Main Speaker 2021

David Lorimer

David Lorimer, MA, PGCE, FRSA is a writer, lecturer, poet and editor who is a Founder of Character Education Scotland, Programme Director of the Scientific and Medical Network (www.scimednet.org) and former President of Wrekin Trust and the Swedenborg Society (www.swedenborgsociety.org.uk). He has also been editor of Paradigm Explorer since 1986 and completed his 100th issue in 2019. He was the instigator of the Beyond the Brain conference series in 1995 (www.beyondthebrain.org) and has co-ordinated the Mystics and Scientists conferences every year since the late 1980s (www.mysticsandscientists.org).

Originally a merchant banker then a teacher of philosophy and modern languages at Winchester College, he is the author and editor of over a dozen books, including Survival? Death as Transition (1984,2017) Resonant Mind (originally Whole in One) (1990/2017), The Spirit of Science (1998), Thinking Beyond the Brain (2001), The Protein Crunch (with Jason Drew) and A New Renaissance (edited with Oliver Robinson). He has edited three books about the Bulgarian sage Beinsa Douno (Peter Deunov): Prophet for our Times (1991, 2015), The Circle of Sacred Dance, and Gems of Love, which is a translation of his prayers and formulas into English. His book on the ideas and work of the Prince of Wales – Radical Prince (2003) – has been translated into Dutch, Spanish and French. His new book of essays, A Quest for Wisdom was published in March 2021.

David is a founding member of the International Futures Forum (www.internationalfuturesforum.com) and was editor of its digest, Omnipedia – Thinking for Tomorrow. He was also a Trustee of the St Andrews Prize for the Environment and a Churchill Fellow in 1978.

David is the originator of the Inspiring Purpose Values Poster Programmes, which has reached over 370,000 young people all over the world, and has edited fifteen magazines and five books in this connection. He was an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham from 2015-2018. See www.inspiringpurpose.org.uk

David is also Chair of the Galileo Commission (www.galileocommission.org) which seeks the expand the evidence base of science of consciousness beyond a materialistic world view.

In 2020 he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award as a Visionary Leader by the Visioneers International Network and the 2021 Aboca Human Ecology Prize. His website is www.davidlorimer.co.uk

Antonio A. Oposa Jr

Antonio A. Oposa Jr. is one of Asia’s leading voices in the global arena of Environmental Law. His work is known for telling a story in the Philippine Supreme Court: That every generation has a duty to ensure that Life-Sources will still be available for future generations. His legal work extends from the court of law to direct enforcement action against environmental crime syndicates. Visayan Sea Squadron.

In 2008, after a ten-year lonesome legal battle against 13 Philippine Government agencies, he won an unprecedented continuing mandamus. The Supreme Court issued an Order directing all concerned agencies to clean up Manila Bay. They were also ordered to report its progress to the Supreme Court every 90 days, until the waters will be clean enough to be swimmable. He was given the 2015 Inuoye Distinguished Chair of the University of Hawaii.

Asia’s highest recognition for public service – The Ramon Magsaysay Award – noted his path-breaking and passionate crusade to engage Filipinos in acts of enlightened citizenship. To maximize the power of the Law — to protect and nurture the Environment — for themselves, their children, and generations yet unborn.

He holds the Normandy Chair for Peace.

Tim Boyd

Main Speaker 2020, Main Speaker 2021, Speaker 2020, Speaker 2021 / By Marja Artamaa

Tim Boyd has been serving as international President of the Theosophical Society Adyar since April, 2014. He was born in New York City and lived there for seventeen years until he left to attend Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. From there he moved to the University of Chicago, where he was an honors graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Affairs.

He joined the Theosophical Society in America in 1974. Together with Bill Lawrence, a TS member and mentor, and others he founded a Theosophical spiritual community in Chicago’s inner city. The group held classes on the Ageless Wisdom, meditation, and healing. They worked with the at-risk and disadvantaged youth, transformed vacant lots into award-winning organic food gardens, and placed beehives on the roofs of local buildings. The group formed a business (Royal Associates) that initially focused on reclaiming and renovating deteriorating residential buildings in their area, creating housing for low- and middle-income families. Their work helped to stabilize neighborhoods through the training and employment of local youth and the creation of affordable homes for area residents.

In 1988 Tim became a national lecturer for the TS in America. From 1996 to 2000 he worked in hospice services as a volunteer in a team that involved doctors, social workers, and nurses. In 2007 he became President of the Theosophical Order of Service (TOS) – USA, and in 2011 was elected President of the TS in America. Tim’s involvement with the Theosophical Order of Service and the Chushul orphanage in Tibet led to an audience with the Dalai Lama, which resulted in the TS in America sponsoring his visit to Chicago in July of 2011 — a two-day event attended by 10,000 people. The event raised $400,000, all of which was donated to educational projects aiding Tibetan communities worldwide.

In 2014 Tim was re-elected as the President of the TS in America for three years, until 2017, and he was also elected as International President of the Theosophical Society Adyar. He shares his time between the headquarters of the TS Adyar in Chennai, India, and travelling as the International President through different continents, and his home in Chicago, USA, where he lives with his wife Lily, and daughter Angelique.

Theosophical Society, Adyar, 600 020 Chennai, India