We are living in times of collapse, crisis, and confusion. Many of us feel paralyzed by despair about what is happening in the world—a despair that often immobilizes us and feels impossible to overcome. This stems from the layered crises we face: ecocide, the climate emergency, multiple genocides, and the rise of the political far-right. Polarization is increasing, alongside the misuse and manipulation of media and artificial intelligence, and the erosion of citizen agency. Even democracy is in crisis with many questioning its relevance, or whether it is functioning at all.

To take meaningful action, we must reconnect with hope. We must recognize the incredible creativity and perseverance of those who refuse to surrender to despair—people who invite us to honor the beauty of diverse perspectives, find meaning in our shared humanity, and come together to navigate even the darkest moments.

Amid growing cracks in our systems, collectives and communities are rising in response, standing up for diversity and embracing the unique gifts carried by different identities. Diverse voices are growing louder: women’s movements, Indigenous people defending ecosystems, anti-racism conversations confronting institutionalized injustice, and testimonies of those who have endured long-term oppression and occupation.

Beyond the human sphere, the non-human world is increasingly recognized not just as a set of resources for consumption but as an intelligent force offering guidance as we face these overlapping crises.

The juxtaposition of despair and hope, of crisis and potential, challenges us to move beyond binaries. In doing so, we open the door to co-creating systems that are not only resilient but also regenerative and just. What more could our societies become, and how might we reimagine democracy in practice?

This training invites you to explore this essential question. It calls for societal innovation where democracy transcends outdated paradigms of representation and corporate lobbying to give rise to new forms—participatory, polycentric, ecological, and intersectional. It is a call to shift toward new narratives, in response to a democracy in crisis.