Champions 2029
By Glen Ford, Founder of the Champions Movement
In 1994, the unthinkable and unimaginable happened. In 100 days, some one million innocent people in Rwanda were brutally killed, many by ordinary people.
The killing was prepared, it was funded by business leaders, promoted by the media, supported by political leaders, local and national, and in many cases enabled by faith communities. And the international community did worse than nothing, they actively withdrew, giving a green light to the perpetrators.
It was enabled by an idea that emerged in Europe that some people are more human than others, and certain others do not deserve to be part of humanity.
It was one of the darkest times of humanity.
2029 will be 35 years later. Can we honour the million lives lost by enabling one million Rwandans to become Champions of Humanity, champions of their own humanity and the humanity of others?
Can we inspire a global population to share stories of humanity, to become everyday peacemakers?
In early 2004 — nearly 23 years ago — I was part of the volunteer team that created the Kigali Genocide Memorial, then a trustee with the Aegis Trust.
It was just 10 short years after the genocide. I worked alongside young survivors, like Freddy Mutanguha, now the CEO of Aegis and Director of the Memorial.
My journey of understanding started — understanding what it means to be human.
The ideas below are exactly that: ideas.
But they are backed with more than 50 years of human development, starting in the UK, then Rwanda and now beyond: on centering leadership on what it means to be human.
Just in case you think this is crazy...
It is.
But as noted above, the unthinkable can happen in a bad way, so why not in a good way? You may know the quote attributed to Margaret Mead:
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
In May 2023, I connected with Steve Hecht, founder of Million Peacemakers. That connection developed and led to the foundation of Generation Peace, a commitment to engage 250 million young people globally by 2035.
I stood down early last year, in March 2025, from my 22 years of volunteer and service leadership with the Memorial and Aegis Trust to start Champions.
I had begun to see that humanity is a performance multiplier. It is the foundation of thriving communities. It is the glue that holds us all together, imperfect as we are.
If you want to join me as a founding partner in the Champions Movement then join me a line. It is a Champions led movement.
Glen Ford
Talent is everywhere. Opportunity is not.
Reach one million Rwandans by 2029 — young people, professionals, community leaders and families.
Engage 100 million young people globally by 2030, with a campaign to share stories of humanity with their friends, families and colleagues.
In 2029, the world will mark the 35th commemoration of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, when around one million innocent people were brutally murdered in 100 days.
Over the past 32 years, Rwanda has embraced humanity, forgiveness and reconciliation to improve the lives of all Rwandans. This would have been unthinkable in the aftermath of the genocide.
The message from Rwanda today is one of hope, healing and humanity — for a world that is increasingly in need of all three.
Champions 2029 builds on this legacy to establish a movement that shares this message with the global community: there is life, hope and humanity after darkness.
The Humanity Trust Coin gives young people a pathway to being trustworthy, connecting them with opportunity, enabling thriving communities through a self‑funding model.
The Humanity Trust Coin is new. This draws on ideas that have served for centuries: the apprenticeship, the US Challenge badge that has to be earned, the medal, the honor, and the gift that is passed on — that trust is the foundation of humanity.
Humanity Trust Coin
Trust is the foundation of humanity.
Champions is based on the premise that humanity is a performance multiplier. The Humanity Trust Coin draws from the time-served concept of trust being the foundation for human development, growth and thriving.
The Coin is conceived as a Bond that serves to initiate the Champions Movement, enabling the various pillars to become established, leading to a self-sustaining movement.
The Six Pillars
The Coin unlocks them. Each one reaches someone different.
Pillar by pillar
What each one is, and how it works.
Champions Pathway
Connecting talent to opportunity: the Champions Pathway is a structured programme that supports young people into employability by focusing on trust, resulting in a Digital Humanity Badge as a verifiable token of ‘fitness for opportunity’ recognised by employers.
- One young person is funded by one Humanity Trust Coin, at $100.
- They earn a Humanity Badge, a verifiable token of their trustworthiness.
- Recognised by employers — opening up access to opportunity.
How fundedThe Humanity Trust Coin provides the starting capital, funding the Champions Pathway for young people, repaid over time through pay-it-forward, and from surpluses from the other pillars.
Champions Professionals
The engine — humanity as a performance multiplier in the world of work, through fee-based programmes.
- Champions Circles for Professionals: Calling Forward Humanity.
- Senior leadership focus: unlocking hidden value through humanity-centred leadership.
- Tackling the inhumanity of burnout.
- Builds on the success of Champions in Chicago this past year.
How fundedSelf-funding and surplus-generating from day one. This is the engine: it earns more than it costs, and the difference is what cross-subsidises the Pathway. Licensing grows the reach without growing the overhead.
Champions Circles
The multiplier — why we call them Champions.
- Youth Champions invited to mentor friends and colleagues.
- Supported by a network of mentors.
- Providing access to online content.
- Youth Champions build their Humanity Badge credentials.
How fundedHumanity Trust Coin funding provides the online resources.
Champions Academy
Leveraging scale through established networks.
- Paid membership.
- University and museum chapters, in partnership.
- Access to online, structured courses and in-person Champions Circles.
How fundedSelf-funded from membership and sponsorship, moving to a licence model — each chapter becomes self-sustaining.
Champions Badges
Calling forward the message of humanity, and providing an important income stream to support healing for survivors and Champions programmes for young people.
- Builds on the success of the Humanity Badges introduced at the Kigali Genocide Memorial in 2019 — now generating $150,000 a year at an 80% margin.
- Develop the badges for wider engagement beyond the Memorial, and internationally.
- Develop a special commemorative badge for Rwanda 2029.
How fundedPays back after year one, and thereafter generates annual surpluses.
Be a Champion: engage 100 million young people by 2030
Leverage partnerships and networks following Kwibuka 30 in 2024 with Million Peacemakers — on a journey to train 250 million peacemakers by 2035 — and the Big 6 youth organisations, who together engage more than 250 million young people.
- Launches July 2029 — the month Rwanda's hundred days ended and the country turned to look forward.
- Develop a public service announcement media campaign, building on the success of Candles for Rwanda in 2009.
- Campaign — Sharing Stories of Humanity: ten minutes with friends and family, linked to the Badge and online content.
- Already begun: Nonflict, part of the Champions Pathway, delivered to more than 80 recipients of the Big 6 Youth Empowerment Fund across a dozen countries.
How fundedThrough sponsorship and surpluses generated over the initial years.
Talent is everywhere. Opportunity is not.
Trust is the bridge.
For more information contact Glen Ford at glen@35champions.com
More detail below (outline details only)
The details below are illustrative, intended to be an outline, not a definitive plan.
Glen Ford
Glen Ford
Professional Champions - Proving the Model In Chicago
The link below contains an overview of a pilot programme in Chicago with a 70-year-old healthcare organisation that was suffering low morale, high burnout and poor patient care.
It was transformed in 90 days, highlighting that humanity is a performance multiplier.
Glen Ford
Young Champions
We started a pilot in late 2025 with US college students. See Fred's journey to learn more.
Glen Ford
Glen Ford