International Conference

Towards a New Renaissance 3: Harmonising Spirituality, Nature and Health

30 October 2009 19:00 - 1 November 2009

Summary: This international meeting is the third in our series Towards a New Renaissance. The first meeting was held in Krakow, Poland in October 2004 and the second in Pari, Italy in October 2007. Our conferences reflect a new vision that the Cosmos is the measure of all things.

Venue: Hotel Dietrich-Bonhoeffer, Ziegelstraße 30, Berlin, Germany

We have to integrate our new world-view and values into the larger web of the Cosmos, living in harmony with both natural and cosmic laws. This is especially important in re-establishing a harmonious relationship with nature. Just as the credit crunch is a reflection of overextended debt, so the imminent eco-crunch reflects the fact that we now consume annually 25% more than the Earth can replenish. It is therefore imperative that we restore the balance between human activity and natural resources for the sake of coming generations. This conference will address the close relationship between food and health, arguing that our understanding of nature, agriculture and health has to be integral, since each depends on the other. The crisis in human health reflects the way in which we grow and produce our food, which in turn is a reflection of our mechanistic and materialistic worldview. The new cosmic world-view has far-reaching implications for the way in which we can live together in harmony with the Earth and the Cosmos.

The Programme

Saturday 31st October

9:15 Session 1 - Chair Franz-Theo Gottwald

Prof. Henryk Skolimowski: The New Renaissance, from Sacred Ecology to Sacred Health

Dr. Marilyn Wilhelm: The Cosmos is a Kinship System

10:40 Tea and Coffee

11:10 Session 2 - Chair Henryk Skolimowski

Matthias Ruff: The Integral Vision

Johannes Heinrichs: A Model of Value-Based Democracy as Condition of Ecological Sustainability

Johannes Heimrath: Enlightenment 2.0, Religion in a Post-Collapse Society

1:00 Lunch in Hotel

3: 30 Session 3 - Chair David Lorimer

Prof. Chris Muth: Universities of Applied Sciences: Good Partners for Good Practices

Paul Devereux: Spirituality, Nature and Health: a Brief History

4:45 Tea and Coffee

5:15 Session 4 - Chair Leszek Sosnowski

Ove Sviden: Harmonising Nature, Spirituality and Health in Sweden - Cosmos is the measure of all things.

Romila Santosh: Harmonising Spirituality, Nature and Health through Ayurveda

6:30 Free time

7:30 Dinner in Organic Restaurant

Sunday 1st November

9:15 Session 5 - Chair Paul Devereux

Prof. Franz-Theo Gottwald: Food for All – How to Balance Human Activities and Natural Resources

Dr. Stephan Krall: Sustainable Management of Resources – a challenge for an overpopulated world

10:45 Tea and Coffee

11:15 Session 6 - Chair Stephan Krall

Charla Devereux: The Politics of Food

David Lorimer: Let Them Eat Junk – the Future of Agriculture and Health

1:00 Lunch in Hotel

2:30 Session 7 - Chair Claudia Nielsen

Dr. Leszek Sosnowski: Rene Descartes: the Beginning of Disharmony of Nature and Spirit

Heiner Benking: Learning by Leap-frogging beyond Natural and Biological Diversity

Prof. Ed Sarath: Improvisation, Consciousness, and Sustainability: Jazz as vehicle for integral educational, environmental, and public policies

4:15 Summary and conclusions

4:45 Tea and Coffee

 

Short Papers
You are welcome to submit abstracts to present short papers on the theme. These will be evaluated for eventual inclusion in the final programme. Abstracts (up to 150 words) should be sent to David Lorimer (dl@scimednet.org with a copy to info@scimednet.org) by 1st September at the latest. For programme updates see www.scimednet.org

Travel and Accommodation
For UK delegates, Easyjet flies from London Gatwick to Berlin-Schoenefeld, then you can take the train or S-Bahn to Friedrichstrasse in the city centre, which takes about 40 minutes. There is a flight on Friday morning at 6.55, which arrives at 9.45, then one at 18.30 on Monday, arriving at 19.45.

Accommodation will be in the City Centre either be in the University Guesthouse (€38 a night) or in the nearby Dietrich Bonhoeffer House Hotel (€80 a night, including breakfast). The University Guesthouse consists of 12 apartments with two single bedrooms and two with a double bed. Those staying there can get breakfast in the hotel for €12. The conference itself will take place in the Hotel, which will provide refreshments and lunch on both days for €82. Accommodation and conference costs will be paid directly by delegates to the hotel or guesthouse, both of which take major credit cards. Friday welcome dinner will take place in the Cum Laude Restaurant of Humboldt University - this will cost about €20 per head, and will be payable in cash. On Saturday evening, we will be the guests of the Schweisfurth Foundation at an excellent organic restaurant.  We will also be making a separate arrangement for Sunday evening, which will also be payable in cash. The principal museums are within easy walking distance of the conference location, which will be ideal for Sunday afternoon and Monday.

Those registering will be given the contact details of the Guesthouse or Hotel, and will be responsible for confirming their own accommodation. Delegates should have valid travel insurance.

The conference registration fee is £120 for Western European delegates and £25 for Eastern European delegates, and is payable on booking – see overleaf.

Leaflet including booking form