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Global Learning Forum 2-6 February 2026

The Global Learning Forum (GLF) 2026 brings together key stakeholders from across the HCA network including adolescents, project partners and diverse city actors. It is a youth-centred, practice-driven gathering designed to spark connection, reflection and collaboration across countries and disciplines.

This is the second of two global gatherings in HCA’s current phase, running until December 2026, and a key moment to reflect on progress and share lessons for lasting impact. 

The GLF is built on four learning principles: 

Youth agency

Adolescents as equal contributors to learning.

Peer exchange

Learning across countries and roles.

Story-based learning

Lived experience as the starting point.

Collective reflection

Integrating insights through shared moments.

This philosophy guides the design of every session – from small group dialogues to youth-led interventions. 

GLF is not a traditional conference.

It is a collective learning space rooted in the real experiences of adolescents and the communities they live in. Sessions prioritise dialogue, storytelling and co-creation rather than one-way presentations – making the Forum dynamic, human and interactive. 

Who is attending?

  • Adolescents and youth leaders
  • Project staff from six countries
  • City actors and local authorities
  • HCA Global Team
  • Project communications teams
  • Fondation Botnar representatives

What GLF 2026 aims to achieve 

Youth-led
learning

Adolescents shape conversations and outcomes.

Cross-country exchange

Teams from six countries share practical insights.

Real urban 
experience

Grounded in lived realities from diverse cities.

Collaborative problem- solving

Partners, youth and city actors co-create ideas.

Local-to-global connection

Local stories contribute to global learning and influence system shifts.

Why Ghana

GLF 2026 is held in Ghana for both logistical and operational reasons, using venues in Ho and Accra. The host country provides a starting point for the Forum – one local context among many – while the learning itself reflects the full diversity of all HCA countries. This reinforces the Forum’s local to global spirit without placing special emphasis on any single project or location.

GLF 2026 is a shared space for listening and learning across the HCA network, bringing together diverse perspectives to explore how local action can strengthen healthier, more inclusive cities for adolescents and inform future programme work.