This year’s Systems Innovation Learning Festival offers a stage to the faces of systems change. SILP’s Experimentation Fund allowed us to learn together for a year, as a Cohort of eight experimental projects around the globe. We practiced how development funding could be done differently, through exploring what happens when you focus on putting learning at the centre, rather than results.
The Learning Festival is a chance for us to share what we have learned, along every step of this long and exciting journey. Aligned with the values that guided us in our work, we promise to share honestly the good, the confusing, and the unresolved. You will hear about the behind the scenes, the often invisible, and the How of the work:
- How do you design a fund, if you wish for people to act from a sense of courage and innovation, encouraging people to bring their best?
- How do you determine the criteria for selecting grantees to ensure that projects are locally relevant, experimental, and systemic?
- How do you bring vastly diverse projects together and what can they learn from each other?
- How do you facilitate conversations and actions that unite different parts of the system, bridging the old with the new for a shared purpose?
- How do you learn together to address power dynamics in the room, and understand their impact on the work?
So often the systemic approach is intimidating, seems too big a change to implement, and it is frankly daunting deciding on where to even begin. We are coming to you with day-to-day stories, micro-movements, trials and beginnings, and a look into how they have allowed for systems to connect differently, to reflect on themselves differently, and to act together.
Then, there is more. Building on a year-long learning journey with the Cohort, we decided to design and deliver the Festival in a decentralised way. This means each day is created & facilitated by a team of SILP Fund Experimenters, together with Climate-KIC. This allows us to truly shift the conversation from “talking about” those doing the work to one where those doing the work on the ground speak in their own name.
The Learning Festival by the Systems Innovation Learning Partnership is an annual opportunity to explore the cutting edge of systems innovation and learning, bringing together diverse organisations’ in a participatory space to discuss and challenge each other on these issues. We call this event a Festival, as we see it as an opportunity to celebrate the journey of learning together, of weaving what systems change means in different contexts and coming together with fellow systemic thinkers & doers.
Taking place across the 17, 18 and 19 of September, each three-hour session will tackle a different question:
Tuesday, September 17: Transformative funding for systemic learning, from 14-17 CET
How can we monitor and evaluate changes activated by funding for learning?
What happens when you fund for learning, rather than results? Last year has allowed us to test this approach, together with an Experimentation Fund Cohort of eight experiments from Uganda, India, Zambia, Serbia, Colombia, Thailand / South Asia & the EU.
You can definitely not transform a system in a year, this much is true. But what you can do is observe micro-movements of change; you can begin hearing different questions being asked by your stakeholders; you can observe mindsets shifting; you can discover how those on the ground are connected, beyond the challenge at hand and how this can impact the sustainability of our work; you can listen to the true stories of what happened (rather than reading a reporting on what has been planned). And what has truly happened moves along way more interesting lines than the best plans we might have created. We are glad to share with you the lived stories behind these and more ways on how activate and pay attention to systems changing, Our story addresses the full funding life-cycle: from a funder to the last mile recipients. With all of them in the room, to offer their voice.
- Storytellers
Marion Iceduna is a technical advisor at Join For Water International in Uganda. She advocates for social, Environmental and climate justice. Marion’s work spans Integrated Water Resource Management, ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction, policy and WASH systems strengthening. With 10 years of experience, she has collaborated with a diversity of civil society organizations, Government, and has worked with local communities for the protection and equitable use of freshwater resources. Her Personal goal is to consistently engage in climate change, environment, and water resource advocacy to create sustainable solutions that will positively impact the lives of people particularly women disproportionately affected by the climate and water crisis.
Navin Sellaraju Sukumar is the founding Chief Executive Officer with Railway Children India (RCI). Over the last 18 years, Navin has been instrumental in shaping the growth story of RCI and working towards making Railway Stations child-friendly across India. Navin’s contributions range from incubating the advocacy vertical at RCI, nurturing strategic relationships with the Government, training and capacity building of key stakeholders in child protection, creating robust programme models and strong partnerships. Navin has a master’s degree in social work (MSW) with 22 years of experience in the development sector. Having started his career with a grassroots organisation, he has previously worked with youth at risk, raised funds to support geriatric work, supported factories in creating positive work environment and extensively worked on the issue of child rights.
Nina Strandberg Experienced change manager, systems thinker and partnership broker on a mission to transform mindsets, behaviors, organisations and paradigms for a sustainable world without poverty. Fueled by new ideas, innovative approaches and a network of brilliant thinkers and strategists. Head of Unit for Learning and Organisational Development at Sida.
Will Wade Experienced programme, project, and research manager. Currently programming innovation in/for climate change mitigation and adaptation, to support systems transformation, at EIT Climate-KIC. Occasional writer and perpetual ponderer: influenced by the writing of Italo Calvino, Milan Kundera and Steven Johnson.
Karolina Iwa is a senior Facilitator, Intercultural Psychologist, Solarpunk Practitioner. Supports systems, organisations & individuals in collaborating and leading in complexity. Senior Learning Facilitator at EIT Climate-KIC’s Systems Innovation Learning Partnership. Global Team of the Presencing Institute at the MIT. Member of many global communities driving positive transformation in the world.
Wednesday, September 18: Ecosystem response to systemic challenges, from 14-17 CET
How do we leverage and catalyse learning and experimentation for connected action?
Ecosystem responses to systemic challenges demand a shift from top-down solutions to community-driven, co-created solutions. Systemic solutions require innovation that is social in purpose, systemic in nature, and inclusive by design.
On this second day of the Learning Festival, we will delve into the dynamic responses of ecosystems to systemic challenges, guided by the deep insights and experiences of the SILP Cohort I. In a word where often relationships between actors are either non-existent, incidental or purely transactional, we must aim to move away from a linear, action-based approach to one where systemic solutions are co-created among communities and key stakeholders. Through the lens of diverse global experiments, we will explore how interconnected systems evolve when innovation is driven by collective action and deep listening. The day will reveal how communities, organizations, and stakeholders co-create solutions that not only address immediate challenges but also weave the fabric of long-term, sustainable change. Together, we will reflect on the subtle shifts, emergent patterns, and collaborative strategies that have surfaced over the past year, highlighting how ecosystems can respond and adapt to the complex, often unpredictable nature of systemic transformation.
- Storytellers
Jelena Vejnović graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of East Sarajevo. During her student days, she was active in the NGO sector through membership and active work in a youth organization. She gained her first work experience in the profession while doing an internship at the Kastratović Law Office in Belgrade. She also held positions as lawyer-secretary. Jelena is engaged in the Unit for Property and Investments as an Associate for Regulatory Reform.
Jasmina Radovanovic is an expert in commercial and civil law, as well as in issues relevant to the investment environment, with extensive professional experience in solving complex legal relationships and establishing private-public dialogue. She joined NALED’s team in 2017, where she deals with regulatory reform and activities that contribute to a more favorable investment environment with a special focus on property, energy, infrastructure, justice and business companies. She coordinated activities related to Serbia’s promotion on the World Bank’s Doing Business list, and is part of working groups formed in front of the Government of the Serbia and relevant ministries.
Branko Protić,a teaching assistant and researcher at the University of Belgrade – Faculty of Geography’s Department for Spatial Planning, holds a master’s degree in Spatial Planning. He is currently finalizing his PhD thesis, focusing on spatial and urban planning, and infrastructure development. Branko is actively involved in the HORIZON WIDERA project GreenForce as part of the UB-GEF team.
Dr. Shambu Prasad is a professor at the Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA), specializing in social innovation and science policy. With a background in mechanical engineering, industrial management, and a doctorate in science, technology, and society studies, his interdisciplinary research focuses on fostering innovation at the margins and collaborative knowledge dialogues. He founded ISEED at IRMA to support social enterprises, mentors several social and collective enterprises, and serves on boards like Arghyam, APMAS and Peoples Science Institute. He is part of several expert committees, and was an expert group of the Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) to recommend guidelines for Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs). He serves on the Board of Studies of a few academic institutions and his work emphasizes rural livelihoods, sustainable transitions, and social innovation.
Kanika Verma leads the Green and Inclusive Entrepreneurship vertical of the Development Alternatives Group. She is also the Director of Indian Micro Enterprises Development Foundation, a section 8 company, that aims to build local ecosystems for green and inclusive entrepreneurship. Kanika is passionate about social innovation and system change and sees herself ‘building bridges’ from grassroots work to global discourse on inclusive innovation, entrepreneurship and the future of work. A focus of her current portfolio is on enabling just transition through locally owned, energy solutions and building social innovation models to unlock women’s economic empowerment at scale. She is currently pursuing an M.Phil. with a specialisation in Inclusive Innovation at the University of Cape Town.
Prema Gera has over 30 years of experience in the development sector and has been involved in program design, program management, and policy advocacy with national and international NGOs and foundations, as well as bilateral donor agencies. She also worked for a decade with the United Nations in India. She is currently an adviser to Development Alternatives, a premier national CSO, on their social innovation-led inclusive entrepreneurship and women’s economic empowerment programs. Prior to this, she served as the external coordinator for the La Caixa Foundation. Prema is a history student and alumnus of Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi University, and Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Shrishti Vyas holds a Master’s degree in Global Gender Studies from the University at Buffalo, New York. She has thorough interests in women empowerment initiatives, human rights, gender equity, and social change. Her work is further recognized through her publications on platforms such asYouth Ki Awaaz, where she continues to advocate for issues centered around social justice. For close to a year, she has been working at Development Alternatives as a Knowledge and Learning person under the Safe Mobility Initiative. This initiative seeks to address the economic and social disempowerment of women due to the lack of safe mobility and connectivity.
Antonia Amaranta Brock is driven by a deep commitment to sustainability and transformative social innovation. Her work focuses on fostering systemic change that responds to the diverse needs and contexts of all stakeholders. As the co-founder and Project Coordinator of Power Compost, a social innovation company dedicated to redefining organic waste systems in Colombia, and a firm believer in humanity’s capacity for radical transformation, she strives to grow initiatives that contribute to a more sustainable and equitable society. Her experience spans coordinating interdisciplinary projects at the intersection of technology, art, and sustainability, across corporate, academic, and Big Tech environments. Recognizing education as a key driver of world-changing impact, her work as a social researcher and professor in Colombia has deepened her understanding of the importance of trust and collaboration within communities
Javier Guillot is a Colombian leader in social and public innovation with over 15 years of experience. He is a co-founder of Power Compost, an impact venture that develops circular solutions for organic waste management, and MEL team manager at Destination Nature, a USAID program promoting regenerative tourism in Colombia. Holding a Master’s in Public Policy from the Hertie School, a Master’s in Philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor’s in Philosophy from the National University of Colombia, he seeks to integrate principles of sustainability, human behavior, and technology to generate positive impacts on society and the environment.
Tom Pruunsild is Learning Experiences Lead at Climate-KIC. For the past years he has been involved in the design and facilitation of the Systems Innovation Learning Partnership and its Experimentation Fund. His focus lies in building learning infrastructures for systems innovation in global projects orchestrated by Climate-KIC driving investments into locally-led climate adaptation and empowering climate entrepreneurs.
Thursday, September 19: Shifting power dynamics together, from 10 – 13 CET
How do climate change and social justice belong together in deep collaboration?
Power is the unseen force that runs through our systems, shaping the way we live, connect, and build our world. It determines who gets to speak, who is heard, and who is left on the margins. To truly change our human made systems, we must dig deep, unearth the roots of inequity, and understand the forces that have shaped them—not to fight them, but to learn from them and transform them.
On this final day of the Learning Festival, we invite you into a space where stories become seeds of change. We will hear voices from the frontlines of resistance—communities who have challenged the status quo and planted hope in the hardest of soils. Through their courage, we are called to reflect on our own privilege and explore how we can release ourselves and our systems from the grip of colonial mindsets.
The last year for the SILP Cohort experiments has been a year of real work for leveling the playing field, work we have done internally and with others. Work we are proud of and committed to. Together, we are nurturing new ways of being, where power is not held by a few, but shared with all, where leadership is collective, where belonging is a birthright, and where mutuality replaces individualism.
This is a day to feel the pulse of change within us and around us—a chance to co-create a world where our deep connections to one another and to the Earth guide us toward a just and “more beautiful world our hearts know is possible”.
Join us for a day of reflection, renewal, and transformation—let’s weave new stories and imagine what’s possible when we shift power together.
- Storytellers
Nicholas Munyama leads the work of the Zambia Agricultural Research Institute (ZARI), an organization dedicated to promoting sustainable agricultural practices in Zambia. With a focus on small-scale farmers, Nicholas supports efforts to preserve indigenous seed systems and improve seed storage. Through his leadership, ZARI works on empowering marginalized farmers to combat challenges such as climate change, food insecurity, and the pressures of industrial agricultural policies. His work emphasizes the importance of community-driven agricultural development to restore agency and resilience among Zambia’s farmers.
Hafsar Tameesuddin is a human rights defender, social worker, and Rohingya activist, serving as the co-Secretary General of the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN). With over a decade of experience advocating for gender equality, refugee rights, and stateless communities, Hafsar passionately drives the inclusion of diverse voices within the humanitarian sector. They are a member of the Global Movement of Statelessness and have worked with the UNHCR Advisory Group. Hafsar’s advocacy centers on shifting power dynamics, promoting diversity, and protecting the rights of marginalized populations, including LGBTQI+ communities, refugees, and stateless individuals across the Asia Pacific region.
Klaus Dik Nielson is an international human rights advocate with more than 20 years of experience in advancing social justice for marginalized communities. As co-Secretary General of APRRN, Klaus works with civil society, governments, and international organizations to promote meaningful inclusion and participation of minority groups. His career includes key roles with Amnesty International and the Open Society Foundations, where he developed partnership-building and capacity-building strategies. Klaus has collaborated with UNICEF, OHCHR, ActionAid, and APCOM, advocating for the rights of refugees and minority communities throughout the Asia Pacific region.
Quetzal Tzab González is a Mexican indigenous rights advocate, researcher, and cultural practitioner known for his work at the intersection of art, technology, and social innovation. Quetzal brings indigenous knowledge systems into the conversation on environmental sustainability and decolonization, advocating for the protection of cultural heritage and the conservation of ancestral lands. He has held roles such as Head of Indigenous Affairs in Solidaridad, Quintana Roo, and has lectured internationally on the advancement and challenges faced by indigenous communities. Quetzal’s work emphasizes the critical role of indigenous epistemologies in shaping a more just and sustainable future.
Jennipher Handoondo is a founder of Oasis Environmental Management & Healthy foods promotion formed in 2009. Her passion is to create opportunity empowerment to the marginalized especially the women, girls and Youths using indigenous Knowledge to promote indigenous seed usage, value addition and managing of indigenous tree species using agroforestry strategies. She has worked with various organizations such as FAO, SNV and PELUM in youth life skills empowerment, managing of indigenous tree species and promotion of indigenous knowledge to protect and multiply local seeds using agroforestry strategies with a view of protecting the environment within 15 districts of Zambia.
Yannick Wassmer is a Senior Consultant at Reos Partners who leads systemic change initiatives with a focus on marginalized communities. He has played a key role in the Black Systemic Safety Fund, a project designed to empower Black and racially minoritized communities in London by addressing systemic barriers such as racism in education and inequitable access to community resources. Through a social lab approach and lived-experience leadership, Yannick fosters resilience, safety, and long-term change for these communities, demonstrating how leadership from within can shift power dynamics.
Beñat Egaña is the Strategic Programmes Community Orchestrator at Climate-KIC, where he drives collaboration across entrepreneurship, solutions, and ventures. He works on supporting climate innovation start-ups and fostering partnerships that drive systemic change to address climate challenges. Benat’s expertise includes connecting communities and facilitating innovation ecosystems, helping entrepreneurs bring impactful climate solutions to life. His work focuses on transforming how we create new socio-economic activities for richer and more positive relationships, always respecting human and planetary boundaries. He has also participated in the Relational Justice Cohort, exploring issues of power and privilege in systemic transformation, applying these insights to his work in climate innovation.
Ayo Wallace, also known as Golden Blue, is a community activist, poet, and singer based in North London, UK. With 20 years of experience in youth advocacy, Ayo has worked on numerous youth boards and networks, supporting marginalized communities through initiatives in policy, culture, and the arts. Her poetry, rooted in her West African and Caribbean diaspora identity, is a reflection on the human condition, politics, and ancestral stories. Known for her unapologetic truth-telling, Ayo brings passion and activism into her artistic practice, using her voice to uplift and inspire change.
Inna Chilik is a systems innovator and cross-organizational collaboration facilitator with over 15 years of experience in strategic management consulting and a dual Masters’ degree in Finance and Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability. Born in Moldova with a strong connection to nature and a background in finance, business and sustainability, Inna has lived in Bulgaria, the UK, Mexico, Sweden and now Germany. These experiences have enabled her to develop a transcultural perspective that has guided her journey to building bridges where she finds walls. It has empowered her to continue walking unknown paths, blending polarities, and catalysing transformation on both individual and collective levels. Currently she is co-leading Collective Sensemaking activities within the NetZeroCities project.
Some sessions might include participatory break-out conversations.
Large group sessions will be recorded.
This event is open to the public & free of charge. We appreciate you supporting us by inviting all who should be part of this conversation.
If you are interested in joining us for the Learning Festival, register here:
https://climate-kic-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYsdeiorDItGtEMmQ84iMY0zx6e_9KbnvhR
Reach out on silp@climate-kic.org if you would like to explore and co-create with us beyond our offer.