NAIROBI,Kenya – The city of Nairobi is set to host a pivotal gathering this July, the inaugural Democracy Forum 2025, taking place from July 2n to 4th, 2025. Organized by the Oriental Laboratory under the Foundation for Innovation in Democracy, the forum marks a significant milestone in efforts to renew and reinforce democratic values in East Africa.As civic and political spaces across the continent come under increasing pressure, the Democracy Forum offers a vital platform for reflection, engagement, and the reimagining of democracy for a new generation.
This first edition of the forum will bring together a wide spectrum of participants, including activists, scholars, policymakers, artists, civil society actors, and youth leaders to deliberate on the current state of democracy, governance, and human rights in the region. With the democratic landscape in East Africa facing serious challenges such as police brutality, arbitrary arrests, shrinking civic space, and the suppression of dissent, the Democracy Forum will serve as both a mirror and a mobilizing force. It will provide a space for honest conversations, rigorous analysis, and the sharing of strategies to defend and advance democratic principles.
The forum is structured to provide a rich and immersive experience over several days. It begins with a formal opening ceremony, followed by keynote speeches and high-level panel discussions that address pressing regional and continental issues.
Subsequent sessions include thematic workshops and working groups aimed at fostering deeper engagement on key topics such as digital innovation, legal activism, youth participation, and gender equity in governance. These sessions go beyond identifying challenges, they are spaces for imagining new possibilities, building strategic alliances, and sparking transformative action.
In the lead-up to the conference, a series of pre-conference activities are already underway. These include preparatory meetings with stakeholders from academia, civil society, and government, as well as a vibrant social media engagement campaign.
The Democracy Forum is more than just an annual conference. It is the central pillar of the Oriental Laboratory’s broader mission to promote substantive democracy, one that is not just procedural, but deeply rooted in the values of freedom, justice, inclusion, and participation.
The forum aims to be an incubator of ideas and a meeting point for those working tirelessly to protect and expand democratic space in East Africa. Importantly, it centers the voices of young people and women, recognizing their critical role in shaping democratic futures and moving territories toward equity and justice.
This year’s forum takes place against the backdrop of growing disillusionment with democratic institutions and a rise in authoritarian tendencies across the continent. But it also comes at a moment of immense potential, as digital technologies, civic movements, and new forms of political organizing open up possibilities for transformative change. The Democracy Forum 2025 seeks to harness that energy and channel it into collective action and policy innovation.
As Nairobi prepares to host this landmark event, the message is clear, democracy must be defended, reimagined, and rooted in the lived experiences of the people.
