Five Essential Conversations at the 2026 International SBCC Summit

The 2026 International Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) Summit is the largest global convening for professionals working in social and behavior change communication (SBCC), a field that uses communication to drive positive and sustained social and behavioral change.

The Summit is also a global platform for sharing evidence, exchanging ideas and exploring urgent challenges and innovations shaping how the field is understood and applied today.

At a time of rapid change in information ecosystems, shifting trust and complex global and local challenges, SBCC is more important than ever in helping shape effective and equitable social change. The Summit convenes hundreds of practitioners, researchers, policymakers, funders, and advocates from across sectors and regions around the world.

This year’s plenary sessions reflect some of the most pressing questions facing the field today—from honoring Indigenous knowledge systems and addressing funding constraints to defending human rights, examining the influence of culture and harnessing the potential of artificial intelligence.

Join us as we showcase some of the key conversations driving the field forward. Plenary sessions are expected to be live-streamed.

Monday morning plenary session, June 22:

Local, Ancestral, and Cultural Approaches to SBCC

This session explores how Indigenous, ancestral, and traditional knowledge systems shape social and behavior change communication. Drawing on perspectives from Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, and beyond, participants will examine how local cultures, worldviews, and lived experiences influence understandings of development, social justice, and well-being. The discussion will consider how diverse knowledge traditions can inform SBCC practice and expand the ways change is understood and advanced across different cultural contexts.

Confirmed Speakers:

1. Gideon Too, VP Busara
2. Soraya Bayuelo, a storyteller driving cultural change in Colombia
3. Yutsu Maiche, Indigenous communicator, aspiring filmmaker, musician from Ecuador
4. Adebayo Fayoyin, chair, African Society for Social and Behavior Change
5. Omayra Casamá, Indigenous social worker, human and territorial rights advocate, and founder of the Emberá Women Artisans Association (AMARIE), Panama

Moderator:  Lorenzo Vargas, Director of Programmes, WACC-Centre for Communication Rights

Tuesday morning plenary session, June 23:

Current Challenges in Funding SBCC Programs

Funding constraints remain one of the most significant challenges facing the SBC field. This session examines the evolving resource landscape and explores approaches to strengthening and sustaining SBC programs through new partnerships, domestic resource mobilization, cross-sector collaboration, digital fundraising, and other innovative funding models. Participants will also consider the broader capacities and relationships needed to build resilience and support long-term impact.

Confirmed Speakers:

1. Nontokozo Madonsela, Award-winning Marketing Executive, South Africa
2. Norma Jean Straw, Deputy Director, Gates Foundation,
3. Martha Mérida,Executive Director, ProSalud, Bolivia

Moderator: Olufunke Olufon, Founder and Principal Consultant, Iwà Consulting

Wednesday morning plenary session, June 24:

Challenges in the International Context for Human Rights and Social Justice

This session explores how rising authoritarianism, shrinking civic space, disinformation, and anti-rights movements are reshaping the environments in which social and behavior change efforts take place. Participants will examine strategies for building trust, resilience, and collective action in increasingly complex contexts, while considering the implications for advancing evidence-based, rights-centered approaches. The discussion will also explore whether democracy itself can be understood as a behavior that must be practiced, protected, and strengthened.

Confirmed Speakers:

1.  Orlando Francisco Quintero Arosemena, Executive Director Probidsida
2. Silvio Waisbord, Professor of Media and Public Affairs, George Washington University
3. Priyanka Kher, Chief Strategic Partnerships and Communications Officer, Breakthrough India

Moderator: Mimi Kalinda, Group CEO and Co-founder of Africa Communications Media Group

Wednesday afternoon plenary session, June 24:

Culture and Social Change with Rubén Blades

Rubén Blades, Grammy-winning musician, actor, activist, and former Minister of Tourism of Panama, will appear in conversation with Dr. Carlos Chirinos of New York University at the 2026 International SBCC Summit.

Blades will reflect on the power of storytelling, culture and music to shape public understanding, strengthen communities and inspire social change.

Widely recognized as one of the most influential voices in Latin American music, Blades has built a body of work that examines themes of identity, justice, migration, inequality, family and civic responsibility. His songs have connected with audiences across generations while demonstrating how popular culture can contribute to broader conversations about social change.

Rubén Blades’ plenary aligns perfectly with this year’s Summit theme: “The Power of Connection: Reimagining Knowledge, Action and Equity in a Changing SBCC Landscape.” The Summit will explore innovative strategies for addressing complex social challenges through communication, collaboration, and community engagement.

Confirmed Speaker: Ruben Blades

Moderator: Carlos Chirinos, New York University

Thursday morning plenary session, June 25:

Opportunities and Challenges of AI for the Field of SBCC

This session explores the opportunities and risks that artificial intelligence presents for social and behavior change communication. Participants will examine how AI can enhance program design, implementation, audience engagement, and learning, while also considering important questions related to bias, equity, cultural relevance, data sovereignty, and accountability. The discussion will consider how SBCC practitioners can leverage innovation while building trust, amplifying local voices, and promoting more equitable social change.

Confimed Speakers:

1. Oluseun Onigbinde, Global Director, BudgIT Foundation, Nigeria
2. Anneka Wickramanayake, Director of Research, Evaluation and Design, Jacaranda Health
3. Dino Rech, CEO, Audere (Equitable Care Worldwide)

Moderator: Fatimah Abubakar Alkali, Nigerian Strategic Communications Leader