Join us for an inspiring and urgent session with Degan Ali, an internationally renowned humanitarian leader who has dedicated her life to turning development cooperation into something that empowers, not controls.

As Executive Director of Adeso and co-founder of NEAR (the Network for Empowered Aid Response), Degan has been at the forefront of rethinking how development cooperation, funding, and decision-making power flow - especially to communities, governments, and local civil society in the Global South. Degan Ali was also a driving force in establishing Pledge For Change - a coalition to re-imagine the role of INGOs. Pledge for Change brings together 12 of the biggest INGOs worldwide to push for more equitable partnerships, authentic storytelling and influencing wider change based on the principles of solidarity, humility, self-determination, and equality.

In this talk, Degan will dive into two core themes:

• Shifting Power to Local Leadership - how communities and local civil society can and should drive decisions, resources, and accountability.
• Rethinking global development cooperation - challenging vertical and colonial legacies in aid; demanding flexibility, trust, and resources without strings; and making sure that local actors are not just implementers but leaders.

Expect a mix of sharp critique, concrete examples, and practical ideas: how aid can be delivered with dignity; and how we can hold institutions accountable; and what it really means to dismantle systems of dependency - and not just speak about it.