The Countdown Is On! - January Newsletter
- Elín Hirst
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
With less than three months to go, the Wellbeing Economy Forum 2026 returns to Harpa in Reykjavík on 16–17 April 2026.
Under this year’s theme, “The Power of Wellbeing: Redefining Success,” the Forum brings together leaders from policy, business, academia, and practice to explore how we can build economic systems that work within environmental limits and improve wellbeing across generations.
We will share speaker announcements and programme highlights in the coming editions.
Not registered yet? Secure your place today.
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We are pleased to confirm that Nicola Sturgeon, former First Minister of Scotland, will speak at the Wellbeing Economy Forum 2026 on 16–17 April at Harpa Conference and Concert Hall in Reykjavík.
Sturgeon was among the founders of the Wellbeing Economy Governments partnership (WEGo) in 2018, a collaboration of national and regional governments working to share expertise and transferable policy practices in support of wellbeing economies.
As we continue shaping the programme, speakers will be added to the website as they are confirmed. We will share updates in upcoming newsletters as well, so stay tuned, and keep an eye on the Speakers page for the latest announcements.
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VALUE-BASED LEADERSHIP IS A CORE ISSUE
Halla Tomasdottir, President of Iceland, is the Patron of the Wellbeing Economy Forum and will actively participate in the Forum.
President Tómasdóttir is a strong advocate of value-based leadership, with a focus on empathy, sustainability, and gender equality. Drawing on her background as a business leader and former CEO of The B Team, she has championed a “new leadership playbook” that prioritises people and the planet over short-term gain.
She encourages leaders to do the “inner work” to clarify their principles and lead in line with their “inner compass.” She also highlights the importance of radical collaboration across sectors and generations, including giving young people meaningful influence.
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EVOLVING REYKJAVÍK TO THE “DAVOS” OF THE WELLBEING ECONOMY
Dr. Dora Gudrun Gudmundsdottir, Director of Public Health at the Directorate of Health in Iceland, chairs the Wellbeing Economy Forum.
“We are excited to welcome guests from around the world, including policymakers, politicians, academics, specialists, and activists. Our aim is to transform the global economic system to enhance wellbeing for both people and the planet,” says Dr. Dóra.
She emphasises the need to redefine success and progress by moving beyond traditional indicators such as GDP and incorporating social and environmental factors as measures of prosperity. “We hope that the Wellbeing Economy Forum in Iceland will evolve into the ‘Davos’ of the wellbeing economy in the future,” she adds.
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The Wellbeing Economy Forum: an integral part of JA PreventNCD
The Wellbeing Economy Forum is a key event within JA PreventNCD and a core platform for advancing discussion on the wellbeing economy in practice. Professor Knut Inge Klepp, Scientific Coordinator of JA PreventNCD, is part of the Forum’s organising committee and helps connect the Forum’s conversations with the wider prevention work happening across Europe.
JA PreventNCD brings together 25 countries and more than 100 partner organisations to reduce the burden of cancer and other non-communicable diseases. The scope is intentionally broad, spanning both societal and personal risk factors, with strong implications for health equity and sustainability. A major focus is helping countries prioritise what works by strengthening coordination, reducing fragmentation, and supporting evaluation so prevention efforts can have greater impact.
Within this wider effort, parts of the project focus specifically on how policies across sectors shape health, including Health in All Policies and the wellbeing economy. That is why the Forum matters: it brings together decision-makers and practitioners from beyond the health sector to explore how we define progress, how we design policy, and how we can create conditions for healthier lives across generations.
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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.
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