Canditates ITC board election
This years candidates for the board elections are:
- Kirk Gradin
- Angels Torra Buron
- Fernando Mansur
See below for the profile of the candidates:
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Kirk Gradin (ULT)
Candidate ITC Board
About Kirk
Kirk has been a student of Theosophia since 1975 and an Associate of the United Lodge of Theosophists in Santa Barbara since 1979. He is a frequent presenter of weekly themes at the Santa Barbara ULT, the San Diego ULT, and for “Gems of the Wisdom Traditions” an online discussion group based in Hawaii. Over the years, Kirk has written numerous articles for the Theosophical journal VIDYA, “The Theosophist” magazine based in Adyar, and other printed publications of theosophical import. Kirk has also given numerous multi-media presentations through the auspices of the Institute of World Culture—the public arm of the ULT in Santa Barbara—on theosophical themes such as “The Bodhisattva Ideal,” “Why Seven?” “The Spiritual in Abstract Art,” and “Pythagoras and the Arts of Antiquity” He has also presented for the Krotona School of Theosophy, and several ITC summer conferences. As an architect with his own practice since 1995, Kirk has sought to examine and illustrate the impact of perennial wisdom and esoteric symbolism upon diverse flowerings of culture in the arts. In 2018, Kirk co-founded Studio Vach a YouTube video channel, helping to write, edit and produce a series of podcasts and videos on core introductory themes of Theosophia. Kirk also co-moderates a weekly online ‘Gupta Vidya Circle’ welcoming students from all traditions and all levels of familiarity with theosophical teaching.
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Angels Torra Buron (TS Adyar)
About Angels
Born in Barcelona (Spain) in 1952 into a family of Theosophists.
Studied Romanic Philology, Gallic Section at Barcelona University.
High School teacher of French and English for 37 years.
Member of the Theosophical Society since 1972, actively participating in the activities organised,
both in Spain and in other countries, first with the Youth Federation, and later in the section.
For a few years, she was a member of the Executive Committee of the European Federation of the T.S. Adyar.
In 2013 she was elected Secretary General of the S.T. Section in Spain, a position she has held since 1st October 2013.
She also became a member of the ITC Board a few years ago.
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Fernando Mansur (TS Adyar)
About Fernando
Fernando Mansur is a very dedicated and active Theosophist. I first met him in 2016 during a five-day event in Brasília. He struck me with his warm interest, his sincere questions and his clear insight.
A year later I met him in Adyar, India. A close friendship developed. An intensive correspondence on Theosophy and on translation issues from English into Portuguese ensued. Countless emails were exchanged and later countless WhatsApp’s, Zoom study meetings and phone calls.
As a radio journalist and communications expert, Fernando is a great communicator, always managing to bring Theosophy to the attention of a large audience in an original way. In his weekly radio program Ca entre nós [between us], he interviews numerous Theosophists, tells about newly published books, and brings events to the attention.
Fernando has the gift to proclaim profound theosophical truths in simple language, without using all kinds of theosophical terms. He has written various books, such as 'O catador de histórias - A Teosofia é a Chave [The Story catcher - Theosophy is the Key] - in which he comments on everyday events from a theosophical point of view.
Fernando is the great inspiration of a trajectory in Brazil where original English theosophical classics are being translated into Portuguese, such as: W.Q. Judge’s The Ocean of Theosophy and Letters that have Helped Me, The Secret Doctrine Commentaries, The Divine Plan and HPB, Tibet and Tulku, both by G. Barborka and many others. He knows how to gather a group of people around him who are collaborating on this. Each new translated book is presented in an event that attracts many people. This movement is called PROJECT PIONEERS.
Fernando has a large network of theosophist friends from all organizations and from different countries. He always looks for cooperation. He is open to new insights and averse to any form of dogmatism. Partly because of his efforts, a close partnership between theosophists from Portugal and Brazil has been established, and there is an exchange of theosophical books (both nations speak the same language). He also brought a major exhibition on HPB and the Theosophical Movement from Lisbon to Brazil.
In fact, Fernando is the example of cross-pollination. He collaborates with ULT and Point Loma theosophists, inviting them, for example, to lecture or preface a book.
From the moment Fernando was made aware of ITC, he was immediately excited and eager to participate. At the 2020 ITC, he was involved in translating and voicing translations. In his radio program, he also covered ITC several times.
It is a great pleasure to work with Fernando. His humor and dedication make working with him a joy. I heartily recommend him as a board member.