In this episode, Sofiia talks to Mansi Jasuja, a practitioner in the art of hosting, a speaker, a system change professional, and a warrior of the heart. Mansi has shared that she has been searching for a very long time why we have so many problems on planet Earth, particularly connected to climate change… and this search brought her to work on participatory leadership and systems change.

With ancestors coming from Punjab, Pakistan, Mansi was already born in India, carrying the partition and losing the land trauma with her throughout her whole life… She grew up in New Delhi, India, in a Sikh family, a minority religion focusing on stories and values, as Mansi puts it. Soon she rebelled against her religion, against her parents’ will for her to become a doctor - and became an architect, where she first experienced system change. Interest in architecture brought Mansi to The Netherlands to study urban environmental management. Since then, she stayed in The Netherlands for half of her life. She worked with the UN, EU, and Dutch MFA… and while it might be considered like she made it in life - her soul and personality were not at peace, as she was seeing so much disconnect around herself, so much hierarchy, ego… she rebelled against her bosses and soon realised that she cannot stay and continue working where she was. She quit and started searching for herself and her true passion through different practices - until she found her core practice - art of hosting and harvesting conversations that matter. This is what this podcast is about… what is the art of hosting? How can we bring the connection between people back? Why does it matter for climate, gender and security…?

If you want to connect to Mansi, check out her Instagram and LinkedIn account.

Relevant links and recommendations:

Her website: https://www.acupofambition.nl/mansi-jasuja

More on Art of Hosting: https://www.aohnetherlands.org/

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Podcast hosted by Sofiia Shevchuk

Visuals and podcast production by teevee.studio

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Sofiia talks to Tena Lavrenčić, an Ethical Fashion Advocate and a senior Social Media Expert with the European Commission. Some people might know her by Thinking Threads, as that is the name she uses online. Tena spends most of her time thinking about sustainable as well as ethical fashion and that is what this episode is about. Tena is also one of the Directors with the Fashion Revolution Belgium, Belgian branch of the biggest global activism movement in fashion. Tena was born in a Bosnian household, in Croatia, in the middle of the war, and those experiences have forever affected her sense of justice. While Tena was always passionate about human rights movement, fashion was not part of her advocacy work until she met a survivor of child labour and modern slavery. Tena shares many facts and stories of the fashion industry - from the Rana Plaza collapse to why every April now you can observe many fashion activists events happening around the world. Is fashion an environmental, gendered and a security issue? - to answer this question, listen to the episode.

If you want to connect to Tena, check out her Instagram and LinkedIn account.

Relevant links and recommendations:

Why is there no winner in a "vegan" vs. real leather race? - Tena’s article for Vogue

Fashion activist Tena Lavrencic: 'If I bought fast fashion, my style would be boring'

Learn more about Tena and Thinking Threads

Learn more about Fashion Revolution Belgium

For more on VONA:

Sign up for our monthly Newsletter at www.VONA.international

Instagram @vona.international

Twitter @VONA_int

LinkedIn VONA International

Podcast hosted by Sofiia Shevchuk

Visuals and podcast production by Tamas Viski

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Sofiia talks to Georgia Brooks, a passionate advocate for women’s rights working for greater gender equality and inclusion. Georgia currently is based in Brussels, with professional experience throughout Europe and the Middle East. Most people know Georgia as a founder of The Nine, Belgium’s first female membership club. Fairly so, as The Nine brought a space for women in Brussels, that this city has not yet seen before. As Georgia describes The Nine activities and events herself: “from professional workshops, art exhibitions to drag queen shows - to have a little bit of fun because sometimes, I think, Brussels could be very, very serious”.

However, besides The Nine, Georgia also runs a non-profit Fempower Initiative, dedicated to improving the lives of girls and young women living in disadvantaged areas in the Middle East. More about Georgia, her work, projects and life… you can learn by listening to this episode.

If you want to connect to Georgia, check out her LinkedIn account.

Relevant links and recommendations:

Georgia Brooks: Power 40 — Brussels class of 2023

Learn more about The Nine

Lear more about Fempower Initiative

For more on VONA:

Sign up for our monthly Newsletter at www.VONA.international

Instagram @vona.international

Twitter @VONA_int

LinkedIn VONA International

Podcast hosted by Sofiia Shevchuk

Visuals and podcast production by Tamas Viski

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.