About Helena Norberg-Hodge
Helena Norberg-Hodge is a linguist, author, filmmaker, and a leading voice in the global localization movement. Her work began in 1975 in Ladakh, a remote Himalayan region, where she spent decades learning from and working alongside local communities.
She became fluent in Ladakhi and witnessed firsthand the strength and resilience of deeply rooted, place-based cultures.
In 1992, she co-founded the International Forum on Globalization, bringing together global leaders to challenge the impacts of economic globalization.
Her seminal book Ancient Futures: Learning from Ladakh and award-winning film The Economics of Happiness have inspired audiences worldwide, while her nonprofit Local Futures continues to strengthen local economies and cultural resilience.
Helena speaks seven languages and has worked in more than 30 countries, bringing a deeply informed and compassionate perspective to her work and inviting us to reimagine an economy rooted in life, connection, and place.
Her contributions have been widely recognized, including the Right Livelihood Award (the “Alternative Nobel Prize”) and the Goi Peace Prize, among other honors for strengthening cultural and biological diversity and local resilience.
Explore the Big Picture
Join Helena for a five-week exploration of the forces shaping our world — and the possibilities for meaningful change.