What is the origin of life? What were the triggering elements for the unfolding of the Universe? Where do we come from?
Created by the Yves and Inez Oltramare Foundation, the Open Sky Institute – Science and Spirituality is a Swiss non-profit foundation registered in Geneva and authorized by the Cantonal Authority for Foundation Supervision (ASFIP Genève). It is a patronage organization in support of research and education, aimed at fostering the development and sharing of knowledge at local, national, and international levels.
Most scientists have been too attached
to describing the how of the Universe
to concern themselves with the why.
YVES OLTRAMARE, FOUNDER OF THE INSTITUTE
The Founder
Yves Oltramare is connected to Geneva both through his family history – his Italian ancestor, Antoine, who took refuge in Geneva in 1595, was the first to establish this surname at the heart of the City– as well as through his unwavering involvement in the economic, academic, and cultural influence of the city
Testimony
In 2019, as he celebrates his 95th spring, he publishes Tu seras rencontreur d’Homme (Labor & Fides Éditions), a sensitive autobiographical testimony in which he shares a philosophical reflection that is both individual and universal, where science and spirituality converse to illuminate the great existential questions that concern human beings
Philosophy
The origin of life and the Universe remains a mystery. This primal origin, or ‘First Cause,’ is an essential and common object of both scientific research and spiritual inquiry. This object is the subject of a quest – called the quest for truth or meaning – that has long been expressed through prominent figures in the history of science who themselves incorporate a full ontological and metaphysical dimension into their scientific reflection.
Science and Spirituality
From the 17th to the 20th centuries, this notably includes Blaise Pascal, Isaac Newton, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Albert Einstein, and Georges Lemaître. In our contemporary era, the astrophysicist Trinh Xuan Thuan is a prominent scientific figure for whom the experience of the relationship between science and spirituality is a reality.
The Foundation Board is the highest body responsible for the strategic steering of the Institute and its good governance according to its statutes. It is composed of three members.
The executive management is responsible for the operational management and resources of the Institute to ensure the proper continuation of its mission. It is led by Marie-Gabrielle Cajoly.
Science and Spirituality
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