Ambrela Development Forum

Thanks for joining us in Bratislava, Slovakia at Ambrela Development Forum (ADF) 2026

The Ambrela Development Forum (ADF), organized annually by the Slovak Platform for Development Organizations – Ambrela, is a leading international conference that provides a unique space to address global challenges and reimagine international partnerships through high-level discussions and interactive workshops. As the only event of its kind in Central and Eastern Europe, the ADF International Conference brings together more than 200 participants from around 25 countries each year.

This year, we stripped away the formalities to focus entirely on what truly matters: actionable connections and practical survival tools. Taking place at Nová Cvernovka in Bratislava—the raw, industrial epicenter of independent thought—ADF 2026 was designed to prepare you for the 'geopolitical winter'. Thanks for joining us for the Ambrela Development Forum (ADF) 2026 under the theme 'From Fragility to Resilience: Reclaiming Hope Amidst Global Turmoil'. Day one (October 1) at Nova Cvernovka in Bratislava, Slovakia featured a packed program from 9:00 AM and concluded with a special 'night owl' at 9:00 PM. The second day (October 2) was tailored for invited participants only. Watch the #ADF2026 panels recordings on FACEBOOK or YOUTUBE.

How the ADF 2026 PROGRAM looked like?

Hands-on Training & Specialized Workshops

Practical AI Training: Cuting through the hype in the workshop "AI for Non-Profits: From Mindset to Implementation". Led by Matúš Vecel of Swiss-based start-up Inclusion Systems, you walked away with a real-world roadmap to use AI for fundraising, CRM automation, and database management.

Exclusive Day 2 Workshop (By Registration Only): Polish Humanitarian Action was back after last year's highly praised sessions! On Friday, October 2, Kalina Kabat and Julia Orłowska led a deep-dive interactive workshop: "Who Gets to Speak? Power & Privilege in Humanitarian Communication," exploring ethical storytelling and lessons from the war in Ukraine.

Dynamic Formats & Raw, Real Debates

The Unconference & Night Owl Sessions: Breaking down the barrier between speaker and audience. Thanks for joining us for the Unconference Talk on surviving shrinking civic spaces, as well as an informal Night Owl Session where we ditched the polite scripts to discuss surviving smear campaigns and hostile audits, taking place outdoors (weather permitting)!

DevCo Talks (TED-style): Hearing rapid, inspiring, and deeply personal frontline stories, including Liudmyla Kryzhanovska (Promprylad Foundation) on how local communities in war-torn Ukraine own their future, and Nadine Saba (Akkar Network for Development) on lessons in resilience from Lebanon’s Syrian border.

Facilitated Speed Dating: Ditching the awkward networking. Let expert facilitator Michal Šoltés guide you through rapid-fire, one-on-one introductions to instantly identify shared interests and trigger new partnerships.

Geopolitics & Development: Tackling big-picture structural changes in dedicated plenaries, including Ukraine as a Strategic Partner, with Deputy Minister Oleksii Riabykin and EU Delegation to Ukraine Head of Section Joost Mohlmann.

An Unmatched Speaker Lineup

You were able to engage directly with global leaders and advocates working on the frontlines of crisis and policy, including:

Jozef Síkela, EU Commissioner for International Partnerships
Joost Mohlmann, Head of Section, EU Delegation to Ukraine
Radomír Šalitroš, State Secretary, Ministry of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization of the SR
Dr. Michael Köhler, Grand Bargain Ambassador & Professor, College of Europe Bruges
Oleksii Riabykin, Deputy Minister for Recovery, Infrastructure and Transport of Ukraine
Šimon Pánek, CEO, People in Need, Czech Republic
Tanya Cox, Director of CONCORD Europe
Pauline Chetcuti, President of VOICE & Head of Humanitarian Campaigns and Advocacy for Oxfam International
Hans Das, Deputy Director General, DG ECHO, European Commission
Mette Müller Kristensen, Executive Director of Globalt Fokus
H.E. Bilal Zahid, Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Slovakia
Nadine Saba, President, Akkar Network for Development, Lebanon
Eilidh Kennedy, Deputy Director of the Inter-Agency Regional Analysts Network (IARAN)
Tom Bílý, Chairman of the Board of Directors, FoRS; Financial Director, Fairtrade Czechia and Slovakia
Matthew Simonds, Senior Policy and Advocacy Officer in EURODAD
Liudmyla Kryzhanovska, Director of Promprylad Foundation
Kalina Kabat, Education Expert at the Polish Humanitarian Action (PAH)
Allan Bussard, Director of Integra Foundation
Andrea Najvirtová, Director, People in Peril Slovakia (ČvO)
Discussions will be guided by stellar moderators including Rob Cameron (BBC) and Thomas Seifert (European Voices).

Why Bratislava? A Unique Opportunity

Bratislava serves as a unique hub for dialogue in the heart of Central Europe, offering perspectives and contacts you won't find in Brussels. We were delighted to meet you all for another unforgettable gathering!

The standard registration contribution was 40 EUR, which was reinvested directly into sustaining our community. Registration was free for speakers, moderators, Ambrela members/observers, and accredited press.

ADF 2026 Donors and Strategic Partners

This forum was made possible through the generous support of the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family of the Slovak Republic (MPSVR SR); the Ministry of Investment, Regional Development and Informatization of the Slovak Republic (MIRRI SR) via Programme Slovakia – co-financed by the European Union; SR via SlovakAid, ČR via CZECH AID; British Embassy to Slovakia; Embassy of Belgium to Slovakia; Inclusion Systems GmbH; People in Need; Polish Humanitarian Action; FairTrade Czechia and Slovakia; Julius Meinl Coffee Intl. and the main media partner euBrief.