Since 2017, Unlock, our annual two-day civic forum in Prague, has spotlighted emerging trends and inspiring stories at the intersection of activism, media, and technology. It serves as a space to exchange ideas and discover innovative ways to resist growing pressures.
“Dictators, with their networks of corrupt, authoritarian friends within democracies, want us to believe that democracy is somehow out of fashion — that the tide is on their side,” said the Prague Civil Society Centre’s Executive Director, Rostislav Valvoda.
“There was a time when you could feel overpowered, but that is not where we are now,” he argued, pointing to the inspiring examples of Ukraine, Moldova, and recently, Hungary, where pressure has mobilised democratic forces to build a brighter alternative.
This year’s Unlock forum brought together around 300 activists, journalists, content creators, tech innovators, and independent voices from some 30 countries across Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. They gathered to connect, share strategies, and prove that positive change is possible — no matter how challenging the conditions. This year’s edition, titled From Reaction to Action, explored how civil society can move beyond defensive responses and take back the initiative.
Among the highlights was a keynote by Arsen Kharatyan, founder of Armenia’s independent Aliq Media and a former adviser to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. With Armenia’s pivotal elections just days away, his remarks carried particular urgency. Kharatyan reflected on the unfinished work of the 2018 Velvet Revolution and the disinformation challenges that have accompanied Armenia’s democratic path. The elections and the hybrid pressures facing Armenian civil society were among the most hotly discussed topics of the forum.
Moldovan activist and influencer Nata Albot offered one of the forum’s most memorable and practical perspectives. “As an activist, you always hear: your voice doesn’t matter, nothing will change. Well, there is a cure for this sort of mentality,” she told participants. Drawing on her experience mobilising the Moldovan diaspora to achieve historic levels of voting engagement, she shared hard-won knowledge about how to sustain both motivation and impact: focus your energy and learn to say no, find your people because collective action creates bigger impact, and celebrate your wins because they fuel the long game.
Two days, dozens of keynote speeches and workshops, 300 remarkable people, and countless connections made — Unlock 2026 is over, but the energy, inspiration, and hope it generated will last far longer.
Unlock is co-financed by the European Union and supported by the government of Sweden.
