The Power to Heal: Humanitarian Action and the Power of Civil Society

Washington, D.C. | September 18, 2026

Emergentia attended The Power to Heal: Chef José Andrés and Dr. Denis Mukwege on Humanitarian Crises, a special conversation hosted by the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center in Washington, D.C.

The event brought together two internationally recognized humanitarian leaders: José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen, and Dr. Denis Mukwege, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and founder and president of Panzi Hospital and Foundation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Drawing from their experiences responding to conflict, displacement, natural disasters, and public health emergencies, the conversation explored the critical role of civil society in bringing visibility to overlooked humanitarian crises, strengthening support for affected communities, and contributing to policies that foster resilience and recovery.

For Emergentia, being part of spaces like this is an opportunity to listen, learn, and connect global conversations with our purpose: developing ideas and solutions that place people and communities at the center of change.

The discussion reinforced a principle that strongly resonates with our work: meaningful transformation requires more than recognizing challenges—it requires turning knowledge, collaboration, and empathy into action.