LONDON, UK – June 24, 2026
PART II of III
(CLICK HERE FOR Part I)
The Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) Conference 2026 is being held in London, UK, from June 23–25, bringing together over 4,000 leaders from politics, business, technology, academia, law, culture, and the arts from 85 countries to discuss one central question: How can we rebuild and renew Western civilization?
The first day of ARC focused on “The Pathway to Deconstruction” tracing how confidence in the civilisational story of the West was lost, from intellectual movements in the academy to the fragmentation of social fabric, the hollowing of economic foundations, the abandonment of energy abundance, and the rise of a technology revolution.
Day Two focused on “Mindset Shift.” We examine what it will take to rebuild: restoring confidence in our heritage, renewing the social fabric, reestablishing reliable energy as the foundation of prosperity, rebuilding the moral foundations of capitalism, and shaping a technology narrative that puts humanity at the centre.
There were over 30 perspectives from keynote speakers and panelists. Here are some of the speakers and a brief description of their presentations:
Michael Shellenberg, University of Austin, TX, examined the pillars of Western civilization: rule of law, free speech, public safety, meritocracy, free speech, economic progress and faith. He discussed opponents’ focus on expanded state control and undermining pillars. Scientism and industrialization have weakened power of faith. Anti-civilization actors have successfully moved people away from faith.
Ross Douthat, Columnist, New York Times, talked about the technological substrate of our civilization. Many present challenges find their source in digital existence. We exist with the dynamics of the force of substitution—exchanging in person for an online experience (often replacing superior goods with inferior ones). The goods are inferior, they promote distraction. Life itself becomes inferior to the online perfect experiences. Combined with a crisis of faith, this has created drift and despair. What drives things? Faith that life is worth living, optimism. Fundamentally, this is good news as faith provides an answer. What will be shaping the world: biblical admonition to choose life.
Glenn Youngkin, Former Governor of Virginia, talked about the US being a beacon of freedom, of equality for all. Tomorrow’s liberty is determined by what we do today, yet there is increasing pessimism of youth. The progressive left has failed state policies—instead Youngkin advocates for a conservative common-sense approach. He says, “We are fighting for the value of western civilization.” He states that the “American spirit” recognizes these core values. The 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence is fast approaching, with the last 250 years being a foundation for moving forward in defence of Western values.
Rick Epstein, Canadian Entrepreneur & Founder, Phaze 3 Associates, shared his story about his mother being a Holocaust survivor, thanks to the actions of local Christians. He lamented the hostility towards Jews in Western countries. He encouraged people not to be complacent but to set a positive tone and encourage politicians to enforce the laws already in existence against hate speech. He noted that a society that doesn’t protect Jews soon won’t be protecting other groups either.
Jason Kenney, former Premier of Alberta, was part of a debate panel on “The New World Order,” which included perspectives from the US and the UK. Kenney pointed out the US belligerence to most of Europe, Ukraine, and Canada was not a good way forward. In addition, he suggested that insulting Canada and its leaders was not a good way for neighbours to work together. The UK panelist representative heaped disdain upon the actions of US president Donald Trump. The US panelist representative took great umbrage to the suggestion that Donald Trump was part of the problem and not the solution. Point made.
A recurring theme throughout the second day of the ARC Conference 2026 was that civilizations cannot be sustained by economics, technology, or politics alone. Again and again, speakers returned to the importance of moral, cultural, and spiritual foundations. Whether discussing liberty, identity, beauty, artificial intelligence, or human flourishing, many participants shared the conviction that the future of Western civilization will depend not merely on resisting decline, but on undertaking the difficult work of reconstruction.
Part III will cover additional highlights and themes emerging from the ARC Conference in London.