March Newsletter
- Laufey Fríða Guðmundsdóttir
- Mar 30
- 4 min read
Two Presidents Discussing Wellbeing
The President of Slovenia, dr. Nataša Pirc Musar will visit the President of Iceland, Halla Tomasdottir, on 15 April 2026 in connection with the Wellbeing Economy Forum. The two presidents will meet in the morning, followed by a working lunch with Icelandic Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir.
Later that day, they will take part in a conversation under the title “The Courage to Care: Leadership in a Changing World”, as a pre-event to the Wellbeing Economy Forum. The President of Iceland, who is the patron of the Wellbeing Economy Forum, has emphasised the importance of strengthening dialogue on new economic models and metrics. The visit of the President of Slovenia to Iceland underscores the importance of international dialogue and cooperation on the development of economic systems that are guided by the wellbeing of people and nature.
It is symbolic that the two women leaders meet in Veröld - the home of the Vigdís International Centre for Multilingualism and Intercultural Understanding. It is named after Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, who in 1980 became the first woman in the world to be democratically elected president. In addition, 15 April is Vigdís´s birthday.
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A Growing Global Shift Beyond GDP puts Reykjavík in Focus
As the Wellbeing Economy Forum 2026 approaches, the international debate on measuring progress beyond GDP is gaining momentum. New UN work on Beyond GDP, high-level calls for stronger action on inequality, and growing discussion around poverty beyond growth all help explain why this year’s Forum is especially timely.
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Economics as if People and the Planet Matter - Measures Beyond GDP with Rutger Hoekstra
We are pleased to welcome Rutger Hoekstra as a speaker at the Wellbeing Economy Forum in Harpa, Reykjavík, 16. April.
Rutger Hoekstra is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Environmental Sciences at Leiden University and a leading expert on Beyond-GDP metrics for Wellbeing, Inclusion and Sustainability (WISE). He is also the author of Replacing GDP by 2030, published by Cambridge University Press in 2019.
He has played an important international role in advancing new ways of measuring progress, including serving as co-chair of the UN-ECE/OECD/Eurostat task force on measuring sustainable development. He currently leads the WISE Horizons project and is involved in several international initiatives, including the UN Expert Group on Wellbeing Measurement. Rutger has worked with major international organisations including the United Nations, World Bank, European Commission, OECD, European Central Bank, KPMG, and Statistics Netherlands.
We are delighted to welcome him to Reykjavík and look forward to his contribution to this year’s forum.
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Start Your Day with Yoga led by Lena Brodin
Participants at the Wellbeing Economy Forum in Harpa Reykjavík will have the opportunity to begin both days with a calming and restorative yoga session led by Lena Brodin, an experienced and highly respected yoga teacher whose work centres on the connection between body, heart, and mind.
Lena Brodin is a certified yoga teacher with more than 15 years of teaching experience. She is currently enrolled in a two-year meditation teacher training programme with Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield. Her deep interest in the body-heart-mind connection has also led her along a scientific and therapeutic path. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, has trained as a CBT/ACT therapist, and has undertaken extensive studies in Buddhist psychology.
Lena describes yoga as a compassionate and honest meeting with yourself, a practice that can become a way of living more truthfully with yourself, others, and the planet. Her classes are known for their gently guided flows that strengthen both body and soul, while allowing space for variation, individual adaptation, and self-compassion.
These morning sessions will offer Forum participants a valuable moment to ground themselves, connect inward, and prepare for the day ahead in a calm and meaningful way. You can register for her yoga classes by clicking on the button bellow.
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The B Team Brings a New Vision of Business Leadership to the Forum
The Wellbeing Economy Forum welcomes The B Team as a new collaborator this year. The B Team is a global non-profit organisation working to reshape the role of business leadership in today’s world. Founded on the belief that companies must serve people and planet alongside profit, The B Team promotes more responsible leadership and stronger corporate action on issues such as climate, inequality, governance and accountability.
The “B” in The B Team stands for “Plan B” for business. It reflects the view that the traditional model, in which profit alone drives decision-making, is no longer sufficient. Instead, The B Team advocates a new approach — one that creates social, environmental and economic value together, and helps build a more just and sustainable future.
At the Forum in Harpa, The B Team will be represented by its chair, Jesper Brodin, who will join the programme as a keynote speaker and take part in a featured dialogue with President Halla Tómasdóttir. His participation will bring an important perspective on how business can contribute to a wellbeing economy and help drive meaningful change. Additionally, Leah Seligmann, CEO of the B Team, will take part in a session about New Metrics for People, Planet, Policy and Finance - beyond GDP.
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Registration is Open!
Planning for the Wellbeing Economy Forum is well underway, and we look forward to welcoming you in Harpa this April. If you have not registered yet, you can do so by clicking the button below.
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Stay Informed
For the latest updates on the programme, confirmed speakers, venue details, and practical information (including travel to Iceland), visit the official Forum website. We will continue adding new content as April approaches, so it’s worth checking back regularly.
Should you have any questions or need further information, please contact Elín Hirst at elin.hirst@landlaeknir.is
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