September 18, 2026
The Alberta Council for Global Cooperation (ACGC) invites you to our 2026 conference! As Alberta’s network of globally engaged organizations, ACGC’s conference is the event to connect and learn with fellow international cooperation actors from across the province.
Event Details
- 9:00 am – 4:15 pm on Friday, September 18, 2026
- Hybrid delivery: attend in Edmonton at the Evario Events Centre (950 Parsons Rd SW, Edmonton, AB T6X 0J4) or online via Zoom
- Free to attend with lunch provided for in-person attendees
Please register via the link below.
AUGUST 27 UPDATE: In-person spaces are sold-out! Join the waitlist on the registration form or join us online.
Theme & Objectives
For decades, Alberta’s international cooperation sector operated within a relatively stable framework centred on government partnerships and traditional donor-funded programming. Today, that framework is changing.
Amidst changing government priorities and increasing pressure on international cooperation actors across Alberta, this year’s theme, Beyond the Usual Suspects: New Partnerships for Innovative International Cooperation, invites us to look beyond traditional assumptions about who drives development and explore how new partnerships, new sources of capital, and new forms of influence can contribute to a more sustainable and equitable future.
At this year’s conference, expect to:
- focus on innovative partnership models involving civil society, academia, government, philanthropy, and the private sector;
- explore emerging approaches to financing international cooperation;
- assess opportunities and challenges associated with artificial intelligence and digital transformation.
To note, ACGC will hold our Annual General Meeting at lunchtime. The AGM will be open to members and non-members alike.
Agenda
8:00 – 9:00 | Registration
Arrive at the Evario Events Centre (950 Parsons Rd SW, Edmonton, AB T6X 0J4), receive your name tag, and start to chat with fellow conference goers. Members participating in the Member Fair should arrive early for setup.
9:00 – 9:15 | Opening Remarks
Speaker: Sandra Muchekeza (Alberta Council for Global Cooperation)
9:15 – 10:15 | Workshop: Everybody at the Table: Partnerships beyond Funding
Most economic partnerships in the international development sector are held together by a grant or funding arrangement, rather than by mutual interest. When the funding ends, so does the relationship. This session asks what it takes to build economic partnerships that are genuinely mutually beneficial: arrangements each party stays in because it serves them, not because someone is paying for the room. Participants will leave the session with the tools required to go beyond the usual suspects and make meaningful partnerships beyond traditional development actors.
Speaker: Jim Delaney (Global Development Policy Hub, University of Ottawa)
10:15 – 10:50 | Health Break and Member Fair
Take a break and learn more about ACGC members from across Alberta.
10:50 – 11:50 | Panel: Beyond the Usual: New Tools for Development
This panel will inspire participants to think about stepping beyond the international development sector to make new partnerships. Speakers will give tips and tools for how organizations can demonstrate and speak about their impact in creative ways to capture new audiences; how to access or unlock a wider range of funding vehicles; and how to make use of innovative technologies and communication tools.
Speakers: Ajay Aggarwal (Social Enterprise Fund), Dr. Chúk Odenigbo (Tamarack Institute), Tariq Bhanjee (FaciliChange) Moderator: Lindsey Machona (Expand Hope)
11:50 – 12:30 | Fireside Chat: Exploring GAC: The Future of International Development Financing
As trade and economic diplomacy become increasingly prominent within Canada’s international engagement, this session will offer an examination of the forces reshaping development policy and practice in Canada, and the opportunities available to Canadian organizations as they continue to innovate and adapt in their march towards fulfilling the SDGs.
Speaker: TBA Moderator: Greg Sowak (NorQuest International)
12:45 – 13:45 | ACGC AGM and Lunch
Speaker: Aditya Chaudhuri (ACGC Chair of the Board of Directors)
13:45 – 14:30 | Keynote: The Alchemy of Art: Weaving our Stories into a Tapestry of Song
Roya Camille will present an interdisciplinary performance-based keynote that weaves together storytelling, poetry, song, and dance aimed at inviting the audience into an experience about the state of the world today. Through her own family’s story of migration due to war, Roya will explore themes related to global conflict and the impact on diasporan communities – exploring the questions: how can art help us navigate and understand these uncertain times? How can we collectively continue to generate hope in the midst of these crises? How can the arts help us envision new and different possibilities, and birth a collective vision of cooperation and peace?
Speaker: Roya Camille
14:30 – 15:00 | Presentation: Beyond the Buzzwords: A Critical Discourse Analysis of the Sustainable Development Goals
Description coming soon!
Speakers: Prosper Komolafe, Uyai-Abasi Edem
15:00 – 15:15 | Health Break
Quick break to stretch before the last sessions of the day.
15:15 – 16:00 | Workshop: Move Well and Help: Values-based Approaches to Artificial Intelligence
Widespread public access to generative artificial intelligence has rapidly transformed the global dialogue on the role and risks of technology in society. This interactive session unpacks what generative AI is (and is not) and how to ensure a values-based approach to AI use. Together we will reflect on what AI incentivizes as well as the risks and opportunities AI is creating for mission-driven organizations. Participants will leave this conversation better equipped to develop responsible AI policy that communities can trust.
Speaker: Amanda Henry (Y Station Communications & Research)
16:00 – 16:15 | Closing Remarks
Speaker: Sandra Muchekeza (Alberta Council for Global Cooperation)
Who Should Attend
Everyone interested in Alberta’s international cooperation efforts is welcome to attend.
The conference sessions will be geared towards civil society organizations working internationally. However, global-minded changemakers (be they prospective young leaders, engaged members of the public, sustainability and newcomer organizations, businesses, or investors) will also find value in the sessions and contribute to shaping a cross-sectoral vision for the future of Albertan international cooperation.
ACGC invites Indigenous thought leaders and diaspora-led organizations across Alberta to attend and share insights and wisdom as we continue advancing towards a more just and equal world for all.
This conference is made possible thanks to the support of the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada. Thank you for supporting international cooperation in Alberta.
