Wednesday through Monday
Retreat 2026 · Bahia, Brazil
Slavery and
Freedom in Brazil
October 28th to November 2nd
A practice of bearing witness
We do not look at history from a distance.
The Slavery and Freedom in Brazil Retreat opens space to encounter the marks of slavery, the strength of resistance, and the ways of life that continue to flourish in Bahia.
In 2026, the Zen Peacemakers Community Brazil undertakes a new collective journey. The practice combines silence, listening, presence, encounters with communities, and contemplative action.
Salvador and the Recôncavo Region of Bahia
Individual fee · U$ 580 with early registration
Program outline
Six days of practice
in living territory.
The formal opening is on 28 October. The Dialogue Circle on 27 October is an optional activity, held outside the retreat period.
27 OCTTuesdayPre-retreat
Location to be confirmed
Dialogue Circle
- Preparatory and optional gathering.
Pre-retreat activity.
28 OCTWednesday through Friday
Dom Amando Convent · Salvador
Welcome, lodging, and gathering
- Lodging at the Dom Amando Convent from October 28 to 30, with lunch on the last day.
- Guidance from Sister Maria Marta.
29 OCTThursday
Luiza Mahin School
Visit and lunch
- Visit to Luiza Mahin School and lunch.
Lunch included.
30 OCTFriday
Mother Hilda Jotolu Black Women’s Institute · Ilê Aiyê Institute
Guided tour and lunch
- Guided tour and lunch.
- Check-out from the lodging and lunch.
- Transfer to CEBB Recôncavo.
31 OCTSaturday
Quilombo Kaonge
Knowledge, Resistance, and Territory
- Visit and lunch with the community.
01 NOVSunday
Convent of Santo Antônio do Paraguassu
Memory and Ceremony
- Guided tour of the exterior of the buildings.
- Recitation of names and interfaith ceremony.
02 NOVMonday
CEBB Recôncavo
Closing Circle
- Breakfast and closing Council in the morning.
Disengagement after the closing.
The territory as teaching
Bahia:
living memory
This gathering in Bahia invites us to bear witness to a history that still resonates in the present and to recognize the dignity, culture, and wisdom upheld by its communities.
The itinerary includes religious, educational, and welcoming spaces. The activities will be guided by the Three Tenets of the Zen Peacemakers.
The practice that guides each encounter
The Three Tenets of Zen Peacemakers
A way of being in the world and responding to its needs.
Not Knowing
Letting go of fixed ideas about ourselves, others, and the world.
Bearing Witness
Being fully present with the joys and sufferings of the world.
Taking Action
Allowing care and service to arise from listening and presence.
Investment · per participant
Prices and payment options.
The individual participation fee is U$ 670. With early registration and full deposit by 09 October 2026, the fee is U$ 580.
Individual feeU$ 670
| Payment method | Amount |
|---|---|
| Individual participation fee | U$ 670 |
| Early registration · full deposit by 09 Oct 2026 | U$ 580 |
Payment via PayPal
Deposit Information.
After filling out the registration form, make the deposit via PayPal. Then, send the receipt to zpbr@etik.com so that the organization can confirm your registration.
- PayPal ID
- jorgekoho@gmail.com
- Account Holder
- Simple School - Jorge Dellamora Mello
- Proof of Payment
- Send via email or WhatsApp
What's included
What your registration covers.
Stay and basic meals
Lodging and basic meals at the Dom Amando Convent from October 28 through October 30, and at CEBB Reconcavo from 30.Oct to 02.Nov.2026.
Activity transport
Transport for the retreat activities during the accommodation period.
Full program
Participation in all activities planned for the retreat.
Financial closing
After the retreat, documentation of the payments made and the financial closing will be shared with participants.
Extra expenses: any expenses beyond what is planned are the free choice and responsibility of each participant.
The schedule and rates are subject to operational adjustments, which will be timely informed.
Ethical guidelines
Trust, integrity, and collective responsibility.
The bearing-witness retreats in the Zen Peacemaker methodology often lead us to places of deep suffering and even trauma.
Participants are encouraged to experience with integrity the external and historical events, as well as personal questions of vulnerability and shadow. Cultivating and sustaining this environment is the responsibility of everyone who takes part. By completing your registration, you agree to respect ethical guidelines based on the principles of trust, integrity, justice, respect, and collective responsibility.
This retreat offers an opportunity to practice the Three Tenets of the Zen Peacemakers: Not Knowing; cultivating Bearing Witness; and taking action arising from Not Knowing and Bearing Witness.
Collective responsibility: sustaining well-being during the retreat is the mutual responsibility of everyone. Those registered agree to consciously cultivate a space where respect is the relational foundation, where all voices and opinions are heard without discrimination of any kind and the diversity of individual experiences is affirmed and encouraged, so that everyone feels safe to express their human integrity.
Cancellation policy
Clear rules for any cancellations.
Full refund
If the retreat is cancelled by the organization, the participation fee will be fully refunded.
Administrative fee
If cancellation is requested by the registered person after 18 September and before 16 October 2026, the refund will be made with a deduction of a U$ 100 administrative fee.
Non-refundable
Amounts paid become non-refundable if cancellation is requested after 16 October 2026.
Up to 60 days
Any refunds are processed within a maximum of 60 days after notification of the cancellation.
Registration · Retreat 2026
Registrations open.
Fill out the official form to secure your participation. Spots are limited and confirmation follows the order of registration and payment. If you have any questions, contact the organization.
For participants who do not understand Portuguese, registration in English is limited to three places due to translation, transportation, and safety-care needs.
Memory of the journey
English 
Portuguese