Multiplier Event at Álftanesskóli Iceland

The Iceland LIFE: Caring for Our Educators and Principals multiplier event was a transformative experience for the 45 staff members who gathered at Álftanesskóli.

The event opened with chair yoga, setting the stage for an atmosphere of mindfulness and openness. María Gylfadóttir (NORTH Consulting) and Ólafur Páll (University of Iceland), described the LIFE project, it’s unique approach and the impact it had on 60 participants from five countries.

Drífa, an Icelandic participant and vice principal of the school, spoke with clarity and conviction about how being part of LIFE had impacted her both professionally and personally in her personal testimony.

Participants were then invited to experience LIFE for themselves through two relational and participatory approaches as they began their exploration of the question:

To whom am I responsible?

In small groups of three they spent a few minutes thinking about and discussing what this question means and together they read two texts offering different perspectives: The Parable of the Good Samaritan and a teaching from Confucius. From the small group conversations, a set of philosophical questions emerged: What is honesty? Am I equally responsible for myself and to my community? Under what conditions do we learn best? When it is honest to steal?

In the next activity, participants engaged in a Silent Conversation—a unique method of dialogue that fosters deep thinking in total silence. They gathered around large paper sheets on the wall, each featuring the quote:

“The decisions we make today should lead to a sustainable world seven generations into the future.”

With markers in hand, participants engaged in nonverbal dialogue, expressing their thoughts through written words, questions, and reflections. They silently agreed, disagreed, and posed inquiries, allowing the conversation to flow in a new way.

Afterward, they came together to reflect on the experience, discussing what emerged from their silent exchanges and how different groups discussed the quote differently.

One of the most remarkable outcomes of the event was the realization that even those who did not actively choose to participate in LIFE were immediately engaged.

Often, people don’t realize how deeply they crave the opportunity to engage with profound questions—until they are given the space to do so. When educators sat together and wrestled with a big question, they discovered an unexpected hunger for meaningful dialogue. They found themselves drawn into the texts, uncovering fresh perspectives that challenged and expanded their thinking. In conversation with others, they experienced making connections, not just between ideas but between people. And perhaps most powerfully, they realized that these discussions weren’t just abstract exercises—they were directly relevant to their own lives, shaping their understanding of responsibility, purpose, and the broader narrative in which they exist.

The event demonstrated that when we trust the question, trust the learners, and trust the approach, meaningful and transformative learning happens.