Bjorn Heyerdahl

  • Toronto, ON
  • Range USD 10,001 - 20,000

Tagline: Explorer Environmentalist

Bjørn Heyerdahl is an active explorer, environmentalist, biospheric designer, internationally renowned speaker, and consultant on humanitarian, environmental and development issues, and he is a Viking… an Earth Charter Viking. Bjørn descends from a lineage of Vikings dating back to 812 AD, and he indeed represents his heritage. He is also the grandson of the Norwegian […]

Bjørn Heyerdahl is an active explorer, environmentalist, biospheric designer, internationally renowned speaker, and consultant on humanitarian, environmental and development issues, and he is a Viking… an Earth Charter Viking.

Bjørn descends from a lineage of Vikings dating back to 812 AD, and he indeed represents his heritage. He is also the grandson of the Norwegian explorer and writer, Thor Heyerdahl, who led the Kon-Tiki Expedition in 1947, a journey across the Pacific Ocean from South America to the Polynesian islands on a balsawood raft.

Inspired by his grandfather’s tenacity and the spirit of adventure that runs deep in the family blood, at age 18, Bjorn set out on foot, with no support and nothing but a backpack from Durban to Port Edward (a 200km trek). Bjørn Heyerdahl slept on beaches and ate only what he foraged or caught in the sea. He returned home a month later to face sentencing because of his conscientious objection in apartheid South Africa (1986), resolute that he would not be conscripted to fight a war he did not believe in.

After four years and nine months of his six-year sentence in prison, he was released. During this time, Bjørn Heyerdahl did hard labor, digging in rock pits nine hours a day, cleaning sewers, and later became acting Deputy Director of the House of Assembly, overseeing private hospital feasibility studies, hospital registration, and adherence to minimum standards.

He also studied psychology as part of his own healing journey, and after his time in prison, he opened a therapeutic practice, leadership coaching and organisational development consultancy. This odyssey of trial and education by fire is a worthy tale in its own right.

He believed people healed in healing environments, so in 1995, he set out to find what he considered a healing space for traumatized people. This led to many community-based, ecologically sound development projects, including designing and constructing a fully sustainable, off-the-grid lodge on Benguerra Island in Mozambique.

In 2002, he received an award and gained membership from the prestigious Explorer’s Club in New York for his contribution to the future of scientific exploration. He also received the Silver Medalion from Mikhail Gorbachev.

Invited by the Explorers Club in NY, the Royal Geographic Society in London, Green Cross International in Geneva, various organs of the United Nations, and multinational companies, Bjørn Heyerdahl travels globally  as a Keynote speaker on multiple subjects, including inspirational and ethical leadership, as well as integrated approaches to the ecological, economic and climatic crises we face as a global community.

Bjørn Heyerdahl’s passion for finding solutions and working models of intelligent, sustainable human habitation led to the launching of the Midgard Expedition at the Explorers Club in New York in 2003.

Bjørn’s integral approach and multidisciplinary methodology, combined with his hard-earned personal grit, indomitable character and inexhaustible energy, sets him apart as an inspiring leader of a rare kind. His audiences are educated, elevated, inspired, entertained and changed through experiencing his energy, first-hand.

Bjørn Heyerdahl | #1 Explorer Environmentalist

In 2020, The Midgard Expedition sailed under the Earth Charter flag. It was inspired by the efficiency, design, and earth-friendly materials of Viking longboats and the courage of the intrepid Vikings who built and sailed them centuries ago.

Bjørn Heyerdahl built the research vessel (RV) ‘Midgard Heron’, which travelled with a diverse crew of scientists, explorers, and sustainability specialists, studying how different communities implement sustainable practices and lifestyles. The Midgard Heron was the first Viking longboat to round the perilous ‘Cape of Storms,’ located at the southernmost tip of Africa.

His book, The Midgard Expedition, is an inspiring tale that details the grit, human drama, and monumental challenges they overcame to realize their lofty goals.

Bjørn intends to grow global ecological and ethical awareness on what can be done in response to the collapse of life support systems; and to elevate adults and youth to strong, ethical leaders through adventure, documentary, education, inspiration, and setting an example to follow.

Bjørn Heyerdahl often talks about turning the Earth Charter principles into action. “We need backbone, ‘vikingness’, and an unapologetic drive to start the implementation and see this through. We have an extremely ‘soft’ impulse to nurture and understand one another, but we must balance it with a strong drive to make things happen. We need to design and create the future we want.

Like the Vikings did.

We must stop apologizing and engage with those who are wittingly or unwittingly doing colossal damage to the planet. We must meet them with a loud voice and bring living, alternative models of sustainability into being. This is the intention of the Midgard Expedition. This Viking is here to promote new ethics and a vision for a sustainable future.

“There is a Viking Ship in every acorn.”

Contact us at Speakers Inc and view WeSpeak Global

Author Books | Magazine Covers

Send an enquiry to Bjorn Heyerdahl

Enquiry Form
  • Base price ({{ repeatDayCount }} {{ config.calendar.range_mode === 'nights' ? "nights" : "days" }})

    {{ priceFormat( pricing.base_price ) }}

  • Total

    {{ priceFormat( pricing.total ) }}

Event Information

Latest status updates from Bjorn Heyerdahl, if you want to have all latest news then click the follow button.
You can then view all updates for your Newsfeed through your Dashboard on all those you follow.

Similar Speakers for consideration

  • 17 views

Dr. Ivan Joseph inspires and coaches people and teams to maximize their potential. An award-winning coach, educator, and leader, Joseph has spent his career leading cultural transformation, helping people believe in themselves, and creating cohesive teams. He speaks about self-confidence, embracing the “grit” to persevere in spite of setbacks, and leading teams to success, drawing […]

  • Waterloo, ON
  • 40 views
Roger Haskett Emcee

Roger Haskett is an award-winning international keynote speaker and President of Engagement Unlimited. With his innovative keynotes and programs, he ignites positive transformational change in teams and individuals across North America and beyond. Roger’s experience, knowledge and highly contagious positive energy have garnered him countless 10/10 audience rankings “best of conference” survey results and hundreds […]

  • Vancouver, BC
  • 9 views
Franc Godri

Franc Godri has the unique ability to connect with people and help them see the leaders that they are and can become. Franc was born in Montreal Quebec and as a young boy moved to Dalton Georgia. This started his great adventure of changing schools 6 times in 6 years. During that time, he met […]

  • Vancouver, BC
  • 12 views
Dane Jensen

Dane Jensen is the CEO of Third Factor, an acclaimed speaker, an instructor at Queen’s University and the University of North Carolina, a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review, and the author of The Power of Pressure  (HarperCollins). Dane Jensen oversees Third Factor’s delivery of leadership development programs to leading firms across North America including SAP, […]

  • Toronto, ON
  • 12 views
Chris Hadfield

Colonel Chris Hadfield woke up the world (on Twitter) every day while living aboard the International Space Station for over five months with the words “Good morning, Earth.” Since blasting off from Kazakhstan in December 2012, Hadfield has become a worldwide sensation, harnessing the power of social media to make outer space accessible to millions […]

  • Toronto, ON
  • 8 views
  • 5 (2 )

For over 20 years, James R. Elliot has been an accomplished and sought-out leader and trainer in the fields of leadership persuasion, communication speaker, confidence, influence and rapport. Plus, he has had my own incredible transformational life journey. In the past James R. Elliot had issues with communication, authority, gaining trust quickly, and confidently contributing […]

  • Toronto, ON
  • 14 views
Dale Choquette

Dale Choquette is the woman behind “The Marathon Principle”. Sixteen plus years as a Certified Professional Purchaser in the pharmaceutical industry didn’t prepare her for running marathons. It did prepare her for working with organizations who are successful and want to excel in communications, team building and leadership.  Dale Choquette knows that running 9 marathons […]

  • Vancouver, BC
  • 13 views
Eric Termuende - One Degree Shift

Eric Termuende is a seasoned keynote speaker and best-selling author who has given over 400 presentations to industry-leading businesses and associations all over the world. Now, with The Great Resignation in full force and organizations and associations struggling to attract and retain top talent, Eric Termuende keynote presentations inspire business leaders to prepare for the […]

  • Vancouver, BC
  • 28 views

Neil Pasricha helps people live happy lives. He is a top-rated leadership keynote speaker, New York Times bestselling author, and positive psychology researcher focused on the relationship between happiness and leadership in business. Neil is one of the most popular TED speakers with his first TED Talk “The 3 A’s of Awesome” (2010) ranked as […]

  • Toronto, ON
  • 7 views
Linda Edgecombe

Linda Edgecombe is a change and leadership expert, Hall of Fame speaker, award-winning celebrity humorist, award-winning philanthropist, and bestselling author. With 30+ years of experience, Linda’s mission is to get people fired up and ready to shift! She passionately promises to deliver programs that create powerful shifts for inspired, energized and accountable professionals who show up everyday […]

  • Kelowna, BC
  • 29 views
  • 5 (3 )

David Allison is a human values expert, global researcher and best-selling author. He is focused on changing the way we understand ourselves, the people around us, and those we hope to engage with our work. He is the founder of the Valuegraphics Project, the first global inventory of core human values. He has made values […]

  • Vancouver, BC
  • 27 views
Douglas Vermeeren | Leadership Sales

Douglas Vermeeren has been involved in the film and TV industry from the age of 7. He began as an actor in Canada as a newspaper boy in a program for CBC. Since that time he has portrayed police officers, gunslingers, FBI agents, spies, prisoners, military soldiers and a variety of  other characters on film […]

  • Calgary, AB
Disclaimer
The profiles and images embedded on these pages are from various keynote speakers and talent.

These remain the property of its owner and are not affiliated with or endorsed by Speakers Inc.

Fee ranges where listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only.
 
All talent fees local taxes, travel and accommodation where required.
 
Fees are subject to change without notice and often vary based on a number of factors, including: schedule, timings, script writing, rehearsals, location, and other factors.
 
Please contact us with your specific event details and requirements below, and we would be delighted to provide you with a more bespoke quote.

We are actively working to have our profiles current with Keynote Speech titles, and Summaries.

Some Speakers do not have a set title or summary for their topic lists. Instead they customize for each. Other speakers only do moderated conversations.

If you do not see content here, please contact us.

We also have ample information off line that we can share as some do not want to have visible profiles and as such these are hidden pages. Or in the event we do not have the information, we can contact the speaker to provide and share.

ENQUIRE HERE