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Open Call for Unlock 2026

The Prague Civil Society Centre has opened the call for participation in the annual Unlock Summit. This event brings together hundreds of participants each year, encouraging positive and inspiring activist and media initiatives from the world of technology. The citizens’ association “Zašto ne” has previously collaborated with the Prague Civil Society Centre. The call for Unlock 2026 is currently open, and applications are accepted until 2 November 2025.

From reaction to action: Unlock your initiative!

Do you want to connect with others who are finding innovative, creative ways to stay relevant and push for change under pressure? Are you an activist, journalist, content creator, or innovator pushing back against disinformation and shaping new narratives? Then Unlock 2026 is for you!

Across borders, information is being increasingly weaponised to destabilise institutions, divide societies and silence independent voices. To respond to this challenge, Unlock 2026 is offering a platform to share strategies on how to move from defensive responses to claim back the initiative with fact-based narratives that inspire and unite.

The two-day civic summit, organised by the Prague Civil Society Centre in partnership with the Lviv Media Forum and Point Conference, will gather leading voices from Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia.

Among others, you’ll hear from Peter Pomerantsev, an internationally renowned expert on media and propaganda, Yuliana Shemetovets from the Belarusian Cyber Partisans who also leads the Belarus Liberty nonprofit, as well as Svetlana Siljanoska, senior strategic communications consultant, and many more.

  • Where: Prague, Czechia

  • When: 04 – 05 June 2026

  • Working language: English

  • Application deadline: 02 November 2025 23:59 CET

  • Who should apply: Unlock is for anyone striving for positive change

  • How to apply: Selection is competition-based. By 02 November 2025 23:59 CET, tell us about yourself, why you would like to attend Unlock, what you would like to share with others, and how you can contribute to Unlock 2025 (apply here).

If you are selected, what can you expect from us?

  • Visa support (anyone who needs it)
  • Travel costs (only for a limited number of participants)
  • Accommodation (only for participants delivering workshops and/or activities included in the agenda)

The full agenda is coming soon. Unlock doesn’t just showcase effective pushback against disinformation and will feature a wide variety of topics that showcase positive and impactful change. Some examples:

  • Protests and what comes next: Public protests can grab attention and open space for change, but how do we keep people engaged and carry this collective energy into something lasting?
  • Building coalitions for democracy: Lasting change means working with people we don’t always agree with. How do we build trust across divides and bring different groups together around a shared democratic vision?
  • Regional perspectives: Hear about trends and experiences from countries outside your region to better understand global parallels and lessons.
  • You too can help us shape what the next Unlock will be! We encourage you to develop your own workshop or activity. Have a space to share your experiences, ideas, and skills with fellow participants. We reserve the right to make the final selection of activities.

How can you benefit from Unlock?

  • Keynotes & discussions: Hear from prominent speakers, what worked for them, what did not, and what can help you navigate increasingly challenging and restrictive environments.
  • Practical workshops: Experiment with innovative methods and walk away with strategies to strengthen your work, and solutions to issues that matter to you.
  • Networking opportunities: Meet leading activists, journalists, and changemakers of all kinds, and build connections that can support your initiatives.
  • Podcast and video studios: Collaborate with other participants and create content that can expand your impact.
  • Interactions with media: We are eager to share your inspiring stories with leading media from Czechia and beyond.

Should you have any questions, contact us at [email protected].

The original open call for Unlock 2026 is available on this link.