Ateneo Human Rights Center Executive Director, Atty. Nicolene Arcaina, and Communications Director, RJ Sangcap, participated in the 2025 Athens Democracy Forum in Athens, Greece.

Atty. Arcaina, a finalist for the Kofi Annan Democracy Prize, attended the awarding ceremonies last night. The award, organized by the Kofi Annan Foundation and the Democracy & Culture Foundation, honors young leaders worldwide who advance and defend democracy.

Atty. Arcaina was recognized for her work in providing legal assistance to victims of the Philippines’ war on drugs and advancing human rights education to protect vulnerable communities.

This year’s prize went to Julián David Rodríguez Sastoque, a city councilor from Bogotá, Colombia, for his civic and peacebuilding initiatives.

Atty. Arcaina also served as one of the jurors in the Opening Debate, moderated by New York Times President Stephen Dunbar-Johnson, held at the Olympia City Music Theatre in Athens.

During the three-day engagement, Atty. Arcaina and Mr. Sangcap engaged with various global civil society organizations during the CSO Showcase, fostering connections and exploring opportunities for potential collaboration.

The main theme of the forum focuses on new visions for hard realities in light of the current global state of democracy. Discussions include the role of artificial intelligence, ethics, and their impact on democracy. The forum runs from September 30 to October 3, 2025.