Proof of registration, via a QR code on your phone or on paper, will be required to enter Reid Hall. Entry will be refused to those who are not registered. Please note that access will not be permitted 15 minutes after the start of the event.
This event will be held in English.
Organized by the Columbia Global Paris Center, Daughters for Earth in partnership with WHo CAREs!? Chronicles and ChangeNow.
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With ChangeNOW 2025 just around the corner at the Grand Palais, the Columbia Global Paris Center welcomes Daughters for Earth to Reid Hall, for a panel discussion on the role of women leadership, traditional knowledge and connection to land and nature in adaptation to climate change.
The uprise of women in philanthropy, coupled with a shift from top-down to bottom-up approaches, is driving powerful, community-led solutions that advance global efforts in mitigating climate change. The growing focus on “nature-based solutions” in climate adaptation and fundraising is deeply rooted in indigenous knowledge, which is often under-recognized.
At stake now is how to support these initiatives, and how to do so fairly and ethically. To tackle these issues, we will be joined by three speakers: Sofia de Meyer, Flavia Neies Maya, and Nora Gherbi.
Women in Climate Action
This series explores the pivotal role of women in climate action, focusing on strategies to adjust to the effects of climate change through sustainable practices, policy initiatives, and the accessibility of climate information. The Columbia Global Paris Center has partnered with Daughters for Earth, She Changes Climate, and Les Impactrices to propose three events showcasing each organization’s critical work in this field.
Climate Talks at Reid Hall are free regular events that form part of the Columbia Global Paris Center’s climate response initiatives. We foster encounters in French and in English between the public, researchers, activists, business and community leaders, public officials, and more. Our institution, positioned at the crossroads of academic and civil society in Europe and the United States, mobilizes diverse perspectives and resources. Collective action across these disciplines, languages, and borders is key to adapting to climate change.
Panelists
Sofia de Meyer is the award-winning entrepreneur behind Whitepod, an eco-tourism destination in the Swiss Alps, which earned the Times Eco Tourism Award for its positive impact on the environment and local communities. Sofia is also the founder of Opaline, a Swiss beverage company she led as CEO for 12 years, starting in her kitchen and scaling the company to 1 million bottles annually. Opaline is B Corp certified and focuses on circular and regenerative economy principles. Today, Sofia shares her grassroots entrepreneurial experience to help NGOs and companies embed sustainability as a positive force to lead systemic change and social innovation. Among her engagements, she is the European Lead for Daughters for Earth, advancing women’s leadership in the climate crisis.
Dr. Flavia Neves Maia is a climate leader, consultant, speaker and writer. For over a decade, her passion has been forging pathways where climate action meets social healing and emotional well-being. With a Doctorate in Urbanism and accolades as an Obama Scholar and Dalai Lama Fellow, her mission is to create a more loving world by sharing wisdom about social healing, relationships, and emotions with humans who care about climate change. "I’ve been privileged to contribute globally with prestigious institutions like the United Nations University, Delft University of Technology, and Columbia University.
Nora Gherbi For over 17 years, Nora has carved a unique path in economic diplomacy. Her journey began with the French Administration in Canada and the United States, culminating in her role as Chief Representative for London in France (2018-2021). She seamlessly blends her economic diplomacy acumen with a deep understanding of sustainable business growth. Throughout her career, she's tackled a diverse range of challenges: conflict management, crafting economic recovery plans (including the 2008 financial crisis), navigating the complexities of Brexit. In parallel, Nora has delved into the fundamental principles of reciprocity, community, circularity, and regeneration. E.I aims to bridge the gap between ancient & indigenous wisdom and modern science.
Organizers
The Columbia Global Paris Center addresses pressing global issues that are at the forefront of international education and research: agency and gender; climate and the environment; critical dialogues for just societies; encounters in the arts; and health and medical science. Columbia Global brings together major global initiatives from across the university to advance knowledge and foster global engagement. Those initiatives include the Columbia Global Centers, Columbia World Projects, the Committee on Global Thought, and the Institute for Ideas and Imagination.
Daughters for Earth was created in 2020 to inspire a movement and mobilize $100 million in support of women-led efforts in the field of regenerative agriculture, land and water protection, and renewable energies. In the past 4 years, Daughters for Earth has funded nearly 200 women-led projects in more than 30 countries.
Reid Hall, the Columbia Global Paris Center, and the Institute for Ideas and Imagination are not responsible for the views and opinions expressed by their speakers and guests.
