For two years in a row, I have worked on the communications team for the Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum (DRIF). For a fast-paced environment like ours, if there is one thing two consecutive years will do, it is strip away the feeling of novelty and leave you with depth. You quickly graduate from being dazzled by the scale of the event to noticing the smaller, more human details: how the design is conceived, how conversations form, how ideas travel, the brainstorming sessions participants don’t see, and how quickly everything goes once it is the opening ceremony.
DRIF comes and goes faster than you expect. And with less than one week left before the call for session proposals closes, this feels like the right moment to pause, reflect, and say plainly why showing up now matters.
People genuinely want to help
In many professional spaces, “community” is more branding than practice. People attend events to be seen, not necessarily to see others. But DRIF is different. From my position on the communications team, I have watched something powerful quietly happen over and over again: people lean in. Speakers share resources freely, participants connect with others without being prompted, and more partnerships are forged than I can count. Also, our volunteers at DRIF have always made it a culture to go beyond their assigned roles because they too, believe in what’s happening.
This culture of willingness, of showing up for one another, creates an environment where ideas are nurtured with intentionality. So, when you submit a session proposal, you are not throwing it into a void. You’re stepping into a space that is already inclined toward collaboration.
DRIF feels fleeting, and that is exactly what gives it its power
Every year, there’s a strange emotional whiplash that comes with DRIF. It first dawned on me at DRIF 2024 in Accra, Ghana. After months of planning, weeks of build-up, a flurry of posts, emails, schedules, and reminders, it was finally happening. I was amazed at the Dome and the crowds that showed up. The warm smiles and open conversations about the difficult subjects. I watched attentively as hundreds of panels unfolded simultaneously, as delegates networked in the corridors, and as ideas quickly built. But then, it all ended so fast. And that is the funny thing about DRIF. You don’t even realise how much you have absorbed until afterward. The follow-up messages, the “great to have met you” notes, and the magical conversations that begin with, “we spoke briefly at DRIF…”
From the inside, I’ve learned that DRIF’s intensity is what gives it weight. It doesn’t linger long enough to become just another conference. It demands presence, intentionality, and is results-driven at every turn, which is why contributing as a speaker, facilitator, or panelist matters so much. Observing is valuable, but participating is transformative.
Networking at DRIF is nothing short of organic
Let’s be honest, networking often feels transactional. There are forced smiles, rushed introductions, and that subtle sense that everyone is calculating what they can gain. In my experience, that is not the dominant energy at DRIF. What I have seen instead is conversation-first networking. Panels spark debates that continue long after the session ends, and the search for common solutions quickly becomes shared projects.
From the comms side, I have witnessed connections form in unexpected places: in comment sections, in post-event DMs, and those spontaneous meetups that were never on the official programme. Submitting a session proposal doesn’t just give you a platform; it gives people a reason to approach you, engage your ideas, and remember your work long after the event is over.
DRIF makes room for many worlds at once
One of DRIF’s quiet strengths is its range. It brings together people from different sectors, disciplines, and lived experiences without flattening them into a single narrative. Students sit alongside seasoned professionals, creatives engage policymakers, and technologists exchange ideas with activists. In 2024, the forum registered 1,044 registered participants and 245 session proposals. The figures shot up to 1,399 and 350, respectively, in 2025.
From behind the scenes, you start to appreciate how intentional this diversity is. It is a well-curated experience, and this means the threshold for participation is not exclusivity but relevance. Your session doesn’t need to sound “big” or “perfect.” It needs to be honest, thoughtful, and rooted in something that matters. DRIF values depth over polish, and substance over spectacle.
Come for digital rights, stay for the vibes
DRIF deals with serious themes such as technology-facilitated gender-based violence, Artificial intelligence, platform regulation and accountability, online freedoms, and more. There’s no denying that the conversations are often urgent, political, and deeply reflective. But what makes the forum stick is its understanding that seriousness does not translate to straight-jacket behaviour and stiffness.
The 2024 post-DRIF dance at the open courtyard is still talked about for a reason. It was not a distraction, but a release. For me, it remains a reminder that fun can coexist with critical thinking and problem-solving because people usually perform at an optimal level when they feel human, not just professional. There is also always a movie premiere at DRIF, and more recently, a podcast I run that brings levity and curiosity into the mix. These elements are not just add-ons. They are part of the DRIF ecosystem and make the space breathable.
So, why am I sharing all these only now?
Because timing matters. With just a few days left before the call for session proposals closes, your hesitation is the only real barrier. DRIF doesn’t need flawless ideas; it needs honest ones. It needs people willing to step into conversation, ask questions publicly, share what they’re learning in real time, and proffer solutions. If you have been waiting for the “right moment,” this is it. DRIF will come, and DRIF will go. And when it does, the only real regret will be not having stepped in when you had the chance.
Submit your session proposal here.
I look forward to shaking your hand in Abidjan, come April 14, 2026.
Giyo Ndzi is Communications Officer at Paradigm Initiative
