Due to my experience of working in many projects funded by Swedish International Centre for Local Democracy (ICLD), I was invited to ICLD Local Democracy Academy in Umeå, June 10th-14th 2019. The title for the academy was ”Global Challenges and Local Governments: Towards Transformative Policy and Practice”. The academy was divided into the following sessions: training sessions, writing workshops, local policy labs and thematic streams on various issues. The academy brought together an international group of leading scholars, researchers, local policy makers and governmental officials. The academy was organized in collaboration with Umeå University and United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG). I attended the conference together with a partner working in one of the projects funded by ICLD; Dr.Anne Ouma, Research and Development Advisor.