Session

When Inequality Rules: Who Saves Democracy?

Growing inequality is putting the foundations of our democracies under severe pressure. The iconic image of Trump’s inauguration — with not only political heavyweights but also billionaires and tech oligarchs in the front row — illustrates how economic power is becoming ever more intertwined with political influence.

Today, public institutions are under strain, and wealth, power, and access to policymaking increasingly converge. This raises pressing questions: who is still writing the rules? How does our economic model determine whose voices are heard? And what does this mean for the democratic values on which our societies are built?

We explore how inequality shapes climate policy, how Big Tech and digital monopolies reinforce the concentration of power, and what risks emerge when data, capital, and decision-making fall into fewer and fewer hands.

This session seeks answers — and perspective. Because if inequality threatens to suffocate democracy, who will rise to the challenge of saving it?

Language: English

SPEAKERS

Louisa Toxvaerd Munch

Louisa Toxvaerd Munch is a researcher, writer, and lecturer at the University of Warwick. Her work is situated at the intersection of critical theory, nostalgia, and contemporary politics. She is known for her sharp analyses and her ability to make complex ideas accessible to a wide audience, including through social media.

Esther Lynch

Esther Lynch is General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). She has decades of experience in the trade union movement at Irish, European, and international level. Lynch played a key role in European legislation on minimum wages, working conditions, and whistleblower protection. As an outspoken feminist, she պայք for gender equality and for the revaluation of care work and women’s labour.

 

 

Sylvain Aubry

Sylvain Aubry is Deputy Director for Poverty and Inequality in the Economic Justice and Rights Department at Human Rights Watch. He has worked for many years on research and advocacy around economic inequality, education, healthcare, and the right to food, in more than 20 countries. Aubry has taught human rights at Sciences Po and works with states, international institutions, and UN mechanisms.

Moderator – Jurgen Masure

Jurgen Masure is a historian and philosopher. In 2026 his book The Power Behind AI: What Men Like Musk and Bezos Really Want will be published. He is the author of Beyond the Market (2023) and writes and speaks about technology, the economy, and social change.

 

 

Bruno Fierens

Bruno Fierens is a fifth-generation member of a wealthy Belgian family and the first Belgian member of Millionaires for Humanity, an organisation advocating for fairer taxation and a more just global system. Reflecting on sustainability, poverty, growing inequality and his own privileged position in society repeatedly led him to the same conclusion: if someone like him is truly serious about driving positive change, fair taxation is the core issue to address.

 

 

This session is organized in collaboration with Oxfam Belgium.

 

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Check the full program

Join the movement

Forward Fest 2024 invites you to join the conversation, share your perspective, and collaborate with others to build a future that is fair, inclusive, and interconnected. Explore, learn, and contribute to the change our world needs.

LEARN, SHARE, INSPIRE

Prepare for a day filled with inspiring lectures, surprising workshops, and professional connections that will not only stimulate your thinking but also touch your heart. This is your chance to learn from leading thinkers, network with like-minded individuals, and actively contribute to a more just world.

You will soon be able to register for Forward Fest 2026 here.

Get your tickets

Who organizes Forward Fest?

Forward Fest is organized by 11.11.11ngo-federation and VLIRUOS in collaboration with MO* with the support of Belgian development cooperation.

11.11.11

THE COALITION FOR INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY.

11.11.11 aims to eradicate exploitation from the world. Everyone – anywhere in the world – has the right to a dignified existence. To truly make a change, power and resources must be distributed more fairly, and the current system must be questioned.

More info on 11.be

NGO-FEDERATIE

FLEMISH FEDERATION OF NGOS FOR DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION.

The ngo-federation represents its members to the federal and other governments, supports the members in their discussions with those governments, promotes cooperation within the sector, and strengthens the quality of NGOs’ operations.

More info on ngo-federatie.be

VLIRUOS

INNOVATIVE RESPONSES TO GLOBAL AND LOCAL CHALLENGES

VLIRUOS supports partnerships and scholarships between universities and colleges in both Flanders and the Global South, seeking innovative solutions for global as well as local challenges.

More info on vliruos.be