On the occasion of World Philosophy Day 2019, New Acropolis Australia commemorated the 150th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi. Taking inspiration from Gandhi’s iconic life and leadership characterised by the quest for Truth, perhaps in this timeless pursuit lies the key to real, holistic, and sustainable change for our world today.
This event focused on empowering change through various fields such as Education, Philosophy, Ecology, Astronomy, Sociology and Corporate Responsibility. The following participants shared their ideas, life experiences and the need to be become better human beings, in order to make the world a better place for the next generation:
Shanaka Fernando is the founder of Lentil as Anything. Originally from Sri Lanka, Shanaka opened the first Lentil As Anything in 2000 and has been increasingly involved in projects addressing social justice issues. In 2007 he was awarded Australia’s Local Hero/Social Challenger at Australian of the Year Awards.
Krystal De Napoli is a Kamilaroi woman from rural North-East Victoria undertaking a Bachelor of Science degree at Monash University, majoring in Astrophysics. She is also a teaching assistant at the university, working closely with Dr Duane Hamacher and Indigenous Elders in their research Indigenous astronomical traditions. Krystal has delivered several public talks particularly on the topic of Indigenous Astronomy, presenting the knowledge gathered from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander elders, and researchers across Australia. She describes the intimate, complex understanding of First Nations people had of the night’s sky and its objects.
Shane Ward is a regenerative land use consultant, speaker, teacher, communicator and the founder of Action Ecology. In his consulting work, Shane brings an international perspective, scientific rigour and pragmatic approach to connecting people with the right knowledge, drawn from both innovative ‘on-the-ground’ practitioners and the latest scientific research. Passionate about sustainable food systems, ecosystem restoration, as well as plant, soil & microbial ecology, Shane also works more broadly to engage people with visioning a better way forward for humanity’s approach to energy, economy and agriculture – re-partnering with natural systems – so we might provide a chance for future generations to thrive on this planet.
Ariel Druckman is the National Director of New Acropolis Australia. Ariel started his journey towards becoming a living philosopher, 19 years ago at the school’s branch in Tel-Aviv. Since then, he is promoting philosophy as a means to integrate the western and eastern wisdom as a practical path to know oneself and the world around us.
Voice For Change is a community-focused initiative by the Mushroom Group to inspire young people to follow their dreams and ambitions. It is about connectivity, inclusion, acceptance overcoming adversity and harnessing the power of music to impact and positively change lives.