HDRI at the 2026 OECD Global Forum on Building Trust and Reinforcing Democracy

6 days ago

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Paris, 12–13 October 2026

The Human Development Research Initiative (HDRI) took part in the 2026 OECD Global Forum on Building Trust and Reinforcing Democracy, held at the OECD Conference Centre in Paris on 12 and 13 October.

This year’s Forum, titled “Government Unstuck: Resilient Democracies in a Fast-Changing World,” brought together policymakers, experts and civil society to explore how democratic governments can transform the way they work. Discussions built on the OECD’s Government Unstuck agenda, which looks at how institutions can act quickly and deliver tangible results while keeping societies stable and democratic institutions strong. A complementary strand focused on the role governments play in nurturing the democratic resilience of society as a whole.

The Forum’s starting point resonated strongly with HDRI’s mission. Findings from the OECD Trust Survey show that low trust in government is driven largely by people’s feeling that they have no voice in decision-making, and by the sense that long-term policy commitments rarely translate into real change. For young people, this gap is often felt most sharply, and closing it sits at the heart of HDRI’s work on youth civic participation and democratic governance.

Over the two days, the HDRI team followed discussions on rebuilding trust, strengthening citizen participation and making public institutions more responsive. The team also connected with representatives of governments, international organisations and fellow civil society actors working towards the same goal: democracies that listen, include and deliver.

“Trust in democracy is not something institutions can simply ask for. It is built when people, and especially young people, are given a real role in shaping the decisions that affect their lives,” said Gurgen Petrosyan, President of HDRI. “We leave the Forum with new ideas, new partners and a clear sense that youth participation must be part of how governments become unstuck.”

The insights gathered in Paris will feed directly into HDRI’s ongoing programmes, including Youth-Led Monitoring for a Resilient Digital France (YLM-RDF), our flagship initiative empowering young people to take an active role in shaping a fair and accountable digital space.

HDRI thanks the OECD Public Governance Directorate and all speakers and participants for two days of rich and inspiring exchange.

Session replays and resources from the Forum are available on the OECD Global Forum website.