| Founded in September 2000, by Chairman Anthony S Burdge, Heren Istarion: The New York Tolkien Society was officially registered as a smial of The Tolkien Society UK. Smials are separate organizations that are dedicated to the learning and understanding of the life and works of the late Professor Tolkien. The name Heren Istarion comes from the Unfinished Tales and means "Order of Wizards" in Tolkien's elvish language. In its short three-year history The New York Tolkien Society, with Co-Chair Jessica Burke and dedicated team of Tolkien fans has become the most active Tolkien Society in North America. Its membership ranges nationally and internationally and has presented lifetime memberships to Peter Jackson, Sir Ian McKellan, Viggo Mortensen, Billy Boyd, Alan Lee and Brian Sibley. Chairman Burdge and Co-Chair Burke have both developed and hosted Tolkien programming for events, publish a bimonthly journal Parma Nölé for its members and sponsors, and has been awarded Smial of The Year at The Tolkien Society's Oxonmoot 2002. They organized and hosted all the academic programming at The Gathering of the Fellowship 2003. |
