The IF Retreat
How do we grapple with the state of the world today and our place in it?
Political uncertainty. Environmental shifts. The rapid development of AI. When added together with our own ageing and personal circumstances, we have inevitable questions about how to live our lives with meaning and impact.
Over the course of three days in the beautiful surrounds of Jesus College, you will encounter cutting-edge academic thinking on the state of the world today. Be inspired by experts who have found a way to make a difference and create social impact and learn how to have the conversations that matter. Spend time on inner reflection and in discussion with your peers about how you can embrace this phase of your life with direction and purpose. Arrive with questions; leave with a new sense of focus, a commitment to some first actions, and a new set of friends for the journey.
The Retreat will be co-facilitated by Dr Eleanor O'Gorman and Lee Chalmers. Hear from Lee and Eleanor about the intellectual and social aspects of this inaugural Retreat.
The total fee per person is £1500. A non-refundable deposit of £50 is required to hold your place. For full terms and conditions, please see our website.
Included in the cost of the Retreat is a two-night stay in our West Court accommodation, meals from Friday lunch to Sunday lunch inclusive, as well as tea and coffee during the day.
If you have any questions about the Retreat, please email us at if-retreats@jesus.cam.ac.uk.
Please note: there are no day tickets available for this Retreat. We are offering a residential retreat experience, and are looking at developing day/non-residential retreats in the future.
Day one: Understanding our world
Upon your arrival at 11am on Friday, you will meet the co-facilitators and other participants. This first day is all about understanding our world – globally, locally, and at a personal, individual level.
Day one will include a lecture from Professor Duncan Kelly, POLIS Professor of Political Thought and Intellectual History and Fellow of Jesus College, on Wartime for the Planet: Living in the Age of the Anthropocene.
There will also be time for a tour of the College, and have guided reflection. At the end of the day, you will gather for an informal BBQ in the grounds of Jesus College with your fellow participants.
Day two: Life transitions
On day two, you will be invited to think about how to find meaning in all phases of life. We will also spend time focusing on peacebuilding and dialogues: in this era of faceless social media interactions and echo chambers, how can we have productive conversations with a view to reaching co-existence and understanding?
You will hear from Dr Aisha Sobey, a Research Fellow at the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence and a Postdoctoral Associate at Jesus College. Aisha will speak on Society 2.0: The Human Impact of Emerging Technologies.
Also joining us on day two is Jonathan Cohen, Executive Director of Conciliation Resources, a global peacebuilding NGO. Based on experience across a range of global conflict spots, including central Asia, Balkans, Kashmir, and Colombia, Jonathan will explore the challenging and enduring work of creating dialogue between opposing groups.
In between these discussions, there will be an opportunity to take part in yoga and meditation, or a group walk. Day two will conclude with a formal dinner in Jesus College’s historic Upper Hall.
Day three: Navigating the future
Day three will focus on the future, both globally and personally. How will society, and your own personal life, be affected by technological advancements and other developments that are happening now and in the near future?
Dr Farbod Akhlaghi, Junior Research Fellow in Philosophy at Christ's College, Cambridge, and Lecturer at Trinity College, Dublin, will give a lecture on Making Transformative Choices from his perspective as a moral philosopher.
You will also be encouraged to think about your own future, and what your personal commitments to yourself will be going forward.
