When you arrive at the university of Winnipeg on Saturday Sept 28th, please proceed to the Convocation Hall Collegiate building on the 2nd floor.
Strengthening Public–Private and Cross-Cultural Partnerships for Global Development
The Global Cultural Leaders Congress (GCLC) 2026 conference will take place in Saskatchewan, Canada, from November 20–22, 2026. Under the theme “Strengthening Public–Private and Cross-Cultural Partnerships for Global Development,” the conference will convene leaders from government, the private sector, academia, and cultural institutions to explore how collaborative, culturally grounded partnerships can address today’s interconnected global challenges and advance sustainable development between Canada, Africa, and the wider global community.
Friday, November 20th
Saturday, November 21st
Sunday, November 22nd
Global development challenges have grown too complex for any single sector to solve alone. Fragmented approaches limit scale, sustainability, and impact. Strong public–private and cross-cultural partnerships unlock shared resources, align incentives, and translate ideas into durable outcomes.
From climate change and digital inequality to health system fragility and youth unemployment, today’s challenges are transnational and interconnected. Countries in Africa and Canada alike face pressures that demand coordinated, multi-sector collaboration rooted in mutual trust and cultural understanding.
Well-designed public–private partnerships accelerate economic growth by mobilizing private capital, expanding innovation, and strengthening public service delivery. When paired with cross-cultural collaboration, these partnerships enhance local relevance, reduce risk, and create inclusive pathways to shared prosperity.
Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) depends on integrated action across governments, businesses, civil society, and cultural institutions. Cross-sector and cross-cultural partnerships directly support goals related to poverty reduction (SDG 1), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), industry and innovation (SDG 9), reduced inequalities (SDG 10), and global partnerships (SDG 17).
The conference will explore practical partnership models, including public–private financing frameworks, diaspora-driven collaboration, technology-enabled development platforms, and culturally responsive governance structures. Emphasis will be placed on scalability, accountability, and long-term impact.
In regions affected by climate stress, conflict, or rapid demographic change, partnerships are essential to resilience and recovery. Cross-sector and cross-cultural cooperation strengthens institutions, improves crisis response, and supports community-led development in vulnerable settings.
Strengthening public–private and cross-cultural partnerships is central to building resilient, inclusive, and future-ready societies. By fostering collaboration across sectors, cultures, and continents, the GCLC 2026 conference aims to shape a new paradigm of global development grounded in shared responsibility and collective progress.
The 2026 GCLC conference will focus on the vital role that public–private and cross-cultural partnerships play in shaping global development. By convening leaders from government, business, academia, and cultural institutions, the conference will highlight how collaborative, multi-sector approaches are essential to addressing today’s interconnected global challenges. Strengthening partnerships across sectors and cultures is critical not only for economic growth and innovation, but also for building resilient institutions, inclusive societies, and sustainable development pathways. Through dialogue, knowledge exchange, and shared frameworks, the conference will advance partnership-driven models that support long-term global progress.
Representative of Africa Centre in Manitoba. Entrepreneurial Engagement Manager. A special presentation on the Africa development centre and its work in economics and social development. He talked about the need for more people of African descent becoming entrepreneurs
A multi-passionate author, educator and speaker. With over 50 keynote speeches, Dr. Sekandi brought in a wealth of experience from Canada to inspire and inform attendees.
Re-known Social Worker and former University Lecturer.
Representative of the leadership of African students at the University of Winnipeg talked about the need for students to embrace global economic movements.
Senior citizen shared her success story of sponsoring Borehole water projects in the district of Tororo in Uganda. The many boreholes they built increased access to clean water in that community and this made it easier for more girls to remain in school and they were able complete their secondary education. Some girls had to walk so many kilometres to fetch water for home use before that water project and this contributed to so many girls dropping out of schools.
