Feminist Hiking Healing Retreat

Call for applicants

The Feminist Hiking Collective invites young women and non-binary activists focused on the intersections between feminist, queer and environmental activism across Europe to submit an application to participate in our Feminist Hiking Healing Retreat (FHHR). The retreat will take place in Trentino Alto-Adige, Italy, from 2 to 8 September 2023, thanks to the support of Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Rights Feminist Innovation Fund.

The FHHR will consist of a residential hiking programme with hiking as an embodied practice of collective care and healing, and grounded in our belonging to nature. The activities part of the retreat will be based on feminist popular education and centre concepts and practices related to power and collective feminist leadership. The structure of the retreat will consist of five days of hiking, after a first day of arrival and opening the space, concluded with a closing and wrap up day followed by departure. The hikes will be organised on the basis of participants’ accessibility needs and experience, and will be structured in a way that is balanced, with a variety of hiking paths and lengths.

The FHHR aims to strengthening young activists’ resilience and strategies by facilitating feminist hiking. We believe that feminist hiking in collectiveness is a necessary embodied experience in these times of challenging civic space, individualism and forced disconnection from our bodies and territories. After the retreat we will share a booklet with you, which will have tools, key takeaways and learnings from the retreat. We will ask participants to share their experiences at the FHHR with their collectives and communities once they return.

Location: Trentino Alto-Adige, Italy

Dates: Saturday 2 to Friday 8 September 2023 (including travel days)

Who can apply? Young women and non-binary activists (18 to 35 years old) interested in and/or focused on the intersection of feminist, queer and environmental activism across Europe. A basic level of English is required for participation, but interpretation support can be available in Italian, Spanish and French. Please read the FAQ section for more detailed information.

When to apply? By 23:59 of 19 March. We aim to get back to all applicants by early April. All data of applicants not selected will be deleted after such communication.

Please email hello@feministhikingcollective.org for any questions.

Apply by 19 March here

FAQ

Who organises the FHHR?

Feminist Hiking Collective (FHC), thanks to the support of the Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Rights Feminist Innovation Fund. FHC is a feminist non-profit organisation based in Italy established in 2020, and its aim is to contribute to transformative system change through feminist pedagogy, research and resource co-creation, to build collective feminist leadership and power through hiking, and to centre the intersection of transformative power and defending the Earth, bringing a focus to mountain protection. We wish to contribute to a feminist world that is grounded in our belonging to nature.

How will participants be selected? What are the criteria?

We will select participants on the basis of the following criteria:

a variety of geographies across Europe, prioritising Eastern and Southern Europe
strong commitment to the intersection of feminist, queer and environmental activism
significant commitment to contributing to a group, collective or movement
we would like to give priority to applicants who identify and/or come from marginalised and systemically excluded backgrounds, including those who may not have had access to such a programme before. We would like the FHHR to reflect people from a variety of different experiences and backgrounds.

How much does participating in the program cost?

We wish to make the FHHR accessible. Through this call for applicants, we will select 10 to 15 participants and will cover all main expenses related to the retreat as detailed below. We will also welcome donations to go towards a collective pot, as our funds are limited.

What we will cover:

roundtrip travel from your nearest airport/train station for a total maximum cost of 200 Euros
transportation to and from accommodation in Italy
accommodation 2-8 September
dinner on 2 September, all meals 3-7 September, breakfast on 8 September
insurance for the five days of hiking and tourism tax

Where can applicants be based?

We welcome applications from activists who are based in Europe.

Am I eligible to apply if I am not a European citizen?

You do not have to be a European citizen, but you need to be based in Europe.

If I have a disability, can I still apply and participate in the hikes?

Yes, selected applicants will be asked to share their accessibility needs.

Do I need previous experience with hiking in order to participate?

You don’t need previous experience with hiking. Activities will be tailored for different levels.

What if I have to cancel the trip?

You will not be able to cancel your trip once you have confirmed your participation after being selected.

Apply by 19 March here