to influence the forthcoming general elections.
The Youth Café commits to having a bold suite of new programming to strengthen our democracy work and expose, track, and disrupt transnational corruption and mitigate its impact on democratic governance and development progress by working at the local, national, regional, and global levels. The Youth Café is focusing on the next generation and Youth inclusion in democratic processes.
East Africa is young in democracy and its political institutions are not well established, youth are excluded from important decision-making processes. Governments and policymakers in East Africa are reluctant to include youth in the formal political systems. What future do the youths want and how can they increase their participation in politics? Join us, as we ask and seek answers to these pertinent questions to the president of the United States of America during the Summit for Democracy!
The Youth Café works with young men and women around Africa as a trailblazer in advancing youth-led approaches toward achieving sustainable development, social equity, innovative solutions, community resilience and transformative change.
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