Across the world, civic space is under attack—from digital surveillance and legal repression to the silencing of activists and shrinking public participation. Yet from the margins to the mainstream, people are rising to defend the freedoms that make possible democracy, human rights, and justice.

When civic space is protected, communities thrive. It enables people to come together—through community associations, farmers' groups and cooperatives, human rights organizations, networks of health and education professionals, climate champions and countless others working for a better world. The freedoms to gather, speak up, and organize are not abstract ideals—they are what make it possible to improve lives, deliver essential services, defend rights, and build a more just and sustainable future.

The Ottawa Civic Space Summit is a new global platform to resist repression, reclaim civic power, and reimagine a more inclusive democratic future. This bold gathering will bring together civil society leaders, civic space activists, governments, donors, media, academics, and private sector allies to ignite hope and drive change.

Learn more here