Speakers
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Benjamin ButlerFuturist/forecaster, strategist and philosopher working for WEF , Futur.io, Dyson and Merrill LynchBenjamin is a futurist and philosopher based out of Asia for the last 20 years, acting as a personal guide, sounding board and advisor on the future. He is passionate about evoking the light of humanity and genius in all and supports CEOs, change makers and leaders on their journeys of self-discovery.
A former global macro investor and venture capitalist, Benjamin is also known for seeing patterns and foreseeing paradigm shifts across the economy, technology and culture. He sits on a number of boards as a futurist including a World Economic Forum Global Future Council. -
Lisanne buikMulti-disciplinary artist and futures designer shown a.o. in Van Gogh Museum in 2019Lisanne is a multi-disciplinary artist, futures designer, tech ethics consultant and speaker using different media to materialise a future of planetary wellbeing. She makes science-fiction films, interactive installations, multi-sensory experiences, future products and embodiment methods that inspire and provoke people and organisations to operate and design in tune with the natural laws.
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Paul SaffoFuturist, teacher at Stanford University and Board member at Long Now FoundationPaul is a forecaster with over two decades experience exploring the dynamics of large-scale, long-term change. He teaches forecasting at Stanford University and chairs the Future Studies and Forecasting track at Singularity University. Paul is also a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council and a Fellow of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences. Paul serves on a variety of not-for-profit boards including the Long Now Foundation, and the Bay Area Council Economic Institute. Paul’s essays have appeared in a wide range of publications including The Harvard Business Review, Fortune, Foreign Policy, Wired, The Los Angeles Times, Newsweek, The New York Times, and the Washington Post. Paul holds degrees from Harvard College, Cambridge University and Stanford University.
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pinar demirdagMulti-disciplinary artist working a.o. for Google, IKEA, Nike and AirbnbPinar has been blessed to have so many nice things that happened early in her career. My original ideas and design projects contributed to the value of several global leading brands.
She made the world’s first music video created with artificial neural networks (AI) and currently working towards carrying AI to the film business.
She partnered with Google Arts & Culture to make never-before-seen pictures and fashion patterns with AI.
Patterns that she designed went on the catwalks of two of the most admired fashion brands of her generation: GANNI and Koché, and also IKEA launched a global special edition collection with her name and designs.
She designed the world’s first holographic catwalk for a virtual fashion line and she is one of the first people to use face filter technology back in 2011.
These days she is working on several design projects involving artificial intelligence where she puts “soul” in technology.
Pinar is a creative specialist who is always open to a good challenge. The complex, the better.
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Sujith RavindranBestselling Author │ Storyteller │ Facilitator, Male Initiations │ Co-founder, BEING at Full PotentialMOTTO:
“Doing from a Place of True Being”GOALS:
Support individuals exemplify social change through personal mastery/transformation…”Be the change you want to see”.Coaching business leaders, political leaders and entrepreneurs with passion and potential for massive social change.
EXPERIENCE:
Coaching individuals and groups towards personal mastery/transformation; offering seminars and retreats across 4 continents.Bestselling serial author in the field of “Personal Growth”.
Serial entrepreneur with start-ups in the area of medical solutions, fitness and health, e-commerce, service brokerage and personal development.
Almost a decade of diverse corporate experience in various managerial and leadership roles across 4 continents.
Greatest Strength: Been through a profound personal transformation that included departure from a corporate career in favor of highest calling.
Scholar in the ancient Indian spiritual sciences.
Deep interest & background in Developmental Psychology.
As a coach and elder, supports young adults – especially socially marginalized youth – believe in themselves and live their fullest potential.
Local Time
- Timezone: America/New_York
- Date: May 31 2020
- Time: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Imagination
The UnConference with Pinar Viola, Paul Saffo, Benjamin Butler, Lisanne Buik and Sujith Ravindran on Imagination.
After an amazing #RegenerativeCultures last Sunday at The UnConference, it is now time to focus on the theme Imagination from an artistic, rational, spiritual and nature point of view by 5 (emerging) world class thought leaders and practitioners.
As Conscious Learning Tribe, we decided to learn more about one of the most important topics of our time and deep-dive in a double session as a new experiment with our tribe.
For next Sunday’s event on May 31 (5-7pm CET), our special guests are:
– Pinar Demirdag (multi-disciplinary artist working a.o. for Google, IKEA, Nike and Airbnb)
– Paul Saffo (futurist, teacher at Stanford University and Board member at Long Now Foundation)
– Benjamin Butler (futurist/forecaster, strategist and philosopher working for WEF , Futur.io, Dyson and Merrill Lynch)
And for our second session on Thursday June 4th (8-10pm CET), our special guests are:
– Sujith Ravindran (founder of the BEING abundance movement, author, Indian mystic for 40 years, co-founder Being At Full Potential)
– Lisanne Buik (multi-disciplinary artist and futures designer shown a.o. in Van Gogh Museum in 2019)
with another surprise guest to be confirmed soon.
“The goal of forecasting is not to predict the future but to tell you what you need to know to take meaningful action in the present” – Paul Saffo
“We are on a mission to challenge and expand imagination by devoting all our creativity in the service of the highest good of all that exists and does not exist. Always learning and adapting to the latest image technologies” – Pina Demirdag
“I believe in the transience of nature. I believe that beyond the individual entities of each living being, there is a unity that defines all of us collectively” – Sujith Ravindran
“We are at an important evolutionary turning point in the history of our species. More than just a technological Singularity, we need a Cultural Renaissance. harnessing the power of the human imagination” – Benjamin Butler
“I wholeheartedly believe that the uncertainty, disgrace and polarity of our current day provides an opportunity to find grace in ourselves and reconnect to nature. To rise up to protect a future that serves all (of life) by prototyping new operating systems for society and self that emulate the laws of nature” – Lisanne Buik.
As Conscious Learning Tribe, we’re always interested to learn and deep-dive into exciting and interesting topics like this one. Let’s dive in….
Imagination
Recently, I (Yuri) watched some of my favourite movies in the past in the light of the current pandemic. The movies are called: The Road, Gattaca and Snowpiercer. All highly recommended and moving. They all have very important messages to share, especially in this period. But more importantly these movies show the immense power of effective Imagination becoming relevant after their launch, sometimes 23 years after.
The Road (2009) is about a post-apocalyptic world (a bit like today but way worse) in which a father and son try to survive and stay human at the same time. Not only is the movie and bestselling and Pulitzer awarded book imaginative, it is also a powerful showcase of the importance of sticking to your values, hope, ancestral lineages and the future of humanity.
Gattaca (1997) is one of my favourite sci-fi movies. “There is no gene for the human spirit”. This is a showcase of imagination as this plays out literally today in some countries due to the pandemic. The relevance today is the DNA based access / discrimination for individuals showcased in this engaging movie while we have Covid immunity passports / QR codes to access particular locations, events or transport options.
Snowpiercer (2013) is probably one of my favourite movies as it addresses all the key topics of our current period: ecological inclusiveness, climate crisis, social inclusiveness, speed of change, civilizational evolution, human arrogance and greed, age of decadence and the new world emerging after Corona. Director is the Oscar winning Bong Joon Ho (movie Parasite this year). It is about The Big Reset. The ending of the movie is so incredibly powerful, symbolic, beautiful, intense, timely, empowering, concerning and in my view very hopeful. About children, our species, nature, humans in line with nature as a restart. Imagination on steroids, after 7 years more poignant than ever.
In our session we will dive deep into the following aspects of Imagination:
- Why is Imagination now more important than ever? Key drivers?
- What is Imagination? What is it not?
- What is the difference between Imagination, visualisation, dreaming and a trip?
- What is the difference between physical imagination and virtual imagination (VR)?
- When is Imagination more effective? What are the key prerequisites for success?
- How can we all stimulate our Imagination competency?
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- Love
- Humour
- Kids
- Friends or any human interaction
- Nature (walks, hikes, sailing, etc.)
- Scuba diving
- Books
- Water (showers, waterfalls etc.)
- Music
- Paintings
- Movies
- Smells
- Lucid dreaming
- Spa/sauna/massages
- Inspirational keynotes
- Dancing
- Serendipity
- Presencing techniques
- Spiritual practices
- Plant medicine
- How individually? Teams? Organisationally? As a species?
- What is the biggest misconception or myth around Imagination?
The event is hosted by Conscious Learning Tribe founders Canay Atalay, Rudy de Waele, Yuri van Geest, and by Primavera Salva & Michael Lane. Are you as excited as we are to learn and explore together the why, what, how and when of Imagination from different angles?
SENSORIAL EXPERIENCES by our MEDIA PARTNER: OPENLAB.FM
Check out our weekly non-conformist Spotify mixtape, curated by OpenLab.fm for our tribe, based on our weekly topic. Expect some imaginative energising sounds this week, during and after the event with amazing visual art.
Follow us on Facebook, Linkedin, Instagram and Twitter for daily fresh updates, The Unconference video highlights, guest interviews, and more loving goodies for our tribe.
Join THE UNCONFERENCE
OUR WEEKLY PLAYLIST
SENSORIAL EXPERIENCES presented by our MEDIA PARTNER: OPENLAB.FM
Our weekly non-conformist playlist is curated by OpenLab.fm, especially for our tribe based on our weekly topic. Expect the sound of Regeneration under your skin before, during and after the event with their visual art.