During four intense days twenty-four conference participants and four facilitators, me included, carried out the 7th annual IYTT youth conference in Washington DC, USA. The participants come from fourteen different countries and four different continents and attend post-secondary education in the USA. Graciously hosted on the top floor at the McCourt School of Public Policy, Georgetown University, located downtown DC, we worked in the eye of Capitolium. Today, 33 days after the conference ended, I have the unique honor to present the conference proceedings and report, with the following heading – Preserving democracy in the rise of authoritarianism. Choosing to be communal to govern together. While the main heading signals determination in the face of dramatic seriousness, the subheading indicates a subtle but sharp-minded people-centered democratic ethos. I am immensely impressed by the conference participants’ ability to keep a cool head in the face of today’s loud and violence-prone political landscape. I am moved and overwhelmed by their empathetic ability to specify the fundamental human conditions that must characterize a society if it is to offer a fertile basis for democracy.

This cheerful news post of an amazing democracy promoting achievement by good-hearten youth comes with a sharp edge of sadness: referring to ongoing attacks against individuals who exercise their freedom of speech, especially educated young adults, by speaking out on the political status quo, the twenty-four conference participants made a joint decision to omit their names from the conference proceedings and report. It is shameful and incredibly frightening that young, responsible and innovative people should have to feel vulnerable and threatened simply because they want to do good for their fellow human beings and create a brighter future.

Dear reader of this news post, I encourage you to get upset over the fact that young and good-hearten people like my twenty-four gracious conference participants are scared numb. But trust me when I say that no dark forces whatsoever will in the long run be capable of silencing and taking down brilliant youth. And inspire from the twelve empathetic and innovative democracy-enhancing policy proposals, which altogether are tending the civic roots of democracy. Read a short version of the proposals in the conference proceedings, and a fuller account in the conference report.

It has been an amazing experience to pull off our first IYTT youth conference in the USA. This had been unthinkable if it hadn’t been for the great generosity by McCourt School of Public Policy, Georgetown University, to host the conference,  the graciously supportive grant to the IYTT from Sten A Olsson Foundation, co-sponsoring to the conference from Angus Advisory Group, invaluable inspiring contributions by many invited speakers and commentators, the many helpful organizations and individuals who shared the conference call, and the three amazing persons who facilitated the conference together with me.

I extend my warmest thanks to you the twenty-four amazingly brilliant and good-hearten conference participants! Very welcome as the 2025 Youth Fellows cohort. I look much forward to change the world together with you!

Urban Strandberg, Director & Co-founder, IYTT