The symposium is hosted by the notable Urban Buddhist Monk, Ven. Dr. Bhante Saranapala, founder and president of Canada: A Mindful and Kind Nation. “Canada can be the happiest, healthiest, kindest, and the most peaceful nation in the world through mindful meditation,” says Ven. Dr. Bhante Saranapala, founder and president of Canada: A Mindful and Kind Nation. “We are also promoting mindfulness meditation and kindness practices to help overcome mental health issues, such as stress and anxiety, in the home and workplace.”

Featured Speakers and Topics

Doctor Angela Greco speaking on the benefits of systems thinking as a way to become a more kindful organization and impact productivity.

Bio: Angela Greco is a scientist at the Strategic Analysis and Policy Department of TNO, the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research, and a research affiliate at the University of Groningen. Prior to this position, she was a postdoctoral fellow in responsible innovation at the Ivey Business School at Western University. She obtained her PhD from the Center for Sustainable Entrepreneurship at the University of Groningen, Campus Fryslân Faculty, and her Master of Science in Civil Engineering from Delft University of Technology. Her work focusses on the role of organizations in sustainability transitions and in preventing and mitigating negative unintended consequences of society.

Sander Van Den Born, CMTO GoodLife Fitness speaking on being kind to your physical body, overcoming injuries and healing.

Bio: As CMTO at GoodLife Fitness, he is responsible for leading the strategic direction for the next evolution of GoodLife’s Marketing, Digital and Information Technology areas of the business. As they thrive to be the best Live and Digital Gym in the World, with his team they aim to support the business in achieving this goal and to make sure their members and associates have the best possible fitness experience whenever or wherever they are using their services.

Kirsteen MacLeod, Yoga Teacher and Author speaking on her new book "In Praise of Retreat", which explores the solitary, reflective side of life and what it offers modern people.

Bio: Kirsteen MacLeod is a yoga teacher and author based in Kingston, Ontario. Her new book, In Praise of Retreat, explores the solitary, reflective side of life and what it offers modern people. A native Glaswegian, Kirsteen has lived in Toronto and Brazil, places evoked in The Animal Game (short stories). Kirsteen divides her time between her home by the lake, and a riverside retreat cabin in the north woods.

Doctor Sashi Perera, Associate Professor, McMaster University speaking on when science meets kindness and mindfulness.

Bio: Kanjana (Sashi) Perera is an Investigator in the Brain Health research program at PHRI, Assistant Professor, Medicine (neurology), McMaster University, and a stroke neurologist at Hamilton Health Sciences. Her main research focus is on secondary stroke prevention, cryptogenic stroke, and uncommon causes of stroke and the optimization of clinical care in this patient population.

Itinerary:

9:45am am Intro by Bhante

10:00am Doctor Angela Greco speaking on the benefits of systems thinking as a way to become a more kindful organization and impact productivity.

10:30am Sander Van Den Born speaking on being kind to your physical body, overcoming injuries and healing.

11:00am Kirsteen MacLeod speaking on her new book "In Praise of Retreat", which explores the solitary, reflective side of life and what it offers modern people.

11:30am Doctor Sashi Perera speaking on when science meets kindness and mindfulness.

12:00pm Guided meditation with Bhante.

Thank you to our sponsors:

Feile Events - https://www.feileevents.com/

Goway Travel- https://www.goway.com/