Democratic Innovators of the 21st Century
Politicians' Hall of Fame
The Award
In collaboration with the Democracy and Culture Foundation, The Apolitical Foundation proudly presents the inaugural recipients of the "Democratic Innovators of the 21st Century" Politicians' Hall of Fame. This prestigious award celebrates remarkable women and men who have dedicated their lives to advancing democracy around the world.
The Recipients
In an era marked by change, uncertainty, complexity, challenges, and threats to democracy, these visionary leaders have shown us that democracy is not a static concept but a dynamic force that can be adapted and revitalized. These are women and men who have reimagined political systems, who have introduced technology to amplify voices, who have fostered inclusivity in traditionally exclusive spaces, and who have tirelessly advocated for transparency and accountability.
The Legacy
Their collective work has brought us closer to the ideal of a democracy that truly serves its people and puts them at the heart of developing better policies for citizens and the planet —a democracy that is not just a promise but a daily reality and an inclusive mechanism. Their accomplishments remind us that the power to shape the future lies not only with leaders but with each and every citizen.
Partner
2024
Choi Ho-Jeong
Chairwoman of the Seoul Metropolitan Council
South Korea
For redefining the political space to include gender inclusivity in decision-making processes.
Choi Ho-Jeong made history as the first female chairperson of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, breaking new ground in a political landscape traditionally dominated by men. Her leadership challenges norms and ensures that women's voices are heard and valued in the decision-making process. Choi's work to diversify political representation in Seoul is redefining what inclusive governance looks like, inspiring future generations of women leaders and setting a powerful example of how gender inclusivity can reshape political spaces and strengthen democracy.
2024
Graham Allen
Democratic Reformer and Former Member of Parliament
United Kingdom
For his networking and organizing with colleagues inside and outside of the UK Parliament to renew democracy.
Graham Allen has dedicated over 30 years to modernizing UK democracy. In Parliament, he helped establish the Political and Constitutional Reform Select Committee, driving cross-party efforts on devolution, local government independence, voter engagement, and drafting the UK’s first written constitution. Outside parliament, he launched the Citizens Convention on UK Democracy to engage millions of citizens in deliberative processes. Globally, he co-created the Summit for Democracy’s Cohort on Deliberative Democracy and Citizens’ Assemblies, advocating for initiatives like a global Citizens’ Assembly and a "Marshall Plan" for deliberative democracy.
2024
Aaron Violi
Member of the Australian House of Representatives for Casey
Australia
For his use of deliberative democracy to strengthen social cohesion through a shared vision for the future of the community.
Aaron Violi has introduced groundbreaking deliberative processes to ensure that his constituents in Casey, Australia, are actively involved in shaping national policies. In 2023, he convened randomly selected community members to deliberate on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, helping to guide his vote on this crucial issue. Violi is now asking his community what they want their shared future to look like in 10 years, bringing together isolated groups to foster partnerships and collaboration. By uniting diverse voices around a common vision, he is building a more connected, resilient community where people work together to shape their collective future. Violi’s work demonstrates how citizen participation can drive political decisions and strengthen social bonds.
2024
Stewart M. Madzayo and Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot
Majority and Minority Leaders of the Kenyan Senate
Kenya
For advancing democratic engagement and transparency between the national and county levels of government.
As Majority and Minority Leaders of the Kenyan Senate, Stewart M. Madzayo and Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot have been at the forefront of increasing transparency and collaboration between national and county governments. Their leadership in initiatives such as Senate Mashinani, where Senate sittings are held in local counties, has strengthened public engagement with the legislative process. By bringing the Senate to rural areas like Turkana County, they have amplified citizen voices in shaping transparent legislation on issues such as insecurity, education, and food security, fostering a more participatory democracy at all levels of government.
2024
Carlos Fernando Galán
Mayor of Bogotá
Colombia
For his leadership in pioneering deliberative democracy in Latin America.
Carlos Fernando Galán, as the president of the Bogotá City Council in 2020, played a key role in launching the Itinerant Citizens’ Assembly (ICA), the first of its kind in Latin America. Under his leadership, the assembly became a model for deliberative democracy, recognized by the OECD as one of eight global models for institutionalizing deliberative processes. Now as the Mayor of Bogotá, Galán is implementing a groundbreaking program using civic sortition and deliberative cycles to engage citizens in high-quality deliberation on public issues. His program is the largest of its kind in Latin America and has placed Bogotá on the map as a global leader in democratic innovation.
2023
Kate Chaney
Member of the Australian House of Representatives for Curtin
Australia
For her role in championing both community engagement and integrity in politics.
Elected to the Australian House of Representatives in 2022, Chaney was one of a number of Community Independent candidates to take office. Chaney is a powerful advocate of the methodology of “kitchen table conversations” that were at the heart of many of these campaigns. These distributed citizen-led conversations surface locally important issues and engage more and more diverse people in the political process. Chaney has continued to champion these methods in the policies she advocates for in parliament, including her work on the Restoring Trust Bill.
2023
Matúš Vallo
Mayor of Bratislava
Slovakia
For making political engagement joyful and desirable through initiatives such as Camp Bratislava.
Elected Mayor of Bratislava in 2018, Vallo has brought his background as an architect and specialist in urban planning to bear on his mayoralty, arguing that “If you design better public spaces, you change the relationship residents have with a city, but also with each other.” His commitment to changing relationships has led him to pioneer new and creative approaches to citizen engagement, including Camp Bratislava, a four-day festival for the new generation, based on the idea that positive changes can only happen if young people feel a strong connection to their cities and engage with their environment.
2023
Carlo Angeles
Former Metropolitan City Councillor of the Government of Lima
Peru
For his role as a champion of citizen participation, especially among youth.
Carlo Angeles has successfully advocated and pioneered the implementation of participation mechanisms for decision making at national and local level, ensuring that citizen voices are not just heard but are central to decision-making processes - especially engaging young people in the implementation and review of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in Lima.
2023
Ximena Peredo
Secretary of Citizen Participation, State Government of Nuevo Leon
Mexico
For creating new institutions to embed citizen participation.
Peredo created the first Ministry of Citizen Participation in Nuevo León, and is working to mainstream participation and people’s incidence in public policy. By building capabilities in the public service and establishing legal participation foundations in the state she’s guiding a team of public innovators to guarantee the right conditions for the people to impact any public decision making.
2023
Mick Cornett
Former Mayor of Oklahoma City
USA
For his role as the “million pound mayor.”
Cornett led a transformative and highly participatory public health campaign in the city of Oklahoma, which all started when he himself was diagnosed as obese - but at the same discovered that his city had one of the highest rates of obesity in America. Instead of simply going on a diet himself and seeking to pass laws, he positioned himself as a peer facing the same challenges - and set the whole city the challenge of losing a million pounds in weight together. This led to a wave of ideas and energy not only from individual citizens but also businesses, and even to a significant majority vote at referendum for a new sales tax with the revenue hypothecated to investment in healthy infrastructure.
2023
Magali Plovie
Former President of Brussels Francophone Parliament, Belgium
Brussels
For her role in creating the model of deliberative committees.
In her role as President of the Francophone Parliament of Brussels from 2019-2023, Plovie was a consistent innovator in citizen engagement. This included the creation of the model of deliberative committees. If enough citizens sign a petition on any given issue, this triggers the creation of a committee, made up of 15 elected representatives from the parliament and 45 randomly selected citizens, who then conduct an inquiry into the issue in question together. This innovative model is already shifting the relationship between citizens and politicians in the city.
2023
Naheed Nenshi
Former Mayor of Calgary
Canada
For initiating the 3 Things For Calgary campaign.
The 3 Things for Calgary campaign is an invocation to every citizen to do three things for their city, and share them with one another. By carrying around a big green foam ‘3’ with him wherever he went, Nenshi created a 21st century, Facebook-friendly, meme version of JFK’s famous invocation: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” The campaign was not about preaching or requiring action; rather, it was about celebrating what people were already doing for each other, for their communities, and for the city as a whole, but maybe keeping to themselves - giving them permission and validation both to shout about it and to do just a little bit more.
2023
Joan Burton
Former Minister of Social Protection
Ireland
For being Instrumental in the adoption of Citizens Assembly in Ireland.
Joan Burton played a key role alongside politicians of other parties in championing the establishment of a Citizens Assembly as a means of addressing constitutional issues including the country's longstanding ban on access to abortion.
The resulting Assembly brought together 99 randomly selected Irish citizens to learn, deliberate and make recommendations for constitutional change on the issue of abortion over the course of 5 weekends over a period of 5 months; recommendations which were then enacted after approval by a significant majority at a national referendum in 2018. The Irish Citizens' Assembly has since gone on to address multiple other issues including gender equality and biodiversity, and has become established as an ongoing feature of Irish democracy. It is widely regarded as a world-leading case study in democratic innovation.
2023
Audrey Tang
Minister of Digital Affairs
Taiwan
For pioneering participatory democracy in the digital age.
Audrey Tang has become arguably the world’s most prominent pioneer of digital democracy since becoming a Minister in the Taiwanese government in 2016. Under Tang’s leadership, Taiwan has established and sustained high participation in its policy crowdsourcing platform vTaiwan, finding resolution to many divisive issues such as the regulation of tech platforms in the process, and established a successful annual ritual of Presidential Hackathons. Tang’s role in Taiwan’s highly successful “Fast Fun Fair” Covid response and in ongoing explorations of the governance of Artificial Intelligence have also been vital.
2023
Graça Fonseca
Former Minister of Culture
Portugal
For leading the creation of the world’s first nation-scale participatory budgeting process.
Participatory budgeting is a process which allows citizens both to propose ideas and then vote directly on the allocation of budget to them. Originating in Porto Allegre, Brazil, in the late 1980s, it has spread around the world. When Graca Fonseca became a Minister in Portugal in 2015, she initiated the process to create the world’s first nation scale process.