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This newsletter took a little longer than usual to arrive…and it will be juicy :) Not because we were standing still. Quite the opposite. The last few weeks have been incredibly rich.
We found ourselves walking through the magnificent landscapes of the Pyrenees, participating in Elevate Europe (ATTA) in Val d’Aran. We returned to the Camino de Santiago for another edition of Destination You, walking the Via de la Plata with an extraordinary group of participants. And just before heading to the mountains, we spent time in Lisbon with a remarkable community brought together by Rally Society, a project that proves that sport, connection, and belonging can be powerful vehicles for positive change.
It has been a month full of conversations, friendships, ideas, laughter, challenges, discoveries, and countless kilometres on foot. And somewhere in the middle of all this movement, I found myself on a long phone call with a friend of more than twenty years. That conversation became the inspiration for this month’s reflection.
Why Human-to-Human Technology (still) Matters
We live in extraordinary times. Artificial Intelligence is evolving at a breathtaking pace. Every day, new tools emerge that can write, analyse, create, summarise, predict, translate, advise, and automate. And yet, after more than a decade of Walking Mentorship, I have become increasingly convinced that some of the most important technologies available to humanity remain surprisingly simple. A meaningful conversation. A trusted friendship. A shared meal. A challenging question. A walk, preferably a long one.
Walking Mentorship has always been, in some ways, an AI-free zone.
Not because we are against technology. Far from it. Technology has created opportunities that previous generations could hardly imagine. At the beginning of the year, we brought together 14 new Walking Mentors into our training program from several different countries and different time zones; everyone connected online. Something impossible without today’s technology.
Walking Mentorship was never created to optimise people. It was created to help people reconnect with themselves. And there is something unique that happens when two human beings walk side by side, without screens, without presentations, without performance, without distraction. A kind of wisdom emerges that no algorithm can manufacture. At least not yet:) Perhaps never.
I was reminded of this during my conversation with my friend. Over the years, we have shared many walks. As we spoke, he reflected on the choices he had made, the crossroads he had faced, and the life he had gradually built. Not a perfect life. A real one. A life shaped by difficult decisions, courageous decisions, and conscious decisions. Listening to him describe where he stands today felt like listening to a beautiful piece of music. Not because everything had gone according to plan. But because he had learned to trust his own path. Then he said something that made me (first) think and (secondly) smile.
“I don’t think I’ll need another walk with you for the next year or two. Right now, I need to focus on doing.”
I couldn’t have received a greater compliment. Because the purpose of Walking Mentorship is not to create dependency. The purpose is freedom. The purpose is not reflection for reflection’s sake. The purpose is action. The walk is not the destination. The walk is preparation. Eventually there comes a moment when the thinking must become doing. When clarity becomes commitment. When intention becomes movement. And when that happens, we celebrate.
A Business, a Movement, or Something Else?
During our conversation, my friend offered another perspective that caught me by surprise. He told me that he doesn’t think Walking Mentorship is a business. To be honest, I have often struggled with that definition myself. At the same time, I never felt comfortable describing it as a non-profit organisation either. Then he offered an alternative.
“What you’ve built feels more like an institution. Maybe even a movement.”
I have been reflecting on those words ever since. After more than ten years, hundreds of programmes, thousands of participants, and countless conversations, perhaps the walks themselves are not the most important thing. Perhaps they never were. The walk is simply the vehicle. The transformation happens afterwards. In the conversations people finally have. In the projects they finally begin. In the boundaries they finally set. In the courage they finally discover. In the lives they decide to live more intentionally.
If there is a movement, it is not about walking. It is about remembering what it means to be human. To think deeply. To listen carefully. To connect authentically. To act courageously. And perhaps that is why so many people continue to find their way to our paths. Not because they need another event. But because they are looking for something increasingly rare. Presence.
Planting Gardens
Toward the end of our conversation, I asked my friend what he planned to do next. His answer stopped me in my tracks and brought tears to my eyes. He lives in a country at war. And yet he told me that his next project is planting a garden. Flowers. Trees. Fruit trees. Things that grow slowly. Things that require patience. Things that assume a future.
What an extraordinary act of hope. A garden is a declaration that tomorrow matters. A flower is a vote for beauty. A fruit tree is a commitment to generations we may never meet. The more I reflected on his answer, the more I realised that it connected everything we had been discussing.
The purpose of Walking Mentoring is not the walk. The purpose of clarity is not clarity. The purpose of reflection is not reflection. The purpose is to plant something. To create something. To nurture something that may one day flourish. Maybe that is what we have been doing all along. Planting gardens.
Some gardens take the form of friendships. Others become families. Others become communities. Others become organisations, movements, projects, ideas, or dreams. And all of them require the same ingredients.
Time. Patience. Care. Attention. Faith.
As I write these words, I find myself inspired to spend more time in my own garden. Planting flowers. Planting grass. Planting fruit trees. Participating in the simple act of believing that the future deserves preparation.
A Question For You
As you move through the coming weeks, I leave you with a simple question. What garden are you planting? Not necessarily outside your home. Inside your life. What deserves your attention? What deserves your patience? What future are you quietly preparing?
Because, while the world continues to accelerate, while technology becomes more powerful, and while artificial intelligence continues to transform how we work and live, some things remain unchanged. A meaningful conversation. A trusted friendship. A shared walk. A seed planted with care. These remain among humanity’s most powerful technologies. And thankfully, they still require a human heart.
In the meantime, keep walking with us,
changing the world one step at a time, one person at a time.
Until our next newsletter,
Joao Perre Viana
Founder, Walking Mentorship
* The image at the top was taken in Val d´Aran on a beautiful sunrise before Elevate Europe.
Ready to walk?
If you think it is about time to take yourself for a walk, we invite you to join one of our carefully designed upcoming programs. 2026 has plenty to choose from 👇
🔹 Via Francigena – Switzerland/Italy (last places)
[21 August-29 August] Start here
🔹 Camino de Berobreo with Jodi Morris – Spain
[18 September-26 September] Start here
🔹 Slow down into Synergy The Retreat Show 2026 – Croatia
[27 September-29 September] Start here
🔹 Kumano Kodo – Japan
[10 October- 17 October] Start here
[24 October- 31 October] Start here
🔹 Year-end (Alumni only) 2026 – Morocco – Marrakech + Atlas
[9 December-13 December] Start here
Seeds we planted this month
This month offered many opportunities to witness people planting their own gardens. In Val d’Aran, during Elevate Europe, an ATTA event, we met founders, leaders, entrepreneurs, educators, and changemakers building meaningful projects all over the world, and many friends from our community of the Transformational Travel Council (TTC). Their industries may differ, but their intention is remarkably similar: creating something that matters.
On the Camino de Santiago, during Destination You, we once again experienced the magic that happens when people step away from their routines and give themselves permission to listen more carefully to their own lives.
And in Lisbon, through Rally Society, we witnessed how something as simple as a padel court can become a catalyst for community, friendship, belonging, and positive social change. What Youssef Benabdeljalil and his team are creating is inspiring, and we look forward to seeing its impact grow far beyond Portugal.
Different places. Different people. Different stories. Yet all connected by a common thread. People planting seeds. People creating possibilities.
People investing in a future they believe is worth building.
Also, our podcast conversations are back, and what a beautiful way to return. Over the past weeks, we had the privilege of recording two inspiring episodes with Ruta Mikulenaite and Estas Tonne. You can listen to both conversations here.
Each conversation offers a unique perspective on leadership, personal growth, human connection, and the importance of creating space to think, reflect, and evolve.
These are the kind of conversations that feel especially meaningful when listened to in motion, while walking through a forest, along a coastline, or simply around your neighborhood. We invite you to put on your headphones, step outside, and join us on the trail for two thoughtful and enriching walks in conversation.
That’s been our journey over these past weeks. In the meantime, you can watch the videos of previous programs on the YouTube channel here.
How can we walk together?
Walking Mentorship is a labor of love that helps you gain deeper insight and equips you to create a meaningful impact on your life and those around you.
How can we work together? We keep things simple by offering Individual, Group, and Corporate programs. You can also give vouchers as gifts to the people you love. Find the best fit for you and book a call with one of our mentors.
In the meantime, keep walking with us 🚶♂️, changing the world one step at a time.
