In this opening ceremony of the Women of Cacao Summit 2025, hosts Ava J and Fiorella welcome listeners into a four-day journey that bridges cacao and chocolate, ancient cosmologies and cutting-edge research. Broadcasting from Cusco, Peru, Fiorella shares the scope of this year’s gathering: more than 40 women speakers, 32 workshops and panels, 23 cacao origins, 7 native languages, and 25 partner organizations working across the cacao and craft chocolate value chain. Through blessings from First Nations and Indigenous elders, the episode honors cacao as a feminine, sacred plant teacher and a living bridge. Listeners are invited to treat the summit like a personal rite of passage—from head to heart—showing up in self-responsibility, reverence for the land, and respect for the communities who have carried cacao’s wisdom for generations.