Sister Circle: A gathering for Black, Brown & Women of Colour
2025-04-10 17:30 - 19:30 (Europe/Oslo) | Diversify, 5th Floor, Kongens gate 15, Oslo, 0153, Norway
As Black, Brown and Women of Colour, sometimes, we might feel that we exist in a world, with systems and structures that were not built for us. So, we navigate, negotiate, cover or fit in, because it makes us feel safe. Nonetheless, it can be very isolating.
The Sister Circle is a non judgmental space created exclusively for Black, Brown and Women of Colour to hold space and safely explore their experiences, feelings and emotions in a supportive environment where you neither have to explain or defend your reality.
The session, facilitated by Chisom Udeze, is an opportunity to find connection and solidarity; a space to speak your truth, share your feelings to whatever degree you feel comfortable, celebrate your wins, simply listen, or find solace in the company of other women.
The Sister Circle is for Black, Brown and Women of Colour who are: strong, loud, quiet, mothers, shy, bold, working, stay-at-home, entrepreneurs, students, job-seekers, multi-taskers… we invite you to come as you are. You are magical, worthy and needed.
We invite you to make and take S P A C E in authentic connection, to benefit from the wisdom of your sisters as we connect over stories, challenges and triumphs. Sisters’ Circle is a much needed space for women of colour to exhale, and connect with people who truly see and hear you, as you are.
When you leave this session, we hope you will feel loved, seen, heard and empowered. We look forward to seeing you.
** Please note that in order to create a safe and supportive space, we will “close the doors” and begin promptly at 17:40. Please arrive on time. **

Cost: NOK100
Maximum attendees: 20
We want this event to be accessible to all. If your financial situation is preventing you from attending this event, please email sayantani@diversify.no
REGISTER BELOW

Diversify Global Roadshow - Riga: Courage in Leadership
2025-05-22 09:30 - 14:00 (Europe/Riga) | Swedbank Latvia, Swedbank, Balasta dambis 15, Riga, LV, LV-1048, Riga, 1048, Latvia
Courage in Leadership
Leadership isn’t about titles—it’s about the courage to challenge the status quo, make bold decisions, and lead with integrity in times of uncertainty.
Join us for Courage in Leadership, where key stakeholders from the public, private, and civil society sectors will engage in a solutions-driven dialogue on what it takes to lead with conviction in today’s rapidly evolving world.
As Latvia and countries across the world navigate shifting socio-economic, political, and business landscapes—alongside rapid advancements in technology and AI—how do we chart a path forward?
Tentative Overarching Discussion Themes

Leadership for the Future
Investments
AI & Tech
Navigating Diversity & Inclusionin the current climate

This in-person event will feature interactive roundtable discussions, keynotes, and a panel discussions to foster actionable insights and cross-sector collaboration.
Hosted by Diversify, the Riga Investment and Tourism Agency, Swedbank and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Riga in collaboration with PwC Latvia, Reitan Convenience and DNB.
📍 Date: Thursday, May 22, 2025
⏰ Time: 10.00 – 14.00 EET (Doors open at 09.30 EET)
📍 Location: Swedbank, Balasta dambis 15, Riga, LV, LV-1048
🎟️ Free to attend – Register below!
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
This event is part of the Diversify Summit roadshow, a global initiative leading up to the Summit on October 24 in Norway. Diversify Summit is a premier conference where leaders connect, innovate, and tackle urgent societal and workplace challenges under the theme Courage in Action.
To deepen engagement, we’re hosting roadshow events worldwide, bringing together local and global stakeholders.
Upcoming stops include the Netherlands (April 24), Latvia (May 22), Germany (June), Nigeria (August), and more.
Interested in partnering? Contact us at contact@diversify.no.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Meet our Speakers:
Agnese Lāce is the Minister for Culture of the Republic of Latvia, with over a decade of experience in migration, integration, and public policy. Her career spans government, international organizations, and research institutions, including work with the European Pact for Integration and the UN Refugee Agency (Geneva).
Before her current role, she served as Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Culture and as a Senior Policy Analyst at the Centre for Public Policy PROVIDUS.
Agnese holds multiple advanced degrees in political science and international migration, and was a PhD candidate in International Relations and Migration at Koç University and the University of Amsterdam, under the Marie Curie INTEGRIM programme.
———————————————–
Chisom Udeze is the Executive Director of Diversify. She is an accomplished Economist, Strategist, Investor, and Founder with nearly two decades of experience leading impact-driven companies and actioning societal change. She serves on multiple boards, including as chair, and holds advisory roles across three continents.
Her global work spans seven countries and includes collaborations with organizations like the European Commission and Boston Consulting Group. Chisom champions democracy, sustainability, justice, and community driven and multi-stakeholder change-making. She also spearheads the Diversify Summit, a leading conference for leadership and innovation. A passionate advocate for mental health, Chisom enjoys tennis, reading, writing, and has published on Forbes.
———————————————–
Sandija Novicka is a Partner at COBALT Latvia office and heads the Tax Law practice group. She is an expert in Tax, State Aid, Public Procurement and Insurance matters. Sandija has acted as a lead advisor in large number of complex taxation matters, in particular advising on tax planning and representing clients in tax litigation.
Due to her profound knowledge of broader legal framework Sandija is able to offer the most efficient solutions both in transactional and litigation assignments. Sandija has lectured at the Latvian Judicial Training Center, Latvian School of Public Administration and Riga Graduate School of Law on taxation, EU law and state aid topics and has written extensively on those subjects.
———————————————–
Zane Čulkstēna is a visionary entrepreneur, strategist, and leader at the intersection of business, culture, and creativity. She is the founder of ERDA, a consultancy specializing in employer branding and organizational development, where she supports businesses in attracting and retaining top talent through innovative strategy and insight.
Zane is also the founder and Chair of kim? contemporary art center, a leading nonprofit promoting contemporary art in Latvia. She serves on the Supervisory Board of the Art Academy of Latvia, bringing her strategic expertise to support the institution’s long-term development. Her work reflects a deep commitment to innovation, impact, and cross-sector transformation.
———————————————–
Artin Shams leads Swedbank Group’s efforts in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. He has served in advisory roles to senior management and worked as a Senior Project Manager in sustainability. Additionally, he founded Swedbank’s LGBTQ+ network to support diverse communities within the organization.
Artin’s previous experience as a Management Consultant at Oliver Wyman, focusing on strategic topics throughout the European banking industry, has provided him with a deep understanding of the sector. He applies this expertise to drive impactful change within Swedbank. Artin believes that integrating DEI initiatives with business strategies is crucial for achieving sustainable success and promoting an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.
———————————————–
Agnese Cimdiņa is an internationally certified Diversity Manager and Business Anthropologist. She has contributed to awareness raising, knowledge transfer and consulting in diversity management to local and international organizations since 2019. Agnese has conducted research, led projects, consulted, published, been a lecturer, speaker & moderator on such topics as Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging (DEIB), Diversity Competence and Management, Internationalization of Nordic organizations, Intercultural understanding & Trust, Sustainability & Development, Culture & Business in Nordic, Baltic and Middle East societies.
Agnese holds Masters’ and PhD degrees in Social Anthropology from the University of Bergen (Norway). She has extensive international experience working with Nordic organizations in academic, corporate and diplomatic sectors. Agnese is also a writer and has recently published a monograph “Searching Sustainability in Arabian Deserts. An Anthropology of Market and Oil” based on her research on social and environmental sustainability in the Arab Gulf.
At PwC Latvia Agnese is Pan-Baltic Diversity & Inclusion Leader and a member of the CEE Inclusion & Diversity team, helping companies to develop competence and implement strategies that promote diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunities in the workplace.
———————————————–
Wenche Fredriksen is the Head of Inclusion & Diversity and at DNB. She has worked at Accenture for 30 years, having roles within consulting, HR and as Nordic Inclusion & Diversity Lead for many years. Wenche is an inspirational storyteller who actively uses her life experiences to open people’s hearts and minds, and to build a more diverse and inclusive world.
———————————————–
Sayantani Saha is the Senior Manager and Chief of Staff at Diversify, where she leverages her diverse background in journalism, retail, social media management, and community development to excel in her role.
Her unique skill set enables her to manage high-impact projects, such as the HerTech Incubator, while maintaining strong communication with a variety of stakeholders. Sayantani is instrumental in fostering inclusive environments, organizing strategic gatherings, and spearheading community development efforts.
Working closely with senior leaders and providing direct support to the Executive Director, she drives measurable change for Diversify’s clients, ensuring alignment with the organization’s mission. Her interdisciplinary expertise, backed by a Bachelor’s in Political Science and a Master’s in Fashion Management, strengthens her capacity to navigate complex, evolving challenges with a well-rounded approach.
Beyond her work at Diversify, Sayantani runs a macrame business called Sew and Saw — a creative passion project that perfectly complements her multifaceted career.

Building With, Not For: The Process of Community Co-Creation
2025-09-25 12:00 - 13:00 (Europe/Oslo)
What does it really mean to co-create with community?
This discussion is an invitation to explore the practice of co-creation — how it works, why it matters, and what co-creation makes possible. Co-creation is about listening deeply, sharing power, and building with people rather than for them.
Real change doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens in community — when we choose to build together. Co-creation strengthens trust, creates belonging, and ensures that what we make is not only lasting, but also relevant across different contexts.
In this session, we’ll share our journey of co-creating an equity framework with artists, cultural practitioners, and organizations across the Nordics — the lessons we learned along the way, and why this way of working is essential for meaningful, sustainable change.
This is an invitation to reflect on what co-creation asks of us, what it makes possible, and why it matters for anyone who wants to create change that endures.
Join us digitally on September 25th at 12.00 CEST. RSVP below to attend!

Diversify Summit 2025 - Courage in Action
2025-10-24 07:30 - 17:00 (Europe/Oslo) | Thon Congress Gardermoen, Balder allé 2, Gardermoen, 2060, Norway
Courage in Action is a rallying call to lead with boldness, challenge the status quo, and turn vision into transformative change.
It’s about more than bravery—it’s about acting on convictions, pushing boundaries, and creating tangible change. Together we step beyond comfort zones and move from dialogue to decisive action for a more inclusive, innovative, and sustainable future.
Join us in redefining what’s possible, one courageous step at a time.
—

The Diversify Summit is a premier global conference, offering a unique platform for leaders to connect, innovate, and address urgent global, societal, and workplace challenges.
Renowned as the most intersectionally inclusive conference in Europe, it presents a vital opportunity to deepen your knowledge, expand your network, and cultivate meaningful, lasting partnerships.
Since our inception in 2022, we have been committed to driving positive, measurable impacts in organizations and communities, empowering leaders and individuals to catalyze lasting transformation.

Sign up here!

The Performance of Wellness: Who is self-care for?
2026-04-08 12:00 - 13:00 (Europe/Oslo)
Restore: A Conversation Series by Chiije in collaboration with Diversify

We are surrounded by the language of self-care. Rest. Boundaries. Healing. And yet, many of us are still exhausted.
Somewhere along the way, wellness became something we perform. Curated routines. Aesthetic rituals. Language that sounds right, but often sits on top of lives that are anything but well.
So this is not another conversation about how to optimise your self-care routine. This is a pause. A deeper look.

Who is self-care actually for?
What happens when care becomes performance?
And what does it mean to care for yourself honestly, in a world that often rewards the appearance of being well more than the reality of it?

This conversation invites us to sit with the tension. To question what we have normalised. And to return to something more real, more grounded, and perhaps, more confronting.
This is a digital event and free for all to attend.
REGISTER HERE

Speakers:

Chisom Udeze
Chisom is an award-winning economist, leadership strategist, and founder of multiple companies working at the intersection of power, leadership, and systems change. For almost two decades, she has worked with senior leaders across Fortune 500 companies, scale-ups, philanthropies, and global nonprofits, helping them diagnose and solve the leadership dysfunction that keeps their organisations stuck. Chisom designs and advises on organisational structures where productivity is optimised and clarity and dignity are non-negotiable. Her Three Clarities framework focuses on how Identity, Context, and Power intersect in leadership. Her approach is diagnostic, not prescriptive. She helps leaders understand what’s actually wrong before trying to fix it.
She is also the founder of Chiije, and lover of all things clean and sustainable for everyday living. She is intentional about protecting her mental health and wellbeing, and a mother of two remarkable children. You can read more about Chisom here, and how Chiije came to be here.
Ruthie Semere
Ruthie is a business developer, entrepreneur, and ICF-accredited leadership coach with over 12 years of international experience in digital media and business development. Since 2017, she has coached individuals, entrepreneurs, and companies globally in self-leadership and success creation. Ruthie is also the co-founder of Women of Color in Biz, a network that champions women of color entrepreneurs.
As a trilingual daughter of Eritrean immigrants with experience in navigating two cultures, Ruthie’s biculturalism has shaped her ability to deeply understand people from all walks of life. This unique perspective allows her to hold a global and inclusive mindset that resonates across diverse backgrounds. She holds a master’s degree in International Management from King’s College London and hosts the podcast Zanta on personal development.
