Dear practitioners and friends, we are happy to offer a precious opportunity for practice this year again. In spring, seven nuns and monks from Plum Village will accompany us on a retreat designed for young people, but open to participants of all ages, focused on the theme of joy: the joy that we can choose to cultivate within ourselves… so connected to the joy outside of us, which allows us to touch life deeply in the here and now.

On this occasion, we will have the opportunity to practice together for five days, touching the energy of presence, thanks to breathing, taking mindful steps, practicing mindful eating, group sharing and other activities aimed at nourishing the seed of peace within us and around us.

Retreat dedicated to young people between 18 and 35 and open to the entire community
Although designed for the 18-35 age group, the retreat is aimed at practitioners of any age and “length of experience”, including beginners. The retreat is not intended for individuals under the age of 18; therefore, they will not be able to participate even if accompanied by a parent.

When
The retreat will start on April 29th – check-in will be from 3 to 5pm. The first activity will be dinner at 6pm. The retreat will end after lunch on Sunday, May 3rd.

Where
Centro Amma Italia, in Località Nebbioli 44, Gavi (Alessandria). Easily accessible by car or train. The closest train station is Arquata Scrivia. A shared file will be made available to participants to offer/search for car rides and possibly share the trip. It will also be possible to indicate on the file the possibility of offering/searching for a ride from Arquata Scrivia train station to Amma Italia Center (about 10 minutes away).

The facility is fully accessible to people with mobility difficulties.

Tentative program
Morning meditation, body awakening practices, mindful meals, teachings, meditative practices, group sharing, evening meditation and noble silence. All teachings and practices will be in Italian or English with Italian translation.

Food
Meals will be vegan. Any food intolerances/allergies must be reported at the time of registration.

Retreat costs
The participation fee depends on the type of accommodation and on your ability to support the retreat, based on your actual financial situation. You may choose between the REDUCED, SUPPORTING, or SUSTAINING fee (see below).

The individual participation fees for the retreat always include:

• membership fee for the Amma Italia association (required to be covered by a personal insurance)
• board and lodging
• a contribution to the Plum Village monastic community.

Please consider choosing the highest rate you are able to offer.

Pricing tiers:

REDUCED: covering the essential costs of your retreat. We offer this rate to make our retreats accessible to everyone.

SUSTAINING: this rate fully covers your retreat costs and contributes towards monastic training, facility maintenance of Plum Village.

SUPPORTING: your generous contribution helps provide scholarships for retreats, healthcare for monastics, fund essential projects, and maintain Plum Village as a welcoming refuge for all.

SCHOLARSHIP FEE:  If your financial situation does not allow you to participate at the above rates, you may apply for financial assistance and make use of the reduced rate of €250 for a bed. This rate is made available thanks to the generosity of other retreat participants. Availability is limited to unemployed individuals, retirees receiving the minimum pension, or people facing financial constraints..

You can write to us at ritiroplumvillageita@gmail.com — we will review your request.

**Those who choose to book a room at nearby B&Bs are asked to register for the retreat only after having identified the B&B, managing the reservation independently. Here is a list of nearby facilities: https://www.amma-italia.it/strutture-ricettive-nei-dintorni/.

Registration
To ensure the best organization, registration must be made no later than April 15th using the form that you will find here WakeUpIT2026, writing all the information requested. You will receive a confirmation email containing the payment methods. Once payment is  done, the registration will be considered complete. Registration will close when 130 participants are reached, after which a waiting list will be set up.

Cancellations
In the event that you are no longer able to participate to the retreat, if it is possible to replace you with another participant, the entire amount will be refunded, otherwise the amount paid will be allocated 50% to the facility and 50% to support the monastic community. Please, notify us of this in advance at: ritiroprimavera2025@gmail.com.

What to bring
Personal sheets and towels, your own meditation cushion or bench, a yoga mat or blanket to use on the floor, notebook and pen, personal hygiene products (e.g. soap, shampoo). The facility provides numerous chairs. We suggest comfortable clothing, also for physical activity of “body awakening”; slippers/socks for indoor spaces and for the meditation room, which is to be accessed without shoes.

We look forward to seeing you… with joy!