148th INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION
Exploring and Understanding
UNIVERSAL INTELLIGENCE
About the Convention
The Convention of 2023-2024 will be in-person at Adyar. Online possibility.
Members of the Society are welcome to attend as delegates.
Non-members are welcome to attend but accommodation at the campus is not possible due to the limit of beds.
Venue: International Headquarters Adyar, Chennai, India Google Map (click)
When: 31st December 2023 (opening at 8.30 am) - 4th January 2024 (closing by 6 pm)
You are suggested to arrive before 31 December and leave after 4th January.
Registration: Information(click)
Online: Registration for Online participation is not required. Programs at the Adyar Theatre will be webcasted online.
Public Lecture Speakers
Schedule
Sessions at Adyar Theatre will be broadcasted
30 Dec 2023
Day 0 / 30 Dec 2023
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Venue
Adyar Library and Research Centre
Sponsor
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08:30 - 17:00
General Council Meeting
For members of the General Council only
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Venue
Headquarters Hall
Sponsor
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15:00 - 16:00
Candle Ceremony
Order of the Round Table. Delegates can watch the Ceremony and are requested to occupy seats by 2.45 PM.
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Venue
Headquarters Hall
Sponsor
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16:00 - 17:00
Council of the Order of the Round Table
For members of the Round Table Council only
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31 Dec 2023
Day A / 31 Dec 2023
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Venue
Adyar Theatre
Sponsor
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08:30 - 09:30
OPENING of the Convention on 31 December
Prayers, Greetings, Invocation, and Opening of the Convention by Tim Boyd, the International President
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09:30 - 10:45
KEYNOTE "ADYAR EXTENSION"
KEYNOTE and Report of Activities of the TS worldwide by Tim Boyd, International President
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Venue
Adyar Library and Research Centre
Sponsor
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11:00 - 11:45
Inauguration of exhibitions at Library building
1) Sculptures and paintings by Artist Hemalatha 2) Archives: The Spirit of Adyar, A Journey into the Past and Radha Burnier, A Multi-faceted Leader
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Venue
Enquiry Office, Stalls
Sponsor
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11:45 - 12:15
Opening of Stalls
Stalls of Olcott Education Society (OES) and Besant Memorial Animal Dispensary (BMAD)
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Venue
Blavatsky Bungalow
Sponsor
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12:00 - 14:30
Indian Section Council Meeting - I
For Members of the Indian Section Council only
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Venue
Headquarters Hall
Sponsor
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13:30 - 14:30
Inauguration of Exhibitions at the Headquarters building
1) The Renaissance of Art in Adyar: Paintings of Florence Ada Fuller and 2) Permanent display of historical items at the Blavatsky Museum
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14:30 - 15:30
BESANT LECTURE: "Virtue"
Hon'ble Justice M. M. Sundresh, Judge of the Supreme Court of India
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16:30 - 17:45
New Year's World Music Concert
Global Rhythms – Blueprint of a New World, Award-winning Vocalists, Musicians, LEAP Boundary Breakers.
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Venue
Headquarters Hall
Sponsor
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19:30 - 21:00
Ritual of the Mystic Star
Delegates can watch the Ceremony and are requested to occupy seats by 7.25 PM at the Headquarters Hall
01 Jan 2024
Day B / 01 Jan 2024
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Sponsor
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06:00 - 07:00
Early morning practices
Three options: Puja, Silent Walking Meditation, or Yoga
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08:30 - 09:30
Symposium: "Exploring and Understanding"
Speakers Richard Sell "Understanding an Explorers Mind", Isis de Resende "The Science and the Art of Living", Gerard Brennan "Seeking and Knowing"
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09:45 - 11:00
Short lectures: 1) Understanding Universal Intelligence, 2) Intelligence: the Foundation of All Life
Short lectures by Dr Deepa Padhi and Mr Stephen McDonald
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11:00 - 12:30
Indian Section Convention - I
"Inaugural address" by Tim Boyd, International President. "State of the Indian Section Address" by Pradep Gohil, President of the Indian Section.
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Venue
Headquarters Hall
Sponsor
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13:00 - 14:45
TOS India Executive
For TOS India Executive members only
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Venue
Adjacent to Main Gate
Sponsor
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13:30 - 14:45
Visit to Social Welfare Centre (SWC)
Social Welfare Centre and Vocational Training Centre present cultural activities at SWC
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17:00 - 18:00
THEOSOPY-SCIENCE LECTURE: "Contemporary Science: Facts, Ideas, Questions"
Public lecture by Prof. Rajaram Nityananda
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19:30 - 20:30
THEOSOPHY BY ART: BEAT Choir & Skit by B.T.F.
BEAT, Bank Employees Art Troop, an awarded choir. B.T.F., Bombay Theosophical Federation.
02 Jan 2024
Day C / 02 Jan 2024
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Sponsor
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06:00 - 07:00
Early morning practices
Three options: Puja, Silent Walking Meditation, or Yoga
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Venue
Bharata Samaj Temple
Sponsor
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08:30 - 09:30
Devotional Meeting
Pooja at the Bharata Samaj Temple by Chandrika Mehta
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10:15 - 11:15
Panel on "Intelligence and Human Need"
Panel discussion with Linda Oliveira, Marcos de Resende, Tran-Thi-Kim-Dieu, and Chally Romero
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Venue
Blavatsky Bungalow
Sponsor
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13:00 - 14:45
Indian Section Council Meeting - II
For Members of the Indian Section Council only
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Venue
ATA, opposite Library gate
Sponsor
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13:30 - 15:00
Visit to Adyar Theosophical Academy (ATA)
'Wonderscape':
An exhibition of ATA primary & middle school student explorations.
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Venue
Bharata Samaj Temple
Sponsor
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13:30 - 15:00
Bharata Samaj Association
General Body meeting. For Members of the Association only.
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15:15 - 16:00
Interview of Ven. Olande Ananda Thera
Ven. Olande Ananda Thera, Venerable Buddhist Monk, Sri Lanka. Interviewer is Patrizia Calvi, Italy.
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17:00 - 18:00
PANEL: Theosophy and Art - From Origin to Horizons
Speakers are Elif Kamisli (Exhibition Manager), Anupama Gaur (Consultant Conservator), and Erica Georgiades (Director of the School of the Wisdom)
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19:30 - 20:30
Evening Program - a Play
Crea-Shakthi presents a play on “Universal Consciousness: Life, Death & Everything in Between”
03 Jan 2024
Day D / 03 Jan 2024
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Sponsor
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06:00 - 07:00
Early morning practices
Three options: Puja, Silent Walking Meditation, or Yoga
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08:30 - 09:30
Theosophical Order of Service (TOS)
Presentation by Nancy Secrest after which a Dance performance
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09:45 - 10:45
Dialogue on "Theosophical Work and Universal Intelligence"
Dialogue between Tim Boyd and Pedro Oliveira
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10:45 - 12:30
Indian Section Convention - II "Illumination from Within"
Open to all delegates. Five speakers of TS in India
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Venue
Headquarters Hall
Sponsor
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13:00 - 14:45
TOS India Annual General Body Meeting
Theosophical Order of Service in India
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Venue
Olcott School
Sponsor
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13:30 - 14:45
Visit to Olcott Memorial Higher Secondary School (OMHSS)
Cultural Activities at the Olcott School
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15:00 - 16:15
Workshops II
Workshops on Education, Chanting, and Art as a Language of the Universal Intelligence
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17:00 - 18:00
PUBLIC LECTURE: "Remembering the Future Garden"
Joss Brooks, Veteran Australian Ecologist, Pitchandikulam Forest Auroville
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04 Jan 2024
Day E / 04 Jan 2024
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Sponsor
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06:00 - 07:00
Early morning practices
Three options: Puja, Silent Walking Meditation, or Yoga
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08:30 - 09:30
Questions & Answers
Q&A session with Tim Boyd, Deepa Padhi, Pradeep Gohil and Douglas Keene
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09:45 - 10:45
Short lectures on Advaita and Universal Intelligence
1. "UNIVERSAL INTELLIGENCE IS TO KNOW THE FIELD AND THE KNOWER OF THE FIELD — An Advaitic Perspective Based on Śrīmad Bhagavadgītā 13.2" by Dr Radha Raghunathan.
2. "“Advaita, self-Knowledge and Universal Intelligence” by Dr Sankar Bhagavadpada
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Venue
Blavatsky Bungalow
Sponsor
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12:00 - 14:00
Indian Section Council Meeting - III
For Members of the Indian Council only
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14:00 - 15:00
Admission of new members
International President talks to the new members and gives them Diplomas
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15:00 - 16:00
Plenary Session
Reports from the workshops, World Federation of Young Theosophists (WFYT) and Propagation Project
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17:00 - 18:00
PRESIDENT'S LECTURE: "The Land and Us"
Public Lecture by Tim Boyd, International President of the Theosophical Society
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18:00 - 18:30
Closing of the Convention
Closing words by International President; Vote of Thanks by Shikhar Agnihotri, Convention Officer
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