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Rohini Nilekani

Chairperson, Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies

Rohini Nilekani is an author and philanthropist and has been a strong influence in the Indian social sector over the past three decades. Her philanthropic work spans different sectors of Indian civil society. She founded Arghyam, a foundation for sustainable water and sanitation, and co-founded Pratham Books, a nonprofit enabling access to reading for millions of children. Currently, she is the Chairperson of Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies and a Co-founder and Director of EkStep, a nonprofit education platform. 

Rohini sits on the Board of Trustees of ATREE, an environmental think tank. In the past, she has served on the Audit Advisory Board of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India and the Eminent Persons Advisory Group of the Competition Commission of India. In 2017, she was inducted as a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She has been a member of the Board of Science Gallery Bengaluru, the Advisory Board of the Well Being Project since 2019, and the Dakshin Foundation since 2021. Rohini was voted the Best Grassroots Philanthropist by the Forbes India Leadership Award in 2022. 

Rohini Nilekani is a committed philanthropist and has been named ‘the most generous woman in India’ for the third consecutive time in 2022 by the Hurun India Philanthropy Report. In 2017, she signed the Giving Pledge with her husband, Nandan Nilekani, which commits half their wealth to philanthropic causes.

A former journalist, she has written for many leading publications such as Times of India, India Today, Mint, etc. Rohini’s first book, Stillborn, a medical thriller, and her second, Uncommon Ground, were published by Penguin Books India. Her latest, Samaaj, Sarkaar, Bazaar – A Citizen-first Approach, is a self-published, Creative Commons-licensed book. She is also the author of 17 books for young children.

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David Simas

Managing Director, Research and Impact, Emerson Collective

David Simas is the Managing Director of Research and Impact at Emerson Collective, where he works to develop in-depth research projects and distributes findings and analysis in service of Emerson’s priorities including democracy, immigration, education, and climate.

A native of Taunton, Massachusetts, David was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff to Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick in 2007. He then joined President Obama’s administration in 2009 as a Deputy Assistant to the President, working with senior advisors David Axelrod and David Plouffe. In 2012, he served as Director of Opinion Research for President Obama’s reelection campaign. Following the reelection, Mr. Simas returned to the White House as Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Political Strategy and Outreach. In 2016, President Obama selected Mr. Simas to serve as Chief Executive Officer of the Obama Foundation. Mr. Simas holds a B.A. in political science from Stonehill College and a J.D. from Boston College Law School. He is the son of two Portuguese immigrants and lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Shauna, and their two daughters.

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Louisa Zondo

Co-Founder and Director, Riky Rick Foundation for the Promotion of Artivism

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Louisa Zondo is a co-founder of the Riky Rick Foundation for the Promotion of Artivism. She is also the Chairperson of the Barloworld Empowerment Foundation and former Chairperson of Oxfam South Africa. A lawyer and social activist, she served as Deputy Executive Director of the Constitutional Assembly during South Africa’s transition from apartheid, going on to become Chief Executive of the South African Human Rights Commission in 1996. Along with other members of her family, Louisa is currently involved in the work of the Riky Rick Foundation for the Promotion of Artivism established in memory of her son Rikhado “Riky Rick” Makhado, a well-loved music artist and creative who died in February 2022 from suicide. In 2023 she published “Dearest MaRiky: A Mother’s Journey Through Grief, Trauma and Healing” a memoir of life with her late son. Louisa’s life energy is mainly at the intersection of arts, culture and activism towards a just, connected, life-supporting world. 

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IN LOUISA’S WORDS

How do you think individual, collective, and planetary wellbeing are connected?

In the same way as all of life is connected at the individual, collective and planetary level, wellbeing is also connected at these levels. Individual inner wellbeing cultivates the quietening of the noises of our thoughts and emotions presenting space for deeper connection to the infinite capacities of our inner intelligence. 

At a collective level, continuous engagement in practices that draw us out of the optical delusion of experiencing ourselves, our thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest of humanity and opens up space for cultures and systems that value all life and centre love as the ultimate reality.  

I am inspired by the story of the universe which is informed by scientific and spiritual perspectives and connects all of life to the continuing evolutionary process that began some 13.8 billion years ago. 

For me this means attending to my inner life by developing practices that bring up awareness of and curious about the patterns of thought and emotions that I have created. These patterns have the effect of blocking the flow of life-force in me and essentially make decisions for me without me even knowing that this is happening. Attending to my personal wellbeing becomes my continuous training in encountering all aspects of life – from mundane daily experiences to collective trauma to understandings of myself as part of nature – from the expansive state of connection to pure love. It opens up pathways for coming at all forms of injustice from a consciousness which is different from that which caused the problems and therefore coming upon generative, life-giving solutions based on truth.  

What do you hope the outcomes are from the global Hearth Summit?

Deeper support for those who come at transformational methods to nurture leadership, wellness and justice, equality, diversity and inclusion among the majority who, typically are excluded from accessing these methods. I look forward to plans that would center arts and culture, women and gender non-binary people, young people, BIPOC and economically marginalised in the allocation of resources and support for wellbeing. 

WHAT LOUISA IS READING

  • Justin Michael Williams, “Stay Woke: A Meditation Guide for the REST of Us”
  • Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross, “Your Brain on Art”
  • Vaness Machado de Oliveira “Hospicing Modernity” 
  • Adrienne Maree Brown, “Emergent Strategy”  
  • Kumi Naidoo, “Letters to My Mother – The Making of a Trouble-Maker”
  • Louisa Zondo, “Dearest MaRiky – A Mother’s Journey Through Grief Trauma and Healing”
  • Makhosazana Xaba, “Running and Other Stories”
  • Pumla Dineo Gqola, “Female Fear Factory”
  • Lebogang Mashile, “In a Ribbon of Rhythm”
  • Athambile Masola, “Ilifa”
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SUMMIT HOST

Edwin Macharia

Co-Founder, Axum

Edwin is Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Axum. He leads work with Heads of State, CEOs, Philanthropists, and Investors, supporting them on strategy, program design and capital deployment.

Prior to starting Axum, Edwin spent 16 years at Dalberg Advisors building the firm’s presence, teams and client work across the world. He left after being elected and serving as the Global Managing Partner of the firm. Before that, he was at the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and McKinsey & Company.

Based in Nairobi, Edwin currently sits on a range of global boards that reflect his commitment to transforming lives in Africa and beyond: The Nature Conservancy, Mozilla Foundation, Nabo Capital, The End Fund, Prudential Kenya and The Wellbeing Project. He is a WEF Young Global Leader, Archbishop Desmond Tutu Fellow and was listed by Forbes as one of the 10 Most Powerful Africans in 2015. He holds a degree in biology from Amherst College.

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Satish Kumar

Editor Emeritus, Resurgence & Ecologist Magazine; Founder, Schumacher College

Peace-pilgrim, life-long activist and former monk, Satish Kumar has been inspiring global change for over 50 years. Aged 9, Satish renounced the world and became a wandering Jain monk. Inspired by Gandhi, he decided at 18 that he could achieve more back in the world and soon undertook a peace-pilgrimage, walking without money from India to America for the cause of nuclear disarmament. Now in his 80s, Satish has devoted his life to campaigning for ecological regeneration, social justice and spiritual fulfilment.

An acclaimed author and international speaker, Satish appears regularly on podcasts, radio and television shows. He has been interviewed by Richard Dawkins, Russell Brand and Annie Lennox, appearing as a guest on Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, Thought for the Day and Midweek. Satish presented an episode of BBC2’s Natural World documentary series, which was watched by 3.6 million people. 

Satish’s autobiography ‘No Destination’ sold over 50,000 copies, inspiring change around the world. Through his writing, teaching and international talks, Satish passionately shares visions of the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible.  Satish co-founded Schumacher College and founded The Resurgence Trust, an educational charity that seeks to inform and inspire a just future for all. He was the Editor of the charity’s change-making magazine, Resurgence & Ecologist, for over 40 years, making him the UK’s longest-serving editor of the same magazine. He continues to serve this publication as Editor Emeritus and by writing for each and every trailblazing issue.  Satish would like to offer you 20% off membership of The Resurgence Trust. When you join, you will receive a range of membership benefits including the hope-inspiring, bi-monthly Resurgence & Ecologist magazine, and support Satish (and the charity he founded) in protecting the future of people and planet.

Find out more about Satish’s work and this offer: https://www.resurgence.org/membership/satish-offer.html 

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IN SATISH’S WORDS

How do you think individual, collective, and planetary wellbeing are connected?

The word ‘human’ comes from ‘humus’ which means soil. So, human beings are literally soil beings! Our food comes from the soil. Only healthy soil can produce healthy food. Similarly, clean, pure and healthy water as well as clean, pure and healthy air are a prerequisite for the health of all human beings. Human health cannot flourish on a sick planet. We are all inter-related and interconnected. We are all Nature. The planet Earth is made of millions and trillions of individual organisms. So, the health and wellbeing of the entire planet Earth depends on the health and wellbeing of each and every single individual living being. There is no separation between the individual, the collective and the planetary. Life is a continuum. Each and every individual part of the planet Earth are integral to the entire web of life. 

What do you hope the outcomes are from the global Hearth Summit?

From time to time, we need to be reminded that health and wellbeing of people and the planet Earth are fundamental to human happiness. The global Hearth Summit will do exactly that. We will be re-energised and re-inspired to come together, work together and build a healthy community together. The global Hearth Summit will be a great opportunity to share ideas, information, insights and wisdom of people from across the world. This event will provide a great platform for building mutuality, reciprocity and solidarity. All our Flourishing is mutual. I am looking forward to being there and meeting many kindred spirits there. 

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Dr. Richard J. Davidson

Founder & Director of the Center for Healthy Minds, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Founder & Chief Visionary for Healthy Minds Innovations, Inc.

William James and Vilas Research Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry and Founder & Director of the Center for Healthy Minds, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Richard J Davidson is the founder and Chief Visionary for Healthy Minds Innovations, Inc.

Richard J Davidson received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in Psychology in 1976. Davidson’s research is broadly focused on the neural bases of emotion and emotional style and methods to promote human flourishing including meditation and related contemplative practices. He has published over 440 articles, numerous chapters and reviews and edited 14 books. He is the author (with Sharon Begley) of “The Emotional Life of Your Brain” published in 2012 and co-author with Daniel Goleman of “Altered Traits” published in 2017. He was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time Magazine in 2006. He was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2017 and appointed to the Governing Board of UNESCO’s Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP) in 2018. In 2014, Davidson founded the non-profit, Healthy Minds Innovations, which translates science into tools to cultivate and measure well-being.

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