New Year’s speech by Zakia Elvang, We Do Democracy /
A year ago, we stood together here at Democracy Garage at the start of another fateful year and said: Phew, what a year. Now it has to get better. But here at the start of 2026, I think we have to realize that it probably won’t be a better year. It’s going to get a lot harder before it might get better. And the positive changes won’t come on their own.
Those who profit most from the problems we face today are not the ones who will solve them. We have learned to look up to governments, school principals, CEOs and people with institutional power.
But historically, radical change has almost always come from the margins. Maybe because they have the least to lose and the most to gain. Maybe because they haven’t been blinded by power. Maybe because more people can do more. And because the best solutions are those owned by those who have to live with them.
Human rights movements. The women’s movement. The labor movement. Resistance fighters. Anti-apartheid. We could go on and on. That’s where the fence posts have been moved and new directions and values have been set.
Perhaps even today we must look to the margins to find contemporary leadership in a world that has lost leadership. We follow with trembling hearts the struggle in Iran. The Palestinian struggle for survival. But we also see Zohran Mamdani winning in New York – not by pleasing billionaires, but by speaking on behalf of ordinary people. The youth of Nepal, who took to the streets when the government wanted to restrict freedom of speech and shut down 25 social media sites – and through Discord elected a brand new head of government.
In Denmark, I find hope in the evergreen youth movement that fights to stop new oil drilling fields and publishes manifestos on sustainable construction. The Youth Climate Council that refuses to be “the future” and insists on being a resource in the present. Local green neighborhood communities building from below, in the Northwest with our own Renten Transition Street – bringing us together again and again and inspiring action. The city’s international citizens shaking up municipal elections by insisting on taking part, voting and taking responsibility. Entrepreneurs building solutions for everything from coffee grounds to affordable housing. I could go on and on.
The most hopeful things I encounter are found in the margins. In the hyperlocal. In the collectively driven. In entrepreneurs. People who don’t ask: Is it realistic? But: What is necessary?
Leadership is about energy. About momentum. About stimulating the belief that we can do something bigger – together. The global crisis – with the crazy orange guy with long fingers – is just one of many situations that call for leadership.
I miss leadership that does away with the arrogance of the Danish colonial era. Why isn’t anyone listening to what the Greenlandic people want? We must not rearm and mobilize for war. We must hold on to each other – in the Nordic region and in the Danish Realm. In what we are. In the Nordic region, we believe in dialog, in cooperation, we believe in the joy of life and that everyone wins when no one loses.
As we looked away, the big questions grew: Planet survival. Global inequality. Unregulated tech capitalism. We won’t get anywhere without strong democracies. And we’ve neglected to develop them for far too long.
Here at Democracy Garage, we believe that a better democratic future is possible. A future where we – activate the margins, ensure real representation, build new models for the development of society – with people at the center and the citizen as a resource – rather than a risk to be managed alone.
In We Do Democracy we have developed a manifesto for a better democratic future based on the liberal values of freedom and will soon be launched Here is a sneak peek at our 10 principles in a “Manifesto for a better democratic future”
Move away from democracy as a spectator sport and give everyone the right to participate
Create opportunities for more people to experience both being represented and representing others
Counteract closed decision-making processes with radical transparency
Create a framework for increased quality of life through equal access to shared decisions
Exercise the democratic muscles of society at all levels
Activate the collective intelligence of society
Give voice to everyone – even those without a voice
Seek solutions locally to provide answers globally
Build the future on a shared imagination and joy of creation
We will never finish renewing democracy
Democracy Garage is created with the intention of creating a place where the forces concerned with the state of democracy meet – so that together we can help move it in a better direction.
It’s not an intention we’ve achieved – there are many things we dream of doing, many players we want to bring together. But we are here. A solid core of people – all doing what we can in the margins. We envision a better democratic future. Some of the most beautiful things happen when we draw inspiration from art and culture – and with diligence, education and imagination dare to build the new.
The New Year’s speech was delivered at this year’s New Year’s Shed 2026 in the Democracy Garage