STATE OF THE WORLD FORUM

Rev. Dr. Joshtrom Isaac Kureethadam is coordinator of Ecology and Creation at the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. Author of The Ten Green Commandments of Laudato Si’, he champions holistic ecology and ecological conversion globally today.

Dr. Leen Gorissen is a biologist and innovation catalyst who champions nature’s wisdom to reinvent how we live. Founder of the Centre for Natural Intelligence, she applies ecology and systems thinking to spark sustainable innovation and regenerative societal transformation.

Arvol Looking Horse is a revered Lakota spiritual leader and Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe. An advocate for peace, ecological stewardship, and Indigenous rights, he shares ancient wisdom to heal Mother Earth and unite humanity.

Gary L. Shapiro, Ph.D. began his involvement with orangutans 51 years ago in the field of primate cognition and learning. He was the first person (1973-1975) to teach a symbolic communication system to an orangutan named Aazk (at the now Chaffee Zoological Park, Fresno, CA) and the first person to have taught sign language to orangutans in the species' natural environment, the forests of Tanjung Puting National Park, Indonesian Borneo (1978-1980; 1981)

Dr. Rupert Sheldrake is a biologist and author known for bold theories like morphic resonance and the extended mind. Bridging biology and consciousness research he is expanding our understanding of nature and the cosmos.

Vladimir Pozner is a French-born Russian-American journalist and veteran broadcaster who for six decades has interpreted East-West relations. Fluent in three languages, his syndicated interviews and Cold War dialogues modeled candid conversation, challenging propaganda and championing understanding across ideological divides.

Martin Palmer is a theologian, sinologist, and founder of FaithInvest. Renowned for translating Chinese classics and advising global faiths, he mobilizes religious investment and storytelling to advance global ecological regeneration, cultural dialogue, and values-driven finance for a flourishing, inclusive future.

Marie-Noëlle Keijzer co-founded and leads WeForest, a global nonprofit restoring biodiverse landscapes to draw down carbon and empower communities. Combining business acumen and environmental science, she mobilizes companies, investors, and scientists to scale nature-based solutions reversing climate and biodiversity loss.