Content
August 17, 2021
Audrey E. Kitagawa, J.D.
President and Founder
"In the seemingly ordinariness of daily living is the power of transformation. Individual transformation arises out of awareness, and a willingness to change to become a better person right where we are. We each have personal responsibility and collective responsibility to make positive changes here and now."
Background
Sadhviji is a renowned spiritual leader and motivational speaker, based in Rishikesh, India. Originally from Los Angeles, California, and a graduate of Stanford University, Sadhviji has lived on the banks of the sacred Ganga river, in the lap of the Himalayas for nearly 25 years engaged in spiritual service, wisdom teaching, sacred action, and deep spiritual practice.
At Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh, where she lives most of the year, she gives daily spiritual discourses (satsang), teaches meditation, provides spiritual counseling and mentoring, and oversees myriad charitable and humanitarian projects and activities.
Sadhviji serves as:
• Secretary-General of the Global Interfaith WASH Alliance, an international interfaith organization dedicated to clean water, sanitation & hygiene(WASH).
• President of The Divine Shakti Foundation, a foundation which runs free schools, vocational training programs and empowerment programs.
• Director of the world-famous International Yoga Festival at Parmarth which has been covered in Time Magazine, CNN, New York Times and other prestigious publications.
Sadhviji is a renowned, motivational speaker and best-selling author who gives keynote addresses at large fora, on a wide variety of topics ranging from conscious business to science and spirituality to sustainable development to the keys of happiness and peace in life to all aspects of yoga. Her talks blend the knowledge and logic of the West with the insights, spirituality and wisdom of the East, and she is renowned as a spiritual bridge between the two cultures.
She has spoken at several United Nations events, including with the Secretary-General and Deputy Secretary-General of the UN, and at many high-level international conferences and summits
She has been featured in CNN, NY Times, Discovery Channel, Travel Channel, BBC, NPR, Times of India, Dainik Jagran and many other renowned news networks.
Sadhviji has received numerous national and international awards and recognition for her work with Water, Sanitation and Hygiene as well as women’s upliftment and empowerment including from the Cabinet Minister of Water Resources, Government of India as well as from the Ambassador of the United States to India.
Sadhviji also serves on:
• United Nations Faith Advisory Council on Religion.
• The Steering Committee for Partnership for Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD), an international body comprising the governments of twelve countries (including United States, UK, and Germany), the United Nations, the World Bank, the African Union, and the world's renowned faith based organizations.
• The Steering Committee for the World Bank-United Nations campaign with international faith based organizations of the "Moral Imperative to End Extreme Poverty."
Sadhviji is the author of By God’s Grace, a biography of her Guru His Holiness Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji and Come Home to Yourself, a book of wisdom teachings published by Penguin RandomHouse, both on the Amazon Bestsellers List.
She was raised in an American family in Hollywood, California and graduated from Stanford University. She was completing her Ph.D. when she left America in 1996 to live at Parmarth Niketan in Rishikesh, India.
She was officially initiated into the order of Sanyas (monastic renunciation) in the year 2000, by His Holiness Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji, one of the most revered spiritual leaders in India and the President of Parmarth Niketan.
She has a Ph.D in Psychology and was the Managing Editor for the monumental project of the 11-volume Encyclopedia of Hinduism. In addition, she contributes regularly for publications including Huffington Post, Dainik Jagran, Speaking Tree/Times of India, Thrive Global, The Pioneer, and other renowned publications.
Background
Audrey E. Kitagawa, JD, is the President/Founder of the International Academy for Multicultural Cooperation, the President of the Light of Awareness International Spiritual Family, the former Advisor to the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict at the United Nations.
She is a United Nations Representative for the United Religions Initiative, and Chair Emerita of the NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns, A Committee of the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations. She has been enstooled into the royal family as the Nekoso Hemaa, (i.e. Queen Mother of Development), of Ajiyamanti in Ghana, West Africa, and has a school which she helped to build named after her in her African name, the Nana Ode Anyankobea Junior Secondary School.
She wrote the chapter, Crossing World Views, The Power of Perspective in the Hawaii Japanese American Experience, which was published in a book about multiculturalism, communication and Asian women entitled, Learning In The Light. Her chapter, Globalization As The Fuel For Religious And Ethnic Conflict has been published in the book, Globalization And Identity, Cultural Diversity, Religion and Citizenship. Her article, The Role Of Identity In The Rise And Decline of Buddhism In Hawaii, The 50th State Of The United States Of America, has been published in Sambodhi, a Buddhist Journal. She published articles in World Affairs The Journal Of International Issues, entitled, The Power of Om: Transformation of Consciousness, and Practical Spirituality. She wrote the chapter, The US In Foreign Affairs: Source of Global Security, Or Source of Global Fear? in the book, America & The World The Double Bind. She is currently writing a chapter on Space Ethics for a legal, academic book on Space Law.
She has been listed in Who's Who Of American Law, Who's Who Of American Women, Who's Who In America, Who's Who In The World, and Prominent People of Hawaii. She is the recipient of the Medal “Pride of Eurasia” and a Diploma from the Republic of Kazakhstan Ministry of Education and Science L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University for her outstanding contribution to the development of spiritual culture and education in Eurasia. She is the recipient of the Spirit of the UN Award which is given to outstanding individuals who have demonstrated the vision and spirit of the United Nations as expressed through the UN Charter, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. She was conferred an Honorary Interfaith Minister degree by the New Seminary.
“We cannot talk about human rights without talking about human responsibility. It is each of our responsibility to ensure that the rights of our brothers and sisters are upheld!”
Biography
Sadhviji is a renowned spiritual leader and motivational speaker, based in Rishikesh, India. Originally from Los Angeles, California, and a graduate of Stanford University, Sadhviji has lived on the banks of the sacred Ganga river, in the lap of the Himalayas for nearly 25 years engaged in spiritual service, wisdom teaching, sacred action, and deep spiritual practice.
At Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh, where she lives most of the year, she gives daily spiritual discourses (satsang), teaches meditation, provides spiritual counseling and mentoring, and oversees myriad charitable and humanitarian projects and activities.
Sadhviji serves as:
• Secretary-General of the Global Interfaith WASH Alliance, an international interfaith organization dedicated to clean water, sanitation & hygiene(WASH).
• President of The Divine Shakti Foundation, a foundation which runs free schools, vocational training programs and empowerment programs.
• Director of the world-famous International Yoga Festival at Parmarth which has been covered in Time Magazine, CNN, New York Times and other prestigious publications.
Sadhviji is a renowned, motivational speaker and best-selling author who gives keynote addresses at large fora, on a wide variety of topics ranging from conscious business to science and spirituality to sustainable development to the keys of happiness and peace in life to all aspects of yoga. Her talks blend the knowledge and logic of the West with the insights, spirituality and wisdom of the East, and she is renowned as a spiritual bridge between the two cultures.
She has spoken at several United Nations events, including with the Secretary-General and Deputy Secretary-General of the UN, and at many high-level international conferences and summits
She has been featured in CNN, NY Times, Discovery Channel, Travel Channel, BBC, NPR, Times of India, Dainik Jagran and many other renowned news networks.
Sadhviji has received numerous national and international awards and recognition for her work with Water, Sanitation and Hygiene as well as women’s upliftment and empowerment including from the Cabinet Minister of Water Resources, Government of India as well as from the Ambassador of the United States to India.
Sadhviji also serves on:
• United Nations Faith Advisory Council on Religion.
• The Steering Committee for Partnership for Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD), an international body comprising the governments of twelve countries (including United States, UK, and Germany), the United Nations, the World Bank, the African Union, and the world's renowned faith based organizations.
• The Steering Committee for the World Bank-United Nations campaign with international faith based organizations of the "Moral Imperative to End Extreme Poverty."
Sadhviji is the author of By God’s Grace, a biography of her Guru His Holiness Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji and Come Home to Yourself, a book of wisdom teachings published by Penguin RandomHouse, both on the Amazon Bestsellers List.
She was raised in an American family in Hollywood, California and graduated from Stanford University. She was completing her Ph.D. when she left America in 1996 to live at Parmarth Niketan in Rishikesh, India.
She was officially initiated into the order of Sanyas (monastic renunciation) in the year 2000, by His Holiness Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji, one of the most revered spiritual leaders in India and the President of Parmarth Niketan.
She has a Ph.D in Psychology and was the Managing Editor for the monumental project of the 11-volume Encyclopedia of Hinduism. In addition, she contributes regularly for publications including Huffington Post, Dainik Jagran, Speaking Tree/Times of India, Thrive Global, The Pioneer, and other renowned publications.
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