In 2020, the world hit pause. The pandemic closed the doors for many: lives, progress, business and opportunities. For some, it was a year of revaluation. For others, a turning point. Because when the rug was pulled out from under us, we were left to ponder a very simple question: What now?

As we prepare for the upcoming 2021 Women’s Summit, we are thankfully speaking against a very different backdrop. More than a year since the global pandemic completely reshaped the world we live in, vaccine roll-outs are underway. We are reuniting with loved ones. Economies are opening up and business is, slowly but surely, getting back on track. In this spirit of optimism and revival, it therefore feels fitting to ask: What’s next?

This year, we are hosting the Forbes Women’s Summit once again on November 18th, 2021 in Zurich, ­Vienna and Berlin. It will be the second time in which we are combining our regional bases in the DACH region to deliver one “Supersummit.” It is our chance to lift the curtains and bring a summit that is full of life; we want to set the stage for a better and stronger future. Following a year of disruptions from Covid-19, it is all the more critical that we have an open dialogue and conversation about leadership, resilience, inclusion and entrepreneurship.

But the recognition of women overall – and their achievements – shouldn’t only be reserved for a yearly summit. This year, Forbes also debuted its 50 Over 50 list in June – a round-up of women whose success stories have come later in life. Its latest instalment “50 Over 50: Impact” celebrates the women, who are driving social change. At Forbes DACH, our yearly “Women” magazine issue also coincides with the summit and features those from the top of the corporate ladder to up-and-coming entrepreneurs breaking new ground. Admittedly though, there is still much more room for improvement. For example, female nominees have made up only one third of the overall nominations in our 30 Under 30 list in the past three years.

Our Women’s Summit has undergone its own metamorphosis since it was born in 2019. We started the conversation with “Writing Future Codes” in Vienna in 2019 – referring to the bugs in our social and economic systems. How can we rewrite our own rules be it in leadership or negotiation? In 2020, we moved into the age of “Superwoman,” celebrating the women who don’t wear capes but are nonetheless leading the charge. This motto still rings true for us today and will be the theme for our 2021 Women’s Summit. Under this banner, our hybrid summit is bringing together Superwomen – from science, culture, sports to business – to reflect on and exchange learnings after an unpredictable time.

As we continue to build our second hybrid summit, there will be forks and bumps along the way. But we will take it in stride. Because if the past year has taught us anything, it is that we should embrace the twists and turns. Our 2020 event suffered numerous setbacks and delays as we adapted to government measures. In the end however, we managed to reach around 26,000 viewers from 123 countries. This is something that was not imaginable to us while envisioning a conference limited by four walls.

So you see, we may not know what greets us around the corner. But sometimes, there can be something worthwhile waiting for us. We hope to see you there on November 18th in Zurich, Vienna and Berlin – armed with open questions and curious minds.

TUNE IN LIVE ON NOVEMBER 18 AT WOMEN’S SUMMIT 2021