WiNN Global Networking Event 2025: Mexico
In April 2025, we gathered in Veracruz, Mexico for the 8th WiNN Global Networking Event, bringing together 100 women from 15 countries, 75 organizations, and across 11 Mexican states.
But more than numbers, this was a gathering of women deeply committed to protecting nature - and to supporting one another. Over three days, we created a space for connection, reflection, and collective action. Knowledge was shared not only through expertise, but through lived experience, through stories, emotions, and trust.
The information on the 2025 Global Conference below was kindly provided to us by the Mexican Fund for the ConservatIon of Nature(Fondo Mexicano para la Conservación de la Naturaleza, or FMCN).We are ever grateful for their generosity and support.
A Space for Connection and Courage
From the very first moments, the gathering was grounded in openness and belonging. Voices from across regions and backgrounds came together to share insights, challenges, and visions for the future of conservation. The conversations went beyond technical knowledge, they spoke to identity, resilience, leadership, and what it means to show up as women in this field. There was a shared understanding in the room: no one is doing this work alone.
Day 1: Welcomes, Inspiration, and Workshops
The event opened with powerful keynote voices, setting the tone for the days ahead, one of courage, honesty, and possibility. Participants then moved into hands-on workshops and small group sessions, diving into topics that mattered most to them, from fundraising and storytelling to livelihoods and ecosystem resilience
Day 2: Cloud Forests and Coffee
Left: From left to right — Olga García, Renée González Montagut, Leeanne Alonso, Rebecca Kormos, and Susana Rocha, co-lead of the WiNN Mexico chapter and panel moderator. Center: Founding WiNN member of Rebecca Kormos shared a the message “You are enough” during her welcome speech. Right: Participants take part in icebreaker activities during the first day of the WiNN Mexico. Photos: Kate Lapides-Black.
Left: Kristine Zeigler, co-founder of Planet Women, leads the Fundraising 101 workshop. Middle photo: Marianne McManus facilitates the thematic working table on Sustainable businesses and eco-enterprises. Right: Participants in the Experience Exchange Panel. Photos: Kate Lapides-Black.
Morning: Immersion at Las Cañadas
Participants visited Las Cañadas, a leading agroecology and permaculture center located within one of the last remaining cloud forests in Veracruz. Walking through this breathtaking and fragile ecosystem, participants explored practical approaches to conservation, from seed banking to regenerative farming, and witnessed firsthand what long-term, community-rooted environmental work looks like.
Afternoon: Learning, Creativity, and Exchange
Back at the conference space, workshops led by Femcafé highlighted the role of women in coffee cultivation and agroecology. The sessions blended learning with creativity—participants crafted jewelry from coffee beans, shared stories, and reflected on the intersections of gender, livelihoods, and environmental stewardship. The day closed with a vibrant tianguis, a market of women-led products—celebrating local knowledge, culture, and entrepreneurship.
Left: Participants hike through the cloudforest at Las Cañadas. Center: Guided visit to the permaculture garden at Las Cañadas. Right: International attendees create jewelry using coffee beans and beads.
Day 3: Collaborations and Celebrations
The final day centered on collective reflection and future collaboration.Through thematic workshops, participants explored key topics including gender equity, conservation strategies, sustainable enterprises, and community-led monitoring.
By the end of the day, what remained was a strong sense of momentum. New partnerships had formed, ideas had taken root, and a global network of women in conservation felt even more connected. And, of course, there was celebration! Of the journey, the people, and everything still to come.
Left: A group of participants presents the outcomes of their thematic workshops. Center: Flor adds to a collaborative mural during a workshop on gender. Right: Group shot of several WINN MexIco chapter members on the final day of the conference. Photos: Kate Lapides-Black..
A Lasting Impact
What stays after a WiNN gathering is connection.
The Mexico conference strengthened a growing global network of women who are leading change in conservation - each in their own context, yet deeply connected through shared purpose. This is how impact grows: through relationships, trust, and the courage to build together.
