Our Coalition Partner, Faith in Democracy has launched a new pilot programme supporting faith-rooted democracy actors at a moment o heightened democratic risk and responsibility. Worldwide, and especially in Hungary, religious nationalism and the religious right have become key drivers of democratic backsliding. Religious language is increasingly used to legitimise exclusion, weaken democratic institutions, and polarise society.
The Faith in Democracy Leadership Accelerator Hungary is for people in Hungary who are rooted in faith, values, or faith communities and who want to engage publicly, responsibly, and visibly for democracy, the rule of law, and the common good. It is designed for aspiring, emerging, and established actors, working online, offline, or across both, in public or behind the scenes, including faith and community actors, such as clergy, lay leaders, and community organisers, civil-society and public-facing actors, including activists, journalists, educators, organisers, and NGO professionals, digital and cultural actors, such as online activists, creators, influencers, and media practitioners, and participants may work within religious institutions or engage faith more informally through values, language, and communities as part of their civic or public engagement.
A limited number of small scholarships will be available to support participants in dedicating time to their civic and community work. The programme is strictly non-partisan. It does not support political parties or candidates. It is grounded in the conviction that people of faith have both a responsibility and a distinctive role in standing up for democracy. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. The application deadline is 7 February 2026.