President Obama to Close the 2022 Copenhagen Democracy Summit on “Democratic Organizing in the Digital Age”

June 9, 2022 at 5:00 AM CDT

President Obama will deliver remarks and join Obama Foundation Leaders from across Europe to discuss challenges to democracy and the promise of the next generation of leaders.

CHICAGO—On Friday, June 10, President Obama and Obama Foundation Leaders from across Europe will close the 2022 Copenhagen Democracy Summit with a session entitled, “Democratic Organizing in the Digital Age.” Against the backdrop of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, President Obama will discuss challenges to democracy around the globe, the importance of a positive vision for democracy, and the promise and potential of the next generation of leaders to chart a better course. Following remarks, President Obama will join a conversation with emerging leaders focused on innovative approaches to bolster participation and strengthen institutions in the digital information age. The event will be streamed live at  CopenhagenDemocracySummit.com (Opens in a new tab) at 9 am CT (4 pm local time in Copenhagen) and it will also be streamed at  Obama.org.

On June 11, President Obama will participate in an interactive workshop with the 2020 and 2022 cohorts of Obama Foundation Leaders from across Europe focused on challenges the leaders face in their regions and ideas for high impact advancements. The Obama Leaders will spend time together discussing their vision for the region, learning from each other, and workshopping solutions to strengthen democracy. Nearly 60 Obama Leaders from the 2020 and 2022 cohorts will be assembled in Copenhagen for an Obama Foundation Leaders Europe convening occurring June 9-11, the first in-person gathering for Europe program participants since its launch in 2020 due to COVID-19.

At the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, President Obama will be joined in conversation by:

Tudor Iulian Bradatan is the founder and Executive Director of Declic, Romania’s leading digital non-partisan campaign organization. He collaborates with sociologists, copywriters, and campaigners to develop narratives that raise voter participation and inspire young people to vote. In 2019, voter turnout in Romania for the European Parliament increased by 19 percent due to Declic’s efforts and 1.8 million young people voted in the local elections. His work is rooted in the belief that power in a democracy must always be accountable to the people.

Selvije Mustafi is a national grassroots organizer at the biggest Roma movement in North Macedonia named Avaja and part of the wider transnational Roma movement in Europe where she serves as trainer (helping other Roma movements across Europe to develop their strategies). Recently she became president of Romano Avazi whose organization’s goal is to foster an empowered Roma community that participates in the decision-making processes on local, regional, and national levels. Selvije is especially passionate about empowering other young people in the Roma community and producing future leaders who will bring the Roma community’s collective voice on a higher and better level.

Federica currently serves as the Deputy Mayor of Isernia, Italy. Previously, she was the Co-President of Volt Italia, part of Volt Europe—the first pan-European progressive party aimed at taking collective action to strengthen the European Union. As co-president of Volt Italia, Federica helped run the party’s local, regional, and European campaigns, including the first youth-led and grassroots campaign in Isernia that got her elected and then nominated Deputy Mayor. Former Policy Leader Fellow for the School of Transnational Governance in Florence and Harvard Kennedy School of Government teaching fellow in “Leadership, Organizing, and Action,” Federica believes that politicians and political parties should fight for and bring about the change they envision by combining electoral politics and social activism to achieve a more just and sustainable society. Currently, she is working to bring this new model of leadership and politics to small and rural areas around her region, Molise, with the aim of scaling up this process in the future.

President Obama will be introduced by:

Sahra-Josephine is the co-founder and CEO at CanopyLAB, a Danish EdTech company founded in Copenhagen in 2015. CanopyLAB’s goal is to radically improve how people learn online. Today, the LAB connects nearly one million youth with more than 120 NGOs to provide thought-provoking content and skills-based training—focusing on sexual and reproductive rights, climate action, democracy, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and more.

Launched in 2020, Obama Leaders Europe builds upon the legacy of the Obamas and their deep commitment to the region, with a focus on shared values and ethical leadership. The six-month, non-residential program convenes dedicated changemakers virtually for interactive sessions designed to help them drive change by honing their leadership skills, building deep relationships with their peers, and engaging with thought leaders and members of the Obama Foundation network.

Over the past five years, the Obama Foundation has welcomed more than 800 young leaders across our core leadership programs, many of whom are on the front lines of strengthening their own democracies—driving rising social movements, addressing systemic gaps, working to increase institutional transparency, and empowering communities. At a time when democracy is under threat around the world, we need more than ever leaders who can bridge divides and build diverse coalitions to stand as examples of change that can be accomplished through democratic action. With cohorts in Europe, Africa, and the Asia Pacific, the program is designed to inspire, empower, and connect changemakers to accelerate positive and lasting change in their communities and throughout their region.

To learn more, visit  http://obama.org/programs/leaders.

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Contact: press@obama.org