Storia 7: March 15-19, 2024

Passionate and committed to their world-changing work, generous and gracious with each other. What a cohort! Four folks from the USA, two from Europe, one from the UK, and two from the MENA region. An unforgettable experience with laughter and tears in equal measure.

There was a moment on the last night when one participant shared a song that pierced every heart.

Topics included: liberation, democracy, revolutions, racialized trust, the anatomy of buildings, regenerative land relationships, climate justice, the leadership apocalypse, and the future of pubs .

Photos below thanks to Omezzine Khelifa.

Selected Commentary:

“I loved it, really, for the inspiration, the connection, the learning, the strength I take with me. I feel that I can do it.”

“The one-on-one was transformative! You answered all my questions and created a safe space to process everything I am navigating.”

“Extraordinary value. Way more than I could possibly have expected. Diving into the deep feeling like it’s the shallows.”

“I feel infinitely more confident that my book will get written and be amazing thanks to this experience.”

“Ariane has a really good grasp of the individual’s needs in a room of people with strong presence and motivation. There was no tension in a space that could easily feel awkward and tricky. It all felt very friendly and inclusive. I felt able to contribute and be open, no anxiety, lots of empathy.”

Storia 8: October 25-29, 2024

For the second time in Storia history, a group of all women! Leaders in government, in communities, in tech, in education, in healing, in spirituality, in social business.

The magical mountains of Sintra served up the mists and rains for which they are famous, while the sun only briefly made an appearance, so we lit the fireplace daily and held all the afternoon sessions snuggled up beside it.

As usual, every project evolved by leaps and bounds as the days passed, each iteration of the pitch getting clearer and more evocative and more resonant.

For the ever-hilarious title brainstorm, we were joined by special guest, Storia alum and author, Jon Alexander.

On the final night, one participant led us through a powerful ritual of offerings, delivered in the participants’ spectrum of mother tongues—including Welsh, Hebrew, Irish, Spanish, Polish, and Hindi.

Most photos below thanks to Veronica D’Souza.

Selected Praise:

“So fucking great.”

“I can't remember the last time I felt so energised, challenged and inspired all at the same time - thank you for creating such a safe, inclusive space, and for bringing together an incredible group of women.”

“You are an amazing soul. I could not have been anywhere else to move forward with this.”

“100% a good investment. I am some ways still from my book, but I am twice as serious about it. I got to face into fears within a careful structure—it gave me personal and professional confidence. The joy was a total bonus.”

“Worth every cent. There is a lot of work ahead of us but now we know that the work is. I wish we could come back.”