French Baha'i Winter Camp 2013

About 60 people of all ages from France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland gathered the last week of February at the Chalet Olinga in La Chapelle d'Abondance, a ski resort in the French Alps behind Thonon-les Bains, for a week of classes, artistic activities and winter sports. With mostly sunny weather and almost a meter of snow, conditions were perfect to exercise our minds, souls and bodies. I gave two lectures on principles of governance from the Baha'i writings, as well as a children's class on governance, and took part in a musical workshop where, for the first time, I learned how to sing in a choir while we composed new songs setting Hidden Words of Baha'u'llah to music. It was a very uplifting week. For the scenery and my afternoon treks on snowshoes, see my travel page.

Winter Camp participants
Participants in the Baha'i Winter Camp 2013

Chalet Olinga . Chalet Olinga
Chalet Olinga, site of the Winter Camp, in the Valley of the Abondance

Arthur Dahl . Reza Dehghan . Nicolas Leroy
My presentation on principles of governance; another of the speakers, Reza Dehghan; Nicholas Leroy at the musical workshop

 musical workshop . Atelier musique . Atelier musique
The musical workshop led by Nicholas, where we composed our own songs and a meditation with flutes

Lemon Soul Trio . Lemon Soul Trio, Clarissa & Melinda Le Deun . Lemon Soul Trio, Mathieu Marie-Eugénie
Evening performance by the excellent Lemon Soul Trio of Yasmine, Nicolas and Margaret, joined by Clarissa and Mathilde and Mathieu Marie-Eugénie

Lemon Soul Trio, Baptiste Le Deun . Lemon Soul Trio plus
More Lemon Soul with Baptiste and Adrien Paratian as well

Breton folkdancing . Breton folkdancing . Breton folkdancing
After the Lemon Soul concert, there was a lively round of Breton folkdancing

Breton folkdancing . Breton folkdancing, Baptiste Le Deun . Breton folkdancing, Adrien Paratian  
Baptiste led the dancing, while Adrien and Nicholas provided the music

musicians . musicians
The evening concluded with music and prayers, including Thomas on piano

musicians . devotions . devotions

children singing
The children also composed their own song
Final artistic presentations: children . Final artistic presentations: children . Final artistic presentations: art
The final evening featured presentations from all the arts workshops, including the children and the painting class

Final artistic presentations: slam . Final artistic presentations: slam . Final artistic presentations: slam
Matthieu's slam workshop combined poetry and acting
Final artistic presentations: slam . Final artistic presentations: slam


music performance . Final artistic presentations: choir
The music workshop (right, male half only) sang two songs of its own composition, a musical meditation, and a song from Lemon Soul

Final artistic presentations: Matthieu comic . Final artistic presentations: Matthieu et Adrien . Final artistic presentations: Mathilde Le Deun et Mariam
Matthieu also demonstrated talents as a comic and musician, and Mariam and Clarisse sang as well

Everyone returned home both enlightened and recharged, ready to put what they learned into action in their local activities.

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Last updated 29 September 2014

Photographs copyright © Arthur Lyon Dahl 2013