Program
What’s coming your way?
Four days of experiential learning and guided methodological reflection set in a beautiful old monastery, surrounded by inspiring social and ecological initiatives such as a democratic school, community gardens, and organic farming (learn more about the venue here ).
Through direct experience with well-tested methods of transformative education, the program strengthens participants’ capacity to engage in both inner and systemic change through education.
At the same time, education itself becomes a central theme of the summer school. Together, we explore how dominant educational models contribute to today’s crises, the alternative models that already exist, and how we—as educators—can help shape new forms of learning for a just and sustainable world.
We engage the whole person in the learning process. Alongside critical thinking and dialogue, we create space for emotions and embodied experience. Some sessions take place outdoors, and through voluntary physical work, participants actively contribute to the care for the monastery and its surrounding initiatives.
Accommodation on the premises, as well as a full plant-based meal plan, are included in the fee during the summer school and provided by the venue.
We are continuously updating the program and adding more detailed information.
16 Sunday ‑ Check-in
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 16:00‑17:00 | Arrival at the venue, snacks & check-in |
| 17:00‑19:00 | Opening of the programme: introducing the daily flow, team, venue and the hosting organisation |
| Connecting and getting to know each other | |
| Setting the learning and safer space agreements | |
| 19:00‑20:00 | Dinner |
| 20:00‑20:45 | Opening ceremony |
17 Monday ‑ The crises we are facing
- How is the current state of education exacerbating today’s crises? What do I want to stop doing?
- Mapping the crises and exploring their root causes
- Meeting the pain we feel for the state of the world
- Exploring how education contributes to these dynamics: what effects of the dominant educational model do I notice in myself, and what patterns do I want to change?
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 8:00‑9:00 | Breakfast |
| 9:00‑9:30 | Morning Circle |
| 9:30‑10:30 | The crises we face: a collective reflection (using a poster illustrating inequalities as a starting point for a collective dialogue on current crises) |
| 10:30‑11:00 | Break |
| 11:00‑13:00 | How does education exacerbate current crises? (Council meeting format) |
| 13:00‑15:00 | Lunch |
| 15:00‑16:00 | Why the education system is struggling to foster collective transformation (lecture and workshop) |
| 16:00‑16:30 | Break |
| 16:30‑18:00 | Library of Hope (a peaceful, self-reflective reading experience featuring texts that explore transformative education) |
| 18:00‑19:00 | Reflection of the day in home-groups |
| 19:00 | Dinner |
| 20:00 | Campfire gathering |
18 Tuesday ‑ New perspectives
- What might transformation in education look like, and what would I like to see more of?
- Expanding the imagination and exploring alternative perspectives
- Communal care for the space: engaging the body through shared work and deepening relationships through collaboration in small groups
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 8:00‑9:00 | Breakfast |
| 9:00‑9:30 | Morning Circle |
| 9:30‑12:30 | Different perspectives (Parallel sessions) |
| School of imagination: Fog / Eva Koťátková — What if the Fog could help us redirect our attention toward different ways of relating, perceiving, and experiencing, and see (other than with our eyes) what is usually hidden (e.g., the fog itself)? The Fog is an invitation to focus our attention on how we perceive — through opening up, through working with ambiguity and uncertainty as key steps toward collective critical and creative learning (and unlearning) in the name of environmental and social justice. | |
| Deep time walk / Zuzana Hroudová — Deep Time Walk is a transformative journey through 4.600 million years of Earth history via a walk of 4.600 steps. It is an invitation to view the world differently, encouraging broadening of our perspective and action for a regenerative Earth. 2,3 km guided walk including stops and interactive activities. | |
| The Eco-Soulcentric Developmental Wheel by Bill Plotkin / Filip Kňažek — Through accepting and facing ourselves, our inner nature, wholly, we can come into interaction with the outer nature in very subtle, but meaningful ways. You’ll be invited to go for a wander, get lost and be found by what is needed. | |
| 12:30‑14:30 | Lunch |
| 14:30‑16:00 | Different ways (Parallel sessions) |
| Education that Inspires — Sharing experiences from educational initiatives – including a year-long academy for young activists, a mentoring programme, and a local democratic school – that embody holistic, empowering, and democratic approaches to education and support meaningful social change. | |
| Local alternatives: how can we function differently? — A guided walk through inspiring local initiatives near the venue that organize their economic activities around principles such as community ownership, local embeddedness, and regeneration. | |
| 16:00‑16:30 | Break |
| 16:30‑18:30 | Communal care for the space — Engaging the body through shared work, deepening relationships through collaboration in small groups and practice common care for the space we share. |
| 18:30‑19:00 | Reflection and closing the day together |
| 20:00 | Visiting local brewery |
19 Wednesday ‑ Competencies for Transformation
- What do I need to be able to contribute to the transformation?
- Competency models for inner and systemic transformation
- Skills training
- Open Space
- Evening gathering with fire and music
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 8:00‑9:00 | Breakfast |
| 9:00‑9:30 | Morning Circle |
| 9:30‑12:30 | The morning will be dedicated to developing skills that we may need for driving transformation in our communities and educational settings, including nonviolent communication, critical and systems thinking, and group facilitation. |
| 12:30‑14:30 | Lunch |
| 14:30‑18:30 | In the afternoon, there will be an open-space session featuring topics suggested by the participants (a participatory format for sharing experiences, exploring chosen topics, and co-creating practical applications across diverse contexts). |
| 18:30‑19:00 | Reflection and closing the day together |
| 20:00 | Fire&music |
20 Thursday ‑ My contribution
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 8:00‑9:00 | Breakfast |
| 9:00‑9:20 | Morning Circle |
| 9:20‑10:50 | Methodological Q&A session |
| 10:50‑11:15 | Break |
| 11:15‑12:15 | How can I contribute to transformation through education? (creating an action plan for your local practice) |
| Feedback and closing remarks | |
| 12:15‑12:30 | Closing ceremony |
| 12:30‑14:00 | Lunch and packing |
| 14:00 | Departure |
