Refuge & The Resistance of Joy
28 August 2027 @ 3:00 pm - 3 September 2027 @ 9:00 am
Young Adults Week is a young adults retreat for people aged 18–35 who are looking for meaningful conversation, creativity and community. Together, we’ll explore how imagination can help us respond to the challenges of our time with hope, courage and a renewed sense of possibility.
Through workshops, discussion and shared experiences, participants will engage with new ideas, learn from inspiring projects and connect with others who care about faith, culture, creativity and positive change. Set within the unique setting of Iona Abbey, this young adults programme offers space to build friendships, explore big questions and imagine a hopeful future together.
Costs: 6 Nights: £960 or £480 concession.
Where: The Iona Abbey
When: 28.08.2027 – 03.09.2027
Led by: UNESCO Chair for Refugee Integration team
About the programme
How do we sustain hope when faced with injustice, conflict and uncertainty? How do we create spaces of welcome, belonging and compassion in a world that can often feel divided? This peace and justice retreat invites participants to explore these questions through creativity, conversation and shared experience.
Led by the UNESCO Chair for Refugee Integration team, the week draws on practices and stories from around the world that help people cultivate joy, resilience and connection in challenging circumstances. Through reflection, discussion and creative engagement, we’ll explore how communities can nurture refuge and sanctuary, build relationships across differences and respond to hardship with courage and hope.
This programme is for anyone interested in peacebuilding, community, social justice, hospitality or the role of creativity in personal and collective wellbeing.
Whether you’re involved in community work, education, faith communities or simply looking for a space to reflect and reconnect, you’ll find opportunities to learn from others and contribute your own experiences.
At its heart, this social justice retreat is an invitation to discover how joy can be more than a fleeting emotion. Together, we’ll explore how joy can become a source of strength, resistance and renewal, helping us imagine and build more compassionate futures.
Meet the Programme Leader(s)
The UNESCO Chair for Refugee Integration brings together researchers, practitioners and community leaders working to support refugee inclusion, belonging and social cohesion. Drawing on experiences from around the world, the team explores how creativity, community and shared humanity can help build more welcoming and resilient societies.
Alison Phipps is UNESCO Chair for Refugee Integration through Education, Languages and Arts at the University of Glasgow where she is Professor of Languages and Intercultural Studies and a Member of the Iona Community for 25 years.
Dr Tawona Sitholé is Lecturer in Creative Practice Education within the UNESCO Chair in Refugee Integration through Education, Languages and the Arts. In research and teaching he is part of CLIP (Culture, Literacies, Inclusion and Pedagogy).
‘Better known as Ganyamatope (my ancestral family name) my heritage inspires me to make connections with other people through creativity, and the natural outlook to learn. Educated by assigned teachers through the schooling system, and by natural teachers through ‘pasichigare’ (my ancestors lifestyle), I benefit from having more than one way of knowing/learning. As a result, I find myself playing many roles in creativity and education. I am a poet, playwright, storyteller and musician.’
Dr Hyab Yohannes is a Lecturer in Forced Migration and Decolonial Education with the UNESCO Chair RIELA at the University of Glasgow. Hyab’s research interests include poetics, decoloniality, and political theories across physical, onto-epistemic, spatio-temporal, and juridico-political dimensions. He advises UN bodies on human trafficking and slavery and is a survivor of torture and trafficking himself and medal recipient for his public engagement work with refugees from the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
What to expect
Each day will combine conversation, reflection and creative activities as we explore practices that help sustain hope, joy and connection in challenging times.
Through storytelling, discussion, arts-based activities and shared learning, we’ll engage with ideas and experiences from different communities and cultures around the world.
Alongside the programme sessions, you’ll share in the daily rhythm of life at Iona Abbey, including worship, meals and community life. There will also be time for personal reflection, informal conversations and enjoying the beauty and peace of the island.
This peace and justice retreat is designed to be participatory, welcoming and thought-provoking. Together, we’ll explore how creativity, community and refuge and sanctuary can help nurture hope and resilience, while discovering practical ways to respond to the challenges of our world with compassion and courage.
Key Information
Before booking, it’s helpful to know that this programme combines reflection, discussion and creative activities with the shared rhythm of life at Iona Abbey.
Together, we’ll explore themes of joy, belonging, hospitality and justice while learning from experiences and practices drawn from communities around the world.
Booking Information
What's included
Your stay at Iona Abbey includes everything you need to fully take part in the experience:
+ Accommodation in the Abbey
+ Breakfast, lunch and dinner each day
+ All programme sessions
+ Music, art and craft opportunities
+ Guided walks
Pricing & discounts
Prices vary depending on the type of week and length of stay.
- Standard week (6 nights): from £960 (adult)
- Reduced rates available from £480
- Children aged 5–15: £480
- Children under 5: free (contact [email protected])
A 20% non-refundable deposit is required to secure your booking.
We offer a 50% reduced rate for eligible UK residents, including:
+ Students
+ Those on state benefits or pension
+ Those earning below the real living wage
+ Refugees, asylum seekers, or those experiencing homelessness
A 15% family discount is automatically applied for groups of four or more (where adults pay full price).
We also have an Access Fund to support those who would not otherwise be able to attend.
Food & dietary
All meals are provided, with a focus on:
+ Healthy, seasonal, and locally sourced ingredients
+ Primarily vegetarian meals (with one optional meat meal per week)
We can cater for most dietary requirements (including vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free), but please let us know in advance.
Accommodation
+ 21 guest rooms (single, twin, triple and family rooms)
+ Some rooms are accessible, with lift access available to certain areas
+ Guests may be asked to share a room, particularly if travelling alone
+ Families of up to four can usually be accommodated in one room
If you have specific requirements (e.g. accessibility or room type), please let us know when booking.
For full room details and accessibility information, see our Accommodation FAQs.
Support our Access Fund
While you are making your own booking, please consider making a donation towards the Access Fund if you are able to, which allows financially disadvantaged people to stay at Iona Abbey. Thank you.
Your gift would help to pay towards:
| £1,000 | A week for a family on Iona |
| £300 | A week for a person on Iona |
| £200 | A week for a child on Iona |
| £100 | A week for a person at Camas |
| £50 | A night on Iona |
| £25 | A night at Camas |
Planning your stay
Getting to Iona
Travelling to Iona is part of the experience and involves:
+ Ferry from Oban to Mull
+ Bus across Mull
+ Ferry from Fionnphort to Iona
We recommend planning your journey in advance and allowing plenty of time.
Arrival and Stay
+ Arrival day is typically Saturday from 3pm onwards
+ You’ll be welcomed at the jetty or Abbey on arrival
+ Guests are invited to take part in daily community life, including optional worship and light shared tasks
Important to know
- No previous experience or specialist knowledge is required
- The programme includes discussion, reflection and creative participation
- Full balance must be paid 6 weeks before arrival
- Cancellations within 6 weeks are non-refundable
- Travel insurance is strongly recommended
- The Abbey is an alcohol-free environment
- WiFi is available but may be limited
Need help?
If you have any questions before booking, you can contact the team at [email protected]
USA North East