European Gathering | London

What is on the agenda?

Whether we look at the economy, democracy, climate, or technology – in the UK, Europe, and globally – our systems are under enormous strain, and we are at the brink of something new. In this moment of transition, where do we look for courageous leadership? What is the role of philanthropy, of investing for impact, of purposeful business, of communities like Forward Global?

The European Gathering will dive into these questions, and will be split into three parts. Please arrive by 9:45am, ready for a prompt start at 10:15am.

Part 1 (10:15am-11:40am): The Big Picture – guided by Jo Swinson (former leader of the Liberal Democrat Party, and current Director of Partners for a New Economy), we take stock of the various transitions we are living through, in climate, the economy, AI, democracy, and more. We discuss the leadership needed to move towards a more just, sustainable, thriving world.

Break (11:40am-12:00pm) – we split into working groups, focused around one of these transitions, to explore the strategic opportunities for engagement, and where we might be able to support.

Part 2 (12pm-1pm): Working Groups – we split into five working groups, focused around one of these transitions. Guided by our expert leads, we discuss the most strategic opportunities for funders and impact investors to engage. The working groups include:

• Accelerating a transition to a New Economy: led by Jo Swinson (Director, Partners for a New Economy)
• Changing finance for the planet: led by Catherine Howarth (CEO, Share Action) and Johannes Lundershausen (Lead Knowledge and Advisory, Active Philanthropy)
• Building a healthy, democratic Information Environment: led by William Perrin (Forward Global member) and Sameer Padania (Independent Research and Consultant)
• Nurturing new systems times of collapse: Led by Stephanie Brobbey (Founder and Chief Executive of Good Ancestor Movement) and Immy Kaur (Co-Founder and Director of Civic Square)

Lunch (1-2pm)

Part 3 (2-3:30pm): Community Connections – after lunch, we reconnect in a member-only space, share experiences, troubleshoot problems, and support one another with next steps.

Building towards our 2026 Global Summit in Whistler, the European Gathering will have the theme “Collective Courage“. The Gathering will seed conversations that we will continue into the Summit and elsewhere, helping us combine learning with action, and diving into the values that drive us forward. 

Please note that the day after the Gathering, we will lead a site visit to Civic Square, a community-led organization in Birmingham, to see what these transitions can look like on the ground.