The Conference Report of IYC26 is out!
8 September 2026
The Democracy Rainbow, as this year’s IYC26 report is aptly named, harkens to power through diversity and the essential need for a multitude of avenues through which to participate in the democratic machine.
Last week, 24 global youths representing 12 countries, South Korea, India, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Mongolia, Uganda, Afghanistan, China, Uzbekistan, Sweden, and Vietnam who are passionate about democracy and community, convened in Seoul, South Korea, for the International Youth Think Tank’s 8th International Youth Conference. Welcomed by the opening remarks of Ban Ki-moon, the cohort set to work.
Together they set about breaking down what democracy really is, what building blocks need protecting, and what tools are needed in order to do so. Drawing from their lived experiences, they identified patterns we see across national contexts that are currently threatening democratic practices and values. Next, through intense discussion, they set out to build solutions to tackle these challenges.
Outlining four main challenges, these themes drove the proposals that were brought forth: desired spaces, information, agency, and otherness. How can we design our physical public environments in a way that encourages democratic participation by creating a frictionless entry point and meeting people where they are? How can we equip youths who are growing up not only in the digital age but in the AI age with the media literacy skills they need while also demanding higher standards for how digital tools are used by those with influence? How can we give communities a real stake in the democratic process and provide pathways for the continual renewal of democratic processes? How can those who often lie at the margins of society systemically be given a platform and influence?
The 12 proposals set out in the report are both critical and optimistic, showcasing a range of policy proposals, local initiatives, and digital solutions to meet the needs of the moment.
Developed through multiple feedback rounds, the proposals were presented to an expert panel and livestreamed on the final day of the conference. In an age where old threats to democracy are taking on a new form and adapting to fester and grow alongside some of the greatest communal feats and technology-driven developments of our time, this is precisely what is needed: new democracy entrepreneurs who build for good.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) for hosting the conference. We are thankful for our partners, the Embassy of Sweden and Karl-Olof Andersson, Ambassador of Sweden to South Korea, and Sohee Yang and her colleagues at VALID and the Younan Movement. We also thank the Stena A. Olsson Foundation and Lindholmen Science Park for their continued support.
