Hope Sparks Action!

On May 23, we gathered at Postane for the Hope-Based Communication Workshop led by Yana Buhrer Tavanier (Fine Acts) and Thomas Coombes (Hope-Based Comms). Grounded in the idea that being hopeful doesn’t mean avoiding problems, but having the courage to face them and focus on solutions, the workshop explored how hope can serve as a strategic tool in communication.

With participants from civil society, social enterprises, the private sector, and the arts and culture field, we explored tools to encourage hopeful thinking, took part in creative storytelling exercises, and saw how making our values visible can shift not only our own perspective but also that of our communities.

The workshop was just the beginning. Now comes the work of adapting these approaches to our own practice and sharing what we learn along the way, as we grow the Hope-Based Communication Community in Turkey.

If you couldn’t join us at the workshop but are interested in hope-based communication, you can reach us by filling out this form.

The Bertha Accelerator is Coming to Postane!

We’re thrilled to be hosting the second edition of the Bertha Accelerator Program at Postane, set to take place from August 16–26, 2025. The residency will offer space for reflection, collaboration, and creative problem-solving around the theme of Impact-Driven Storytelling, spanning a wide range of formats—from campaigns to documentaries, social media content to oral history projects.

About the Program
The Bertha Accelerator is an intensive 10-day residency bringing together activists, journalists, and change-makers to reimagine how we communicate for social change. After its inaugural edition in Cape Town, South Africa last year, this year’s program will be hosted by Postane, a hub for ecological and social innovation in the heart of Istanbul.

As civil society faces growing political and financial pressures, this residency will equip participants with the tools to craft ethical, hopeful narratives that challenge disinformation and reclaim public discourse. Participants are also encouraged to carry what they’ve learned back to their own communities.

Click here to take a look at the 2024 edition.

Who Can Apply?
The Bertha Accelerator is designed to support change-makers, particularly those working within social impact organizations, foundations, and fellowship programs operating at global and regional levels. Participation is limited, and selected through an application-based invitation process.

If your organization supports social impact work and would like to nominate a fellow or team member for the program, feel free to reach out to us at  [email protected].

Inland Mini-Summit: Shepherding and Cultural Solidarity

From May 22–26, we were in Madrid and northern Spain for the Inland Mini-Summit, the fourth gathering of the Allianz Foundation Hubs Network.

Operating across three locations, Inland collaborates with municipalities and cultural institutions to promote sustainable and traditional livestock practices through creative approaches. They also run the Shepherd School, organize Inland Academy—a program focused on art and research around rural ecology—and regularly participate in international exhibitions and biennials.

On the second day of the program, we visited the grazing grounds of one hundred sheep tended by Shepherd School alumni in Casa de Campo, a park more than three times the size of central Madrid, once used by royalty for hunting. In the days that followed, in northern Spain, we walked old shepherding routes threatened by industrialization and attended a village cattle fair—a local tradition dating back to the Middle Ages.

Throughout the program, we also learned more about the upcoming Climate Biennial, listened to an in-depth presentation of the Allianz Foundation’s Climate Responsibility Strategy, shared our institutions’ efforts in environmental sustainability, and discussed future collaborations within the Hubs Network.

A heartfelt thank you to the Inland team for their hospitality, to all the participants, and to the Allianz Foundation for making this visit possible.