Spirit of Humanity ForumThe Way Out is In: Nordic Lighthouse Co-Laboratory for Inner Transformation Leading to Systemic Change Who do we need to become in order to create the world we long to see? On 13–15 April 2026, the 8th Spirit of Humanity Forum brought together around 150 participants from Iceland and across the world for three days of reflection, dialogue, silence, creativity, and co-creation in the magical Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre, Reykjavík, Iceland. Held under the theme The Way Out is In – Nordic Lighthouse Co-Laboratory for Inner Transformation Leading to Systemic Change, the Forum invited participants to explore the deep relationship between inner transformation and systemic change. Rather than approaching the challenges of our time through external solutions, policies, or institutional reform, the gathering created space to ask a deeper question: Who do we need to become in order to create the world we long to see? Play Video Highlights from the 8th Spirit of Humanity Forum Across the days, participants entered into conversations and experiences rooted in listening, presence, courage, compassion, and shared responsibility. Through plenary sessions, cultural contributions, Living Laboratories, intergenerational dialogue, and informal moments of connection, the Forum became a living space for exploring how meaningful change can emerge from a renewed relationship with ourselves, one another, nature, and the wider human community. This report offers a reflection on what unfolded in Reykjavík — the people, moments, insights, questions, and emerging possibilities that shaped the gathering — and points toward the continuing journey beyond the Forum. Film beautifully capturing highlights by Rohit Valecha from our supporting partner Initiatives of Change Read the full report HERE Finding direction in deeper values while navigating a stormy sea Across the world, societies are living through a period of profound disorientation. Political polarisation, social fragmentation, ecological instability, and declining trust in institutions signal more than a crisis of systems. They reveal a deeper rupture: our collective capacity to remain grounded in our common humanity is weakening, and our commitment to relating across difference is faltering. In such conditions, the question is not only what policies to adopt or which institutions to reform. The deeper question is whether we can still take responsibility for shared futures amid uncertainty and peril. The Spirit of Humanity Forum, in preparing for its 2026 gathering in April in Reykjavík, has sought to ground its work in the wisdom and cultural practice of its host country. What follows is an attempt to articulate what Iceland might offer the world at this moment, not as definitive interpretation, but as an invitation to inquiry. Seeing Green Earth Arising After the Fire Read More The Way Out is In - Redefining Success One of the major highlights of the Forum was the joint session with the Wellbeing Economy Forum: The Way Out is In – Redefining Success. This dialogue brought together H.E. Halla Tómasdóttir, President of Iceland, and Jesper Brodin, Senior Advisor to the IKEA Foundation, former CEO of Ingka Group | IKEA and Chair of The B Team, in a conversation exploring leadership, wellbeing, sustainability, intergenerational dialogue, and the courage required to lead in times of global uncertainty. The session emphasized the importance of building bridges across sectors, generations, and movements working toward positive change. Themes included long-term thinking, responsible business leadership, trust, humility, and the need for leaders to speak more courageously about the future they wish to help create. It reinforced a central message of the Spirit of Humanity Forum: Leadership requires courage, the ability to build trust and meaningful relationships, and alignment with deeper human values. A Season’s Journey A new Spirit of Humanity Forum publication by Rev. Dr Keith Magee. The book offers 94 meditations across 14 weekly themes, inviting readers into a daily practice of pausing, listening, reflection, and inner renewal. The book is available on Amazon. Read More Conversations at the 7th Spirit of Humanity Forum Play Video Play Video Play Video Watch more Here A powerful Interview with the Prime Minister of Iceland and reflections of participants at the 6th Forum Play Video Play Video Play Video Reflections & Quotes Tom Stedall – Reflections 2025 The Spirit of Humanity Forum is a rare experience, and was notable to me as a forum not primarily from the head, but from the heart. The intention of those present, their experiences, their work, their sharing, the nascent landscape of Iceland, created a rawness, a space for inner opening. I will be forever grateful for the encounters of these few days. Tom Stedall Researcher, The Schumacher Institute, UK Luke Addison – Reflections 2025 “To look around the room and see people from different countries, ages, genders, spiritual/religious beliefs, all in one place and being very open, kind, genuine and authentic. Everywhere you look someone is smiling at you, asking if they can sit with you to eat dinner, or asking you questions about who you are. I think in such a short amount of time, we have created this incredible, sincere, authentic family.” Luke Addison Youth Leadership Team Coordinator, Spirit of Humanity Forum Linda Leogah Forkwa – Reflections 2025 “The breakout sessions, workshops and all of the activities causes some kind of deep introspection that I truly value in my line of work… …often when we work we get into this daily routine and lose ourselves. We forget who we are. Sometimes we need to go back and get in touch with ourselves, look into our beings and re-evaluate and assess what is going right or wrong.” Linda Leogah Forkwa Post-graduate student, SoH youth leadership circle Hyppolite Ntigurirwa – Reflections 2025 “It is a very wise decision to collaborate, the Spirit of Humanity Forum with the Well-Being Economy Forum, they have different methods, but really they are working for the same goal, same vision. Where humanity is at its best…. …The most important thing is not the journey to just ‘do’ but also to listen and to be. The call for doing the work inward and then doing the work outside is really important.” Hyppolite Ntigurirwa Artist, Peacebuilder and Founder, Be the Peace Arnar Sveinn Geirsson – Reflections 2025 “There are a lot of things that inspire me to be here, but mostly it’s the people that are here as well. Learning from everyone here that has come from different parts of the world, having different perspectives of what is happening and truly listening to how they are approaching their work or their journey they are on spiritually.” Arnar Sveinn Geirsson Human Resources Director at Teya Iceland Sister Jayanti – Reflection 2025 “When you don’t know, there can be fear. But when I am very secure in knowing myself, and there is a state of valuing the self and self-esteem, that is my own inner dignity that I am upholding. I am connected with myself and connected with my core values and following those values in my life I am very comfortable.” Sister Jayanti Kirpalani Additional Administrative Head, The Brahma Kumaris and UN Representative in Geneva Stewart Wallis – Reflections 2025 “The role that inner transformation plays in outer change is massive, because the President of Iceland said this yesterday, ‘You have to go in to go out.’ And I've seen that in my own life, without doing that work on yourself, without knowing what you believe, knowing what you value in life, knowing, connecting to love and spirit, you cannot do the work in the world you need to.” Stewart Wallis Chair, Wellbeing Economy Alliance (WEAll) Dr Youssef Mahmoud – Reflections 2025 “An experience like this is unique because this is not an ashram where you go and meditate. This is asking people how they can transform themselves from inside out in order to shoulder their part of responsibility at this critical moment for humanity's transition to usher, a different world where a world that has been cleansed, healed from the illusion of separation.” Dr Youssef Mahmoud Dr Youssef Mahmoud, Senior Adviser, International Peace Institute, New York, former Under-Secretary-General, United Nations Baroness Patricia Scotland – Reflections 2025 “It was really extraordinary that the President of Iceland, in making her commitment to be involved with both these initiatives, made them collaborate and come together… …I was really impressed with the President, her determination, her openness and her Knights of Love.” Baroness Patricia Scotland KC Former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Dr Jude Currivan – Reflections 2025 “It really reinforced in my heart and soul the power of listening, the power of silence, the power of being” Dr Jude Currivan Cosmologist, author and film-maker and co-founder of WholeWorld-View Dr Imad Karam – Reflection 2025 “I am being driven by this need for human dignity. At the bottom of it all, we're all human, we also share dignity. And where dignity lacks, you will find conflict and inequality and injustice.” Dr Imad Karam Executive director of Initiatives of Change International Prof Dr Mike Hardy – Reflections “I was delighted when the organisers looked at the theme of ‘Inner Wisdom’, the theme of acting with courage and acting with compassion, because they resonate so strongly with the lived experience that we all have.” Prof Dr Mike Hardy Professor and Chair of Intercultural Relations, Coventry University Read all Reflections Articles More Here The Nordic Lighthouse: A Spirit of Humanity Forum Initiative Across the world, societies are living through a period of profound disorientation. Political polarisation, social... Read More about The Nordic Lighthouse: A Spirit of Humanity Forum Initiative Knowing in the In-Between Knowing in the In-Between: Liminality, Emergence, and the Futures We Are Learning to Imagine We... 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Read More about Bridges over troubled waters One Home Journey Spirit of Humanity Forum and One Home Journey: A Shared Vision for a peaceful and... Read More about One Home Journey A Narrative of Love As part of the A Narrative of Love project, Dr Scherto Gill hosted a series of... Read More about A Narrative of Love Read More Fridays for Silence Every Friday at 11.00am GMT Join us in this simple spiritual practice, to empower yourself and help shift human consciousness towards core human values. Read More Small Dialogue Circles For a group of leaders and change-makers to be in a safe space to express their inner feelings and, in particular, speak of the part that love can and does play in their lives and in the world, is a precious gift. Play Video Partners
