The Commonwealth Secretariat, along with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, the Commonwealth Local Government Forum and the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, recently hosted an important talk called “Pathways to Democratic Resilience.” This event took place on 18 June 2026 at Marlborough House in London, which is the main office of the Commonwealth Secretariat. The seminar brought together different people, including diplomats, local government representatives, academics and experts on governance. They talked about the challenges that democratic systems are facing and looked at ways to make democracy stronger in all the countries what’re part of the Commonwealth.
This talk was part of the preparation for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting which will be held in Antigua and Barbuda in November 2026. Many countries around the world are dealing with problems like people not agreeing on things, false information and not trusting the government. So this event was an opportunity for people to discuss how democratic institutions can keep working well and include everyone.
The seminar had a group of speakers from many different backgrounds. One of them was Kevin Bentley, who’s a Councilor of Colchester City Council in the United Kingdom and a Board Member of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum. He talked about how important local governments are in keeping people interested in democracy and making sure that ordinary people’s voices are heard.
Professor Antenna Ifeanyi-Ajufo, who teaches Law and Technology at Leeds Beckett University, shared her thoughts on how technology’s affecting democracy. She said that technology can be both good and bad for democracy and that we need to stop information from spreading while also protecting people’s freedom and encouraging them to participate in civic activities.
Stefan Kossof, who is the Deputy Director for Democratic Governance at the United Kingdoms Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, also shared his thoughts on how to make democratic institutions stronger. He talked about initiatives that are designed to support governance, make the government accountable to the people and get citizens involved in the decision-making process.
The event was officially opened by Nancy Kanyago, who’s a Legal Adviser in the Rule of Law Section of the Commonwealth Secretariat, and John Virgoe, who is the Senior Director of the Governance and Peace Directorate. They both talked about the threats to democracy around the world and said that it is very important for countries to work together to protect democratic values. They also explained what the Commonwealth Secretariat is doing to help its member countries, including providing assistance, governance programs, election support and training.
One of the things about the seminar was a video message from UK Foreign Office Minister, Hon. Chris Elmore MP. In his message he said that the United Kingdom Government is committed to helping democracy become stronger around the world. He said that we need to have institutions get citizens involved and work together internationally to deal with new threats to democracy.
The talk showed that the Commonwealth is still committed to promoting democratic governance and the rule of law in all its 56 member states. By getting policymakers, academics and practitioners to discuss things, the event provided a chance for people to share their experiences, find the best ways to do things and work together to make democratic systems stronger.
As the Commonwealth gets ready for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda, talks like “Pathways to Resilience” will play a big role in shaping future policies and initiatives. The event showed how important it is to have democratic institutions to promote peace, stability, human rights and sustainable development, in all the countries of the Commonwealth. In the end, the talk reinforced the idea that democracy’s the best way to govern a country and that we all need to work together to make sure it stays strong in a world that is becoming more and more complex.
