Malta, June 23, 2026 – The Social Innovation and Global Ethics Forum (SIGEF), organized by the Horyou Foundation, proudly announces the successful conclusion of the SIGEF Women Summit 2026, held on June 22–23 in Malta. Bringing together ministers, policymakers, entrepreneurs, investors, philanthropists, innovators, academics, and international thought leaders from across the world, this year’s Summit further strengthened its position as one of the leading international platforms dedicated to advancing women’s leadership, investment, social innovation, and global cooperation.
Held at the prestigious The Phoenicia Malta, with the official Women Changemakers Welcoming Cocktail hosted at the historic Casino Maltese, the Summit welcomed distinguished participants representing governments, international organizations, business, finance, diplomacy, healthcare, technology, academia and civil society.
Inspired by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, SIGEF Women 2026 focused on transforming dialogue into action through international collaboration, inclusive leadership and purpose-driven innovation.
The Summit was honored by the participation and support of distinguished representatives of the Government of Malta, including a special Opening Remarks video address by Hon. Dr. Chris Fearne, Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Malta. The programme also featured Dr. Miriam Dalli, Minister for the Environment, Energy and Regeneration of the Grand Harbour, and Christianne Caruana, Director, Global Issues, Office of the Minister for Foreign and European Affairs. Their contributions reflected Malta’s continued commitment to international cooperation, sustainable development, inclusive innovation, and the advancement of women’s leadership on the global stage.
A Global Gathering of Visionary Leaders
Throughout two inspiring days, the Summit welcomed internationally recognized speakers representing government institutions, family offices, global finance, philanthropy, diplomacy, technology, artificial intelligence, healthcare, entrepreneurship, sustainability, culture and social innovation.
The programme featured distinguished leaders including Hon. Dr. Chris Fearne, Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Malta (Opening Remarks); Dr. Miriam Dalli, Minister for the Environment, Energy and Regeneration of the Grand Harbour; Christianne Caruana, Director, Global Issues, Office of the Minister for Foreign and European Affairs; Celine Bacrot (UNCTAD); Josianne Cutajar; Dr. Salwa Arfaoui; Virginia Macari Smurfit; Eva Murati; Valentina Giovannoli; Claudia A. Marigliano; Petra Becker; Cristina Madriaga; Kimia Penton; Sanja Miovčić; Tania Ngo; Juliet Valdinger; Elizabeth de Moraes; Brigitte Othala von Habsburg; Kobi Adulami; Tullio Musso; Dr. Andrea LaFountain; Dr. Remina Panjwani; Sarah Pappas; Dana Carmont; Grazielle Camilleri; Larissa Bonaci; Robyn Pratt; Mushka Segal; Kechi Ibe; Renata Aron; Mariam Sy; Aurelia Ferreira; Tanja Audemars; Dr. Giannella Barbieri; Daria Busset; Jessica Houthoofd; Erlin Veronica Hartanto; Denise Marston; Christina Eirini Karvouna; Dr. Cristina Tanase; Radhika Nayar; Ramona Cassar; and Kyra Lüthi, alongside dozens of influential women and allies representing more than forty countries, reflecting the Summit’s truly international character.
The complete list of speakers and biographies is available at www.sigefwomen.com/speakers.
A Programme Focused on Action
The 2026 programme featured five high-level thematic sessions that explored the most pressing opportunities and challenges shaping the future of leadership, investment, innovation and sustainable development:
- Session I – Capital with Purpose: Women, Wealth & the New Investment Playbook
- Session II – Aesthetic Leadership: Women Shaping Art, Design & Lifestyle Economies
- Session III – From Policy to Action: Converting Gender Equity Mandates into Empowerment, Investment & Jobs
- Session IV – Intelligent Futures: Women & Allies Shaping AI, Longevity and Emerging Technologies
- Women Changemakers Pitch for Inspiration
Together, these sessions explored practical strategies to expand women’s economic participation, strengthen impact investing, foster ethical leadership, accelerate responsible artificial intelligence and longevity innovation, promote creative industries, and empower the next generation of women leaders through entrepreneurship, policymaking and cross-sector collaboration.
Across every session, participants explored practical solutions for increasing investment in women-led initiatives, advancing inclusive economic growth, leveraging artificial intelligence responsibly, strengthening ethical leadership, improving health and longevity, accelerating entrepreneurship, and building stronger international partnerships that generate measurable social impact.
One of the defining themes throughout the Summit was the importance of collaboration between governments, investors, innovators, entrepreneurs and civil society in shaping a future where opportunity, innovation and inclusion go hand in hand.
Celebrating Women Changemakers
One of the highlights of the Summit was the Women Changemakers Session, showcasing remarkable women whose leadership continues to inspire positive transformation across business, philanthropy, technology, education, healthcare, public policy and social innovation.
Through deeply personal stories, practical experiences and visionary leadership, speakers demonstrated that meaningful change begins with courage, collaboration and purpose.
SIGEF Women Awards 2026
A defining moment of the Summit was the presentation of the SIGEF Women Awards 2026, recognizing exceptional women whose leadership, innovation and commitment continue to create meaningful impact across communities and industries worldwide.The 2026 laureates were:
- Virginia Macari Smurfit, presented by Kimia Penton
- Eva Murati, presented by Dr. Salwa Arfaoui
- Dr. Andrea LaFountain, presented by Yonathan Parienti
- Sarah Pappas, presented by Christianne Caruana and Rachele Powell
- Mrs. Munni Mahato, presented by Christina Eirini Karvouna
- Petra Becker, presented by Kobi Adulami and Raphael Perez
- Dr. Remina Panjwani, presented by Ida Spritzer and Elizabeth de Moraes
These awards celebrate outstanding leadership, innovation, philanthropy and dedication to empowering women and creating lasting positive impact across the globe.
International Collaboration for a Better Future
Discussions highlighted the growing importance of ethical artificial intelligence, longevity and preventive healthcare, impact investing, sustainable finance, education, inclusive entrepreneurship and international partnerships capable of accelerating progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals.
Beyond the formal programme, the Summit served as a catalyst for new international collaborations, cross-sector partnerships and initiatives designed to generate long-term social, economic and environmental impact.
As the Summit concluded, participants departed Malta with renewed partnerships, actionable ideas, and a shared commitment to advancing a future where women continue to lead positive change across sectors, generations, and borders.
Acknowledgements
The SIGEF Organizing Committee extends its sincere gratitude to all speakers, delegates, volunteers, sponsors, partners and institutional supporters whose commitment made the 2026 edition possible.
Special appreciation is extended to the Government of Malta, The Phoenicia Malta, Visit Malta, Horyou Foundation, Horyou, Investa Partners, Dental Clinic Herastrau, Kathryn Luxury Flowers, Finquest Capital Group, Grow & Glow, Nefinia, The European Institute for Diplomacy & Policy, Aquinas Studios, Perez & Co. Law Office, Nuqleon Research Ltd., and our Media and Community Partners: ELLEDGY, AFS, Davos Club, L’Afrique Fait Son Cinéma, SHE Magazine USA, and EmpowerHer, for their invaluable support and shared commitment to advancing women’s leadership and global cooperation.
The full list of partners is available on the official SIGEF Women website: https://www.sigefwomen.com/
About SIGEF Women
SIGEF Women is an international platform of the Social Innovation and Global Ethics Forum (SIGEF), organized by the Horyou Foundation and Horyou Group. Bringing together leaders from government, business, finance, technology, academia, philanthropy and civil society, SIGEF Women promotes dialogue, collaboration and action to advance gender equality, inclusive innovation, responsible leadership, and sustainable development.
Since its creation, SIGEF has welcomed speakers from leading international institutions including the United Nations, UNESCO, OECD, UNDP, UNCTAD and the European institutions, while engaging participants from more than 80 countries and reaching a global audience of over 100 million people through international media and digital platforms.
For more information, visit www.sigefwomen.com
Media Contact
SIGEF Organizing Committee
Email: executive-office@horyou.com
Phone: +41 79 863 28 69
