In every voice lies a promise, in every gathering a dream, that democracy, when tended by its people, shall never wither. These words came alive in Brussels, Belgium, as the Democracy R&D 2025 Annual Conference gathered over 150 visionaries from across continents between October 14th and 17th. From deliberative democracy practitioners and civil society leaders to government officials and reform advocates, participants convened to reimagine how dialogue can restore public trust and defend democracy against the tides of polarization and autocratization. Among them stood Yiaga Africa, represented by its Director of Programs, Cynthia Mbamalu, and Program Officer for Citizens Engagement, Olaniyan Sanusi, embodying Africa’s vibrant voice in this global conversation.
Democracy R&D, an international network of organizations and individuals rethinking how decision-makers engage citizens, has long championed the belief that inclusive deliberation can heal democratic fractures. The 2025 conference, themed “Crossroads,” was more than a meeting; it was a reckoning, a moment to ask hard questions about the future of democracy and to imagine pathways where everyday people once again shape the policies that govern their lives. Across sessions, panels, and hallway exchanges, a collective urgency was palpable: democracy must evolve, or risk erosion.
For Yiaga Africa, this was not merely a theoretical dialogue but a continuation of a living experiment in people-driven governance. Through the People’s Assembly initiative, Yiaga Africa has translated deliberative democracy into action across Nigeria. Since its pilot phase in 2022, the initiative has created platforms where citizens directly influence local government decisions, from Lagos to Sokoto, transforming participation into tangible policy impact. To date, 20 People’s Assembly groups across 11 states, including Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, FCT, Kano, Lagos, Oyo, Plateau, and Sokoto, have demonstrated how inclusive conversation can restore legitimacy and trust in public institutions.
In Brussels, Yiaga Africa shared these lessons, stories of dialogue shaping governance, of communities reclaiming agency, and of democracy reimagined from the ground up. The exchange was deeply enriching, fostering cross-continental learning between the global north and south. As global practitioners traded experiences, one truth emerged: the strength of democracy lies not in its structures alone, but in the sincerity of its people’s participation.
For Yiaga Africa, the conference was both affirmation and inspiration, a reminder that building a resilient democracy requires innovation rooted in empathy and evidence. The knowledge and connections gained in Brussels will continue to inform our mission to deepen citizen engagement at the local level in Nigeria, expanding spaces where citizens not only speak but are heard.
As the conference drew to a close, its spirit lingered like an anthem of hope, that in an age of division, dialogue remains our most powerful bridge. For us at Yiaga Africa, standing at this global crossroads, the journey continues: to nurture the promise in every voice, and to keep democracy alive, one conversation, one community, one assembly at a time.
