Redefining success: reflections from the Wellbeing Economy Forum 2026

Last week, the Wellbeing Economy Forum 2026 brought together leaders, experts, policymakers, youth representatives and changemakers in Reykjavík for a successful and wide-ranging programme under this year’s theme, The Power of Wellbeing: Redefining Success.

As a key event within JA PreventNCD, the forum created an important space for dialogue on how health, wellbeing, sustainability and equity can be placed more firmly at the centre of policymaking and public debate. Across the pre-forum events on 15 April and the main programme on 16 and 17 April at Harpa, participants explored how societies can move beyond narrow definitions of success and towards approaches that better reflect long-term wellbeing for people, communities and the planet.

A clear message emerged across the programme: redefining success is no longer only a theoretical discussion. It is becoming a practical and urgent task for governments, institutions, communities and future generations.

The programme began with a strong pre-forum moment in The Courage to Care: Leadership in a Changing World, a open conversation between Nataša Pirc Musar, President of Slovenia, and Halla Tómasdóttir, President of Iceland, held at Veröld, House of Vigdís, University of Iceland.

The presidents discussed developments in world affairs, and the role of leaders, particularly women leaders, in contributing positively at national and international level. The conversation set the tone for the forum by placing values-based leadership, care and human wellbeing at the centre of the conversation from the outset. It also helped extend the reach of the event beyond those attending in person, as it was broadcast live on various Icelandic media outlets.

The evening continued at Harpa with The Way Out is In - Redefining Success, a joint session of the Spirit of Humanity Forum and the Wellbeing Economy Forum featuring President Halla Tómasdóttir and Jesper Brodin, Senior Advisor at the IKEA Foundation and former CEO of IKEA | Ingka Group. Together, these opening events framed the days ahead around the need to rethink how progress and success are defined in a changing world.

Across the two main days, the forum addressed a broad range of interconnected issues linked to this year’s theme, including leadership and wellbeing in the age of AI, poverty and social equity, beyond GDP, climate and health, future generations, the care economy, and the commercial drivers of health and wellbeing.

A common thread throughout the programme was the idea that wellbeing should not be treated as a secondary outcome, but as a central measure of whether societies are truly succeeding. The discussions also highlighted the importance of long-term thinking, prevention, cross-sector collaboration and policies that make healthier and more sustainable choices easier in everyday life.

One of the major highlights of the forum was the launch of the OECD-EU policy brief, Healthier Lives, Stronger Societies, chaired by Knut-Inge Klepp, Scientific Coordinator of JA PreventNCD. The session brought high-level attention to the scale of the non-communicable disease burden in Europe and to the importance of prevention as both a health and economic priority.

The policy brief makes a strong case for action. It notes that four major non-communicable diseases account for 46% of premature deaths in the EU, and that eliminating them would reduce health spending by 40% while contributing to an average 3.9% increase in annual GDP over the period 2026 to 2050. It also underlines that prevention delivers greater health and economic gains than improved disease management alone, reinforcing the need to act on risk factors and create healthier environments.

Another noteworthy discussion focused on wellbeing in the Arctic, drawing attention to the links between climate change, Indigenous cultures and geopolitical rivalry. In the current context, the session offered an important reminder that wellbeing is shaped not only by health and social policy, but also by environmental change, security and the protection of cultural identity.

The forum brought a strong leadership perspective through a session on women’s leadership, the future of the wellbeing economy and WEGo, featuring Katrín Jakobsdóttir and Nicola Sturgeon. Their participation added an important political dimension to the programme and highlighted the value of leadership that looks beyond short-term measures of success. The session was followed by the presentation of the Wellbeing Awards by Forum Chair Dóra G. Guðmundsdóttir, recognising Katrín and Nicola for their outstanding contributions to advancing wellbeing economies globally.

Youth participation was visible throughout the programme, including across several panel discussions during both days. This helped ensure that conversations about wellbeing, policy and the future remained grounded in intergenerational dialogue and action and reflected the importance of involving younger voices in shaping long-term change.

This was especially evident in The Knights of Love Initiative – The Courage to Care, a session that brought a deeply human dimension to the forum. With youth voices at its centre, the discussion highlighted the importance of care, compassion and safety in building a better society.

Overall, the Wellbeing Economy Forum 2026 reflected the growing momentum behind wellbeing-oriented approaches in policy and public health. It showed the value of bringing together political leaders, researchers, practitioners, young people and international organisations in one shared space to explore what it truly means to redefine success.

Session recordings will be made available on YouTube shortly for those who would like to revisit the discussions or were unable to attend. We will also be sharing key takeaways from the forum over the coming days