In what felt like a big gathering of friends gearing up for justice, the #LCN Team and some of our community members attended the People Power Conference hosted by ActionAid Denmark in Copenhagen on April 8-10, 2025. Activists, community leaders, and other actors joined forces to answer a critical question: How can we come together to support social movements that lead the charge for just peace from below?
We walked through the city, exploring together its history of activism, multiculturalism, and political and social challenges. We had meaningful experiences together, sharing meals and engaging in a mix of heartfelt conversations and intense discussions accompanied by laughs and tears. We left with rich learnings about people’s struggles globally—from Indigenous resistance against land grabs in the Philippines and Mexico to post-revolution power building in Sudan and Bangladesh, to the frontline battle against imperial colonialism in Palestine. Everyone left with a heightened sense of solidarity and responsibility to act.
Leading Change Network was honoured to host a session on Day 3 of the conference (April 10, 2025) titled “Real-time coaching to boost your campaign” where participants were introduced the five core leadership practices of the People, Power, Change framework, took time to reflect on their campaigns, and got a chance to experience live coaching on leadership challenges from our experienced coaches.
After the session, Ansam, one of the people who received live coaching on amending marriage laws and regulations in Iraq to ensure a fair contractual process for all the parties involved, shared her feedback with our team.
“The session was smooth and clear. The role-play (fishbowl) scenario brought the coaching to life in a way no lecture could. The session taught me the importance of having a clear and systematic vision. The coaches were amazing—respectful, focused, and always to the point.”
– Ansam, session participant.
Participants’ eagerness about the People, Power, Change framework, our meaningful interactions across various conference panels, and the relationships we built across geographies and struggles have reaffirmed both our commitment to and the need for organized people power globally.
The struggle continues. Let’s build power, together.
