WiB welcomed the new year with one of its most anticipated events: the New Year’s Reception. On 21 January 2026, guests gathered at the Grand Hyatt Hotel on Potsdamer Platz for an elegant evening of exquisite cuisine, fine wines, and live music. WiB President Karla Steinert-Thys, together with the hotel’s General Manager, Jan Peter van der Ree, warmly welcomed the many attendees—including numerous ambassadors—into the inviting atmosphere of the Vox restaurant. The evening was a wonderful opportunity to reconnect and exchange ideas at the very start of the year. Small and larger groups quickly formed, engaging in lively conversations in the restaurant’s comfortable seating areas, creating a warm and animated ambiance.

Reflecting the spirit of a new beginning, members of the WiB Executive Board shared their wishes for 2026 in a symbolic gesture. One by one, they placed their messages into a suitcase that was passed from one member to the next one. It gradually filled with wishes for peace, new beginnings, moments of strength, reason, love, and hope, along with an abundance of all these foundational principles. This collective act expressed the desire for trust, respect, cohesion, and shared responsibility to continue growing, reminding everyone that even in challenging times, the strength of the club lies in its supportive community.