Eco Summer Camp - Lassalle Institut

Eco Summer Camp

From wild consumption
to responsible engagement

Eco Summer Camp, 18th - 25th August 2024

The Eco Summer Camp is an interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary and cross-generational sustainability week. Together with outstanding experts, participants will have the opportunity to discuss current global ecological and socio-economic challenges. We will explore sustainable strategies to tackle these challenges and ways to change our own habits. The Eco Summer Camp is also a summer school. This gives our participants the opportunity to earn 4 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) credits. However, it is not compulsory to apply for ECTS points to participate in the Eco Summer Camp and we warmly encourage non-students to apply.

 

From wild consumption to responsible engagement.

The struggle against environmental degradation and the preservation of our planet must first and foremost become a cultural movement in which everyone assumes their own responsibility, as individuals and in cooperation with their peers; knowing, however, that any true and lasting change is only possible through a profound change in one's inner attitude.

Thus, we are all called upon to make our contributions. The time to merely delegate our future to others is over. Only in this way can we bring about changes in the long term that will deeply transform our society from within so that we can look to the future with confidence - for ourselves and the generations to come.

What is our position towards the global changes that challenge us today in the economy, politics, and the environment? How can existing resources be used sustainably? What social and political solutions are we looking for, and how do we want to implement them? What changes in daily life are needed?

With our one-week academy, young people (18-35), our future decision-makers, can exchange ideas with experts and like-minded people at eye level. Moreover, with the participation of less young generations (over 35), younger people can also tap into the wealth of experience of older ones. We believe that these fruitful encounters will contribute to advancing the ecological, social and spiritual transformation within our society, as the ecological transformation of our individual and collective living-styles can only succeed if we all see ourselves as part of a common and sole destiny.

The Eco Summer Camp takes place in Switzerland since 2021. About 50 people (from 18-35 as well as over 35) are expected to participate from all over the World and a dozen experts and scholars will animate the participants during these days. From year to year, we have managed to increase the cultural and generational diversity of the participants as well as that of the speakers.

 

See this year's program below (continually updated)

 

ECTS (optional)

From 2024, the Eco Summer Camp will become a summer school. This will give participants the opportunity to apply for 4 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System).

Classes take the form of lectures, discussion seminars, workshops, and excursions during the week.

Bachelor: The examination is taken in two ways: 1. Students are expected to do assigned readings and participate actively in working sessions (60% of the final grade); and 2. The entire course’s content will be examined through a written home assignment at the end of the course on a topic occurring during the course (40% of the final grade) amounting to five-page research paper. The home assignment is due no later than three weeks after participating at the Eco Summer Camp.

Master: The examination is taken in two ways: 1. Students are expected to do assigned readings and participate actively in working sessions (40% of the final grade); and 2. The entire course’s content will be examined through a written home assignment at the end of the course on a topic occurring during the course (60% of the final grade) amounting to ten-pages written research paper. The home assignment is due no later than three weeks after participating at the Eco Summer Camp.

 

Organizers and Experts

The Eco Summer Camp has been launched by the Lassalle-Institut and is jointly organized by

Lassalle-Institut

Fastenaktion

Centre for Development and Environment (CDE)

ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences

Newman Institue (Sweden)

Institue of Environmental Science for Social Change (Philippines)

 

The following speakers will be present this year:

Prof. Ranka Junge

Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW)

Institute of Natural Resource Sciences (IUNR)

Christian Felber
Author and Founder of the "Economy for the Common Good"

Objective

The camp aims to broaden the participants’ horizons  and  strengthen an international network of young people who contribute to a true cultural change in environmental issues. The guiding principles throughout the entire week will focus on our consumption behavior as individuals and that of our society, since we believe that transforming our consumption behavior is one of the most important prerequisites for building an ecologically sustainable society.

All participants, as well as the experts, will be on campus during the whole time to promote personal encounters as well as personal growth through a direct and informal transfer of knowledge.

Through an innovative pedagogy (self- amd group-reflection, excursions, encounters, etc.) in the framework of a holistic approach (head, heart, and hands), the participants have the opportunity not only to listen to outstanding speakers but also to foster interpersonal growth through a mindful approach (e.g., eco-spirituality, meditation, etc.) as well as through a practical contribution to organizing the week (harvesting, cooking, cleaning, etc.).

Experience shows that such a pedagogy, which not only touches the intellectual sphere but also considers the spiritual and the practical dimension, is a more effective way to foster change in one’s everyday life.

 

Whom are we addressing?

The camp is intended for people who are interested in widening not only their personal knowledge about ecological issues, but in experiencing a unique opportunity to enlarge their own network by meeting peers and experts from all over the world while engaging in a constructive dialogue and discourse.

The official language of the gathering is English. Applicants should have at least a B2 level in English.

 

Where does the “Eco Summer Camp” take place?

The Summer Camp will take place at the Lassalle-Haus, a unique educational institution committed to a more peaceful and just world. The Lassalle-Haus is a center for spirituality, dialogue, and responsibility founded by the Swiss Jesuits and held as a place for Zen meditation, yoga, Ignatian exercises, or Christian contemplation. Although there is a spiritual dimension to the Eco Summer Camp, the program will be held in a non-confessional way and open to everyone. The Lassalle-Haus is located outside the city, surrounded by nature and farms. The place invites you to leave everyday life behind and engage with people and topics undisturbedly.

As we are located in beautiful Switzerland in the middle of Europe, we strongly advise all participants to avoid flights. The venue, the Lassalle-Haus, is easily accessible by train and bus. If you have to travel by plane, combine your stay with a trip through Europe.

 

Costs

The total expenses for camp participants in 2024 will range according to room choice and age from 590.- CHF (four-bed room without shower) to 1’030.- CHF (single room with shower). Please take into consideration that there is limited room availability. Therefore, free choice of accommodation is limited. The expenses are all-inclusive and include accommodation, on-site catering, excursions as well as office supplies.

Students don't have to pay any additional fees. However, participants until 35 years will pay 200.- CHF, participants older than 35 will pay 400.- CHF as a course fee.

Please be aware, in all transparency, that the actual costs for rooms, speakers, or facilitators are higher than the fee. Still, the Eco Summer Camp needs donations to finance the wonderful program.

 

Application process 

We are eager to ensure a fair proportion of participants from different countries around the World, with varied personal backgrounds, and gender.  Moreover, to ensure the participation of  highly motivated people, a paper-based selection will follow upon registration for the “Eco Summer Camp”. For further information, please refer to the application form.

The application process is extended until June 15th. As some students do not yet know when they will have time off in the summer, we have postponed the application deadline. Better be fast, there are not many places left! Plese send us your application until June 15th.

All applicants will be informed no later than within fourteen days of the deadline. They will be notified whether they have been accepted, wait-listed, or unfortunately rejected.

 

Contact

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Valerio Ciriello SJ
Lassalle-Institut
Bad Schönbrunn
6313 Edlibach
Switzerland

E-Mail: ecosummercamp@lassalle-institut.org

«My heart beats for an ecological turnaround that will bring about an inner and social transformation that promises us and future generations a prosperous and bright future instead of the downfall of an entire civilisation.»

 

Media 

Lassalle-Haus hosts second edition of the Eco Summer Camp
From 25 August to 1 September, Lassalle-Haus, an educational center founded by the Swiss Jesuits, hosted the second edition of the ECO Summer Camp. It was an event for young adults in the context of sustainability and its global challenges.
Jesuits, 9. September 2022 by Germán Muñoz Díaz - Project Assistant, General Curia

Direktorin am Zentrum für Umwelt: «Das Wohlbefinden muss vom Konsum entkoppelt werden»
Zwei renommierte Gäste diskutierten am Samstagabend im Lassalle-Haus über nachhaltige Entwicklung.
Luzerner Zeitung vom 29. August 2022 von Nils Rogenmoser

Public participation as an effective strategy for shaping socio-ecological transformation policies.
By Gloria Nyambura Kenyatta, Dec. 2022

Eco-Camp: Reconnecting youth with the nature
Article by Valerio Ciriello SJ, published on www.jesc.eu, October 20, 2021

Eco Summer camp vereint junge klimabewusste Menschen
Artikel in der Zuger Zeitung vom 7.9.2021

Eco Summer Camp unites young adults in dialogue for ecological conversion
Article & Radio Interview on Vaticannews, 30.8.2021

Statt auf den Ego- auf den Ecotrip
Artikel in der Luzerner Zeitung vom 14.5.2021

Ecological transformation through encounter with oneself and others. 
Article by Valerio Ciriello SJ, published on Jesuit European Social Centre

Sponsors

Ernst Göhner Stiftung

Hamasil Stiftung Zürich

Heinrich & Julie Sandmeier-Streiff Stiftung

Jesuiten Weltweit (Deutschland)

Jesuiten Weltweit (Schweiz)

Jurt Stiftung

Katholische Kirchengemeinde Steinhausen

Katholische Landeskirche Kanton Zürich

Kirchengemeinde Baar

Katholische Landeskirche Kanton Luzern

Reformierte Kirche Kanton Aargau

Reformierte Kirche Kanton Zug

Organizers and partners

Social Networks