Date: February 24, 2025
Event Time: 9:00AM – 1:00PM CST
Panel Time: 10:00AM – 11:30AM CST
Location: Taipei International Convention Center, Room 201B
Hosted by The Global Democracy Coalition, with inspiration from Political Watch
Event Background
The digital era has fundamentally transformed how people engage with ideas, values, and civic participation. Social media, gaming, and artificial intelligence (AI) have created new ways to reach and influence audiences, particularly younger generations. However, these tools have also been used to spread disinformation, deepen polarization, and weaken trust in democratic institutions. To counteract these negative trends, it is essential to rethink how we communicate and engage—focusing on hope-driven narratives that inspire, empower, and activate individuals without relying solely on traditional democratic rhetoric.
Rather than simply defending democracy, we must redefine how democratic values are communicated—through emotional storytelling, digital engagement, and creative formats such as gamification. The #ThankYouDemocracy campaign has demonstrated the power of positive narratives, using storytelling to showcase the impact of democratic values in people’s lives. This side event will explore how we can leverage technology, social media, and innovative communication strategies to create compelling narratives that resonate with diverse audiences and drive meaningful social change.
Objectives
This event aims to highlight the critical role of positive narratives in reinforcing democratic values and countering disinformation. Through discussions on successful digital storytelling approaches—such as gaming, AI-driven engagement, and social media influencers—participants will reflect on effective ways to reach new audiences. The event will also provide a space for dialogue on how civic organizations can adopt strategic communication techniques to connect with people emotionally and inspire action.
Panel Agenda
| Time and Title | Details |
| 10:00AM – 10:15AM: Opening remarks | Framing the discussion on the need for new communication strategies in the digital era. |
| 10:15AM – 11:15AM: Panel discussion | Introductions from panelists on their organizations and work followed by insights from experts in digital storytelling, social media, gamification, and strategic communication on engaging audiences beyond traditional democratic advocacy. |
| 11:15AM – 11:30AM: Q&A and Closing reflections and next steps | Time allocated for additional audience questions and a call to action on how democracy organizations can incorporate innovative narrative-building approaches into their work. |
Please note that this event is in-person only. We look forward to seeing you there!
Registration Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScLEKs0DHbS-WuiGsej1kn-YmhVP73ar6SCskbj8UKrli4dEw/viewform?usp=header
Moderator
Dr. James Gomez
Regional Director at Asia Centre
Dr James Gomez is the Regional Director of Asia Centre. He is a highly qualified communications expert with over 30 years of international experience working for international NGOs, intergovernmental organisations, public and private universities, research institutes and think tanks. At Asia Centre, he is leading the efforts to make the Centre and its programming AI-ready and ensure its projects consider the impact of other technological developments. Specific initiatives undertaken by Dr Gomez include: digital transformation project to integrate AI tools into the Centre’s operations; policy research to help political parties track and positively influence AI legislation; addressing implications of technological developments for digital security; and planning for Asia Centre’s 2025 conference “AI and Governance in Asia: Civil Society, Democracy and Media,” scheduled for 20-22 August 2025.
Panelists
Sebastian Becker Castellaro
Associate Programme Officer – Digitalization & Democracy at International IDEA
Sebastian Becker Castellaro is an Associate Programme Officer of the Digitalization and Democracy programme. His work focuses on the impact of technology in democracies worldwide, providing research, policy analysis, and project support.
Prior to joining IDEA, Sebastian worked in several human rights organisations in both Latin America and Europe, such as Derechos Digitales, the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) and European Digital Rights (EDRi). He has experience covering platform regulation and policies related to disinformation and surveillance advertising in Europe. Furthermore, he has researched different fields such as surveillance in the digital age, cybercrimes and online hate speech.
Shannon van Wyk-Khosa
Digital Portfolio Manager at Afrobarometer
Shannon is a Digital Communications Strategist specialising in socio-political communications. She started her career in the Advertising Industry before moving into the Social Impact Sector where she has worked in behaviour change communications and now occupies the role of Afrobarometer’s Digital Portfolio
Manager.
Shannon holds an undergraduate degree in Film and Media specialising in Online Media Production from the University of Cape Town and a postgraduate degree in Strategic Communications from Vega School. She’s currently completing a Master of Philosophy in Inclusive Innovation at the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business (UCT GSB). Her research focuses on the impact of Digital Democracy in governance processes and the role that digital tools play in extending democratic processes in society.
In 2020 Shannon was awarded the Bertha Scholarship by The Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the UCT Graduate School of Business. In the following year, Shannon was selected as a member of the 2021, Futurelect cohort (formerly the Apolitical Academy Southern Africa) and graduated from the programme as a Public Service Fellow.
Natalia Carfi
Executive Director of Open Data Charter
Natalia has been the Executive Director of the Open Data Charter since 2021, after first working as their Deputy Director since 2018. Natalia is the former Open Government Director for the Undersecretary of Public Innovation and Open Government of Argentina where she led the work with the Open Government Partnership and the Argentinian provinces. She was the Open Government coordinator for the Digital Division of the Government of Chile (2014-2015) and for the City of Buenos Aires (2015).
She is part of the Open Data Leaders Network and the Academic Committee of the International Open Data Conference. Since October 2022, she has been a part of the Open Government Partnership Steering Committee. She was appointed as a Board Member for the UNCAC Coalition in 2024.
She currently teaches Digital Government and Access to Information at Di Tella University.
Narayan Adhikari
Country Director – Nepal at Accountability Lab
Narayan studied forestry, but rejected a post as a Forest Ranger when he realized the corrupt nature of the Nepalese bureaucracy. Instead, he joined a youth movement and environmental group to teach rural communities how to use renewable energy for sustainable livelihoods, and worked as the Executive Director of Youth Initiative in Nepal. After ten years in the development sector, Narayan concluded that the key to development is accountability, and he helped set up and lead the Global Youth Anti-Corruption Network (GYAC). His desire and commitment to encourage new ideas for building accountability led him to join the Accountability Lab, register it as a local Nepali organization, and work to expand it to other countries in the region. Narayan was recently honored as an Atlas Corps Think Tank Fellow in Washington DC. He is a graduate of Stanford Business School’s Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders and the International Anti-Corruption Academy, and one of Asia Society’s Asia 21 Young Leaders.