In the latest episode of the Heja Framtiden podcast, Paul Alarcón Alanes, Executive Director of the Daniel Sachs Foundation, shares his inspiring journey of creating impact and driving social change. In conversation with journalist Christian von Essen, Paul reflects on the foundation’s strategy and vision, the wellsprings of hope that sustain him in challenging times, and his approach to making meaningful, lasting change in the world.

Listen to the full episode here: hejaframtiden.se/heja-framtiden-podcast-569-paul-alarcon

On November 20, our leadership joined public leaders, academics, and investors in London for a landmark occasion—the first-ever Apolitical Day. The event brought together a diverse community for a day of inspiring conversations, thought-provoking keynotes, and engaging simulations, all focused on reimagining political leadership and government for the 21st century.

As co-founders of the Apolitical Foundation and investors in Apolitical, we’ve been privileged to support this journey from the very start. Together, we’ve worked to build a non-partisan movement to revitalize political leadership, and in the case of Apolitical, foster 21st-century governments that serve both people and the planet. None of which would have been possible without the visionary leadership of Lisa Witter, Robyn Scott, and their outstanding teams.

Highlights of the day included discussions on the role of emerging technologies in government, reflections on public leadership, and Apolitical’s signature simulations. We were especially excited to celebrate the winners of the first-ever Political Leadership Impact Award—Elect Her and Recambio—for their exceptional contributions to the renewal of political leadership.

We are already looking forward to the next Apolitical Day and the continued evolution of this vital movement.

In the wake of the US Presidential election, Paul Alarcon and Daniel Sachs published an op-ed in Dagens Nyheter, Sweden’s leading daily newspaper. In the piece, they urge established political parties to address voters’ demands for renewal by reimagining leadership, rebuilding trust between politicians and citizens, and developing policy programs grounded in strong ideological principles.

Read the full article here.

In a recent ed-op for POLITICO Europe, DSF founder Daniel Sachs emphasizes the need for mainstream political parties to embrace radical centrism instead of mimicking populist extremes. He shares three crucial takeaways that every centrist party should heed:

1. Desire for change, not extreme policies, fuels populism

The surge in nationalist populist parties across Europe is a cry for change, driven by widespread disillusionment with traditional politics. New polling reveals that voters are flocking to populist parties not out of conviction for their policies, but due to a deep-seated mistrust in established political parties.

2.Centrist parties must rethink their strategy

In a misguided attempt to reclaim voters, centrist parties risk a race to the bottom by imitating populist extremes. This strategy distracts from their true mission: crafting and promoting bold, ambitious centrist policies that resonate with the electorate’s real needs and aspirations.

3.Radical institutional renewal is crucial

The future of democratic politics depends on a radical centrist approach where parties from the center-left to the center-right earn back voter trust. Mainstream democratic parties must go beyond merely opposing extremist agendas. They need bold, fresh leadership and meaningful citizen dialogue to develop new ideas that address voters’ priorities, such as cost of living, healthcare, and economic opportunities.

 

 

Recently, DSF founder Daniel Sachs was featured in Sweden’s leading business publication, DI Weekend. In this in-depth interview, Daniel opens up about his personal journey in business and his commitment to renewing democracy. Whether in business or philanthropy, Daniel seeks out the overlooked challenges in society—those blank spots where action is needed, but often missing.

“At first glance, the fight for democracy and film production might not seem to align with a financial firm located at Stockholm’s capitalist epicenter, Stureplan. Yet, Daniel Sachs views them all as blank spaces in society, and he considers it his life’s mission to fill them with color.

‘I focus on areas where I perceive significant needs, but see too little engagement’ he says.”

 

Read the article in full here:
https://www.di.se/nyheter/naringslivet-tar-demokratin-for-given/

The graduation of 10 political entrepreneurs from the first Apolitical Foundation Accelerator program, representing Latin America, Africa, Europe, and Asia, marks a significant milestone in the global effort to revitalize political leadership.

The Daniel Sachs Foundation is proud to be a founding partner and supporter of the Apolitical Foundation’s vital work in mobilizing a worldwide movement for 21st-century political leadership. To date, the Apolitical Foundation has facilitated the development of 18 Political Leadership Incubators (PLI’s) reaching more than 40 countries. Additionally, its Political Leadership Entrepreneur Network (PLEN) convenes almost 80 non-partisan organizations worldwide, all dedicated to the renewal of political leadership.

Read more here: https://accelerator.apolitical.foundation

 

The Daniel Sachs Foundation is excited to announce a partnership with Women LEAD, a new Biden-Harris initiative aiming to close the gap in women’s political leadership and tackle barriers in political and public life.

Launched at the recent NATO 75th Anniversary Summit, Women LEAD brings together governments, philanthropy, civil society, and multilateral organizations to advance women’s political and civic participation globally.

The foundation is honored to join forces with philanthropic partners such as the Women’s Political Leadership Fund, Mozilla Foundation, Open Society Foundations, Skoll Foundation, Trawalla Foundation, and Wallace Global Fund.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/07/10/fact-sheet-advancing-women-peace-and-security-at-the-nato-75th-anniversary-summit/

 

The establishment of F1RST in Malmö marks a significant step in an ambitious acceleration plan. In partnership with MKB Fastighets AB, F1RST will offer a summer camp providing young talents from Rosengård three weeks of intensive programming. Participants will be exposed to relatable role models, career opportunities, higher education guidance, and self-leadership tools.

The full F1RST program is set to roll out in Malmö later this year, with plans to continue expanding beyond Stockholm. Corporates in the region are invited to join in breaking down barriers to educational opportunities and making the business sector more representative and competitive.

More details about the launch can be found in Dagens Nyheter, one of the many media outlets that covered the launch.

https://www.dn.se/ekonomi/handels-satsar-pa-rosengard-handlar-inte-om-valgorenhet/

 

*Photo Anders Hansson/Dagens Nyheter

 

Daniel Sachs recently engaged in an interview for Alliance Magazine with Sarah Durieux and Jeff Kwasi Klein from Multitudes Foundation, discussing the need for philanthropists, business leaders, and other private sector actors to invest in democracy. In the article, Daniel emphasizes two key reasons:

1) Self-interest: The private sector relies on democratic, free societies with robust institutions, strong rule of law, and the protection of human rights for its own prosperity.

2) Responsibility: Those who have benefited from living in democratic societies have an obligation to give back to restore trust in democratic systems, particularly during times when they are contested.

Daniel concludes that regardless of one’s philanthropic goals, dedicating a portion of resources to non-partisan initiatives aimed at revitalizing political and democratic systems should be of existential importance to all philanthropists.

Read the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/dy-kvAVJ

Paul Alarcon recently appeared on the public radio program “Talkshow i P1,” where he discussed the upcoming EU elections and strategies for mobilizing young voters. During his appearance, Paul also highlighted the work of Höj Rösten Politikerskola, underscoring how this initiative is opening new avenues for political engagement among emerging leaders from diverse backgrounds beyond traditional politics.

Listen to the full segment in Swedish here: https://sverigesradio.se/avsnitt/arvet-efter-jan-stenbeck