Members of Right Livelihood’s Women Laureate Hub kicked off 2026 with a retreat in Istanbul designed to create space for connection and reflection. Inspired by the Women Health Project led by the 2003 Laureate SEKEM, the January gathering was shaped as a collective pause, centred on storytelling, embodied practices and small-group conversations.
A core highlight was the solidarity that emerged. Through sharing personal life stories and experiences, trust grew quickly, underlining that movement-building is rooted in relationship-building.
Participants were introduced to simple practices from the Rahma Project, including guided check-ins, physical movement and reflective exercises, supporting participants to reconnect with themselves and one another. The retreat focused on practices that can be carried home and integrated into daily life as tools for grounding, resilience and self-care, extending the impact beyond the gathering itself.
The retreat also created space for mutual support and collective care, highlighting that meaningful contribution does not always come through action alone. Presence, listening and connection are powerful foundations for sustained advocacy.
An important outcome was the strengthening of capacity through peer learning and shared practice. The experience also reaffirmed the value of documenting and sharing women Laureates’ stories, and sparked interest in adapting this approach in other contexts, supporting collective advocacy while prioritising wellbeing.
Those taking part included representatives of SEKEM, 2021 Laureate Marthe Wandou, 1998 Laureate Katarina Kruhonja and Diana Nabiruma representing the 2022 Laureate Africa Institute for Energy Governance (AFIEGO).
“The retreat reminded us how powerful peer learning and shared practices are. It’s given the Hub fresh energy and clear direction for what comes next, feeding into our wider work on collective advocacy while keeping wellbeing front and centre,” said Stina Thanner, Programme Manager.
