Leading the

Future for Peace

A unique summer camp experience for the whole family

17th to 23rd August 2025

The most extraordinary

experience of your life

Seven days in the foothills of the Pyrénées, with some of the most forward thinking artists, thought leaders and entrepreneurs, participating in an immersive and experiential learning journey that will bring joy to your family and healing to our world

Summer Camp for Peace

For all who care about the future of our world

Leading the Future for Peace is an extraordinary week-long summer camp programme for parents and children, led by two award-winning female artists, who harness the power of the arts to bring messages of peace and healing around the world.

Expanding beyond any learning experience you will have had before, these women find a way to bring music, theatre and songwriting to explore ideas of peace as an internal quality that we all have access to, showing that separation is an illusion, and allowing us to empathise with others, for the healing of trauma within us all.

The experience of a lifetime

In a year that has had many of us on our knees with fear about the future of our planet, a regenerative and restorative retreat, bringing together children, young people, and families, from all over the world, to take part in an extraordinary 7 days of theatre and music-making, workshops, seminars, performances and day trips, for the retreat of a lifetime in south west France.

Summer Camp for Peace

Led by guest artists Laurie Rubin and Jenny Taira, you will come together with others from around the world to explore ideas of peace and global harmony, overcoming conflict and bullying, empathy and understanding ‘the other’, and how to build more tolerant societies, instilling in young people the values of cooperation, empathy, understanding, and giving adults the tools to foster these skills in young people, as well as in themselves.

Both young people and adults have found Laurie and Jenny’s work to be profoundly inspiring, enlivening, and self affirming. These two artists not only lead participants through powerful workshops that engage hearts, minds, and spirits, but also lead by their own example, inspiring participants of all ages to play full out in their own lives

Laurie and Jenny centre young people in their work as they are our future leaders who have the power to effect social change. They instill in young people the importance of our diverse history, acceptance across varying life experiences, and the need for equitable representation and treatment of all people. This is the pathway to building a more peaceful world.

The Most Magical Experience of Your Life

In this seven day workshop with Laurie and Jenny, participants will participate in a musical experience in which listening and interacting with music, as well as delving into creative writing will help them explore peace, unconditional love, compassion, empathy, self acceptance, and acceptance of others.

**This retreat will include excerpts from Peace on your Wings, a groundbreaking production on the story of the atomic bomb, as a cautionary tale of the dangers of global conflict.

Setting the Stage

Arrival in Pau and transfer to Clos de Gaye
Introduction to The Centre for the Arts and Global Leadership, Clos de Gaye, and our lead artists, Laurie Rubin and Jenny Taira
Laurie to share her story of bullying and discrimination in an inspirational talk and workshop to set the scene for the week
Dinner in the gardens at Clos de Gaye
The World As We Would Like It To Be

‘Frozen Picture’ Workshop exploring the nature of conflict and the skills needed to build more peaceful societies
Picnic and Afternoon walk through the mountains
Getting Past Trauma - reflection and sharing
Evening performance from Laurie and Jennie
Post-performance discussion
Dinner
But How Do We Get There?

Both Sides Now - a workshop on empathy building on the words of the famous song
Lunch in the Rose Garden
Crane Folding workshops in memory of Sadako Sasaki
Writing a Prayer for World Peace
Dinner under the stars
Peace on our Wings

Transfer to the Basque coast
Morning discussion on the beach on what it would take to build a roadmap for peace lead by young people
Lunch discussion on building new narratives for change
Afternoon walk through St Jean de Luz
Dinner
Transfer back to Pau
Leading The Future

‘Understanding The Other’ - Workshop with Laurie and Jenny
Lunch
Preparing the show and rehearsal
Dinner
Taking Action on the World Stage

Preparing the show and rehearsal
Lunch
Dress Rehearsal
Performance on the field at Clos de Gaye, overlooking the Pyrénées with invited members of the public - an unforgettable experience that invites each one of us to make a commitment for peace
Pizza Party and disco
When the show ends, what begins?

Reflection and Renewal
Lunch discussion on building new narratives for change
Departure
Trip to the Chateau de Pau (optional)

Accommodation will be provided in our beautiful bell tents or our amazing ‘Stargazer' luxury tents on the grounds of Clos de Gaye

All meals are prepared using fresh, local, and often organic ingredients, sourced either from our kitchen garden or from local providers in the Béarn and Basque regions.

Clos de Gaye is situated in the Jurancon wine region and there will be thoughtful pairings of wine and other non-alcoholic drinks with each meal.

Our spaces are unique, artistic and soulful.

What you and your child will get

RESPOND

to the needs of the group knowing their own needs will also be met.

AWAKEN

and share the unique artistic qualities inherent in each of us.

ENGAGE

in a process that enhances critical and creative thinking.

TRANSFORM

challenges into opportunities with joy and hope.

EMPOWER

themselves and each other knowing what they do impacts the world.

COLLABORATE

with a diverse cohort that values partnership, respect, and empathy.

Laurie Rubin

Laurie Rubin is an opera singer, arts educator, and author who was born blind. Her career has taken her to some of the greatest concert halls and opera houses around the world, including Carnegie Hall, the John F. Kennedy Center, Wigmore Hall in London, New York City Opera, and Greek National Opera. However, Laurie’s life has taken her on a circuitous, rigorous path that wasn’t always positive. Her blindness often caused her to face difficult pangs of isolation, passive aggressive bullying, and discrimination at times. She believes that it is the more difficult aspects of her life that she has learned and grown from the most.

Her memoir, “Do You Dream in Color? Insights from a Girl Without Sight” chronicles her journey through exploration of the world as a blind child and difficult middle and high school years through the ascendance of her career in classical music. She attributes the power of the human spirit for her resilience, strength, and determination to be her best self and to walk her desired life path. Laurie has given numerous workshops in schools in which she tells stories from her life, weaving them with pieces of music, and engaging students from elementary school through college in activities that help to develop a better understanding of empathy, compassion, and self awareness with the ultimate goal of building confidence and self esteem.

After the publication of her memoir, Laurie went on to collaborate with her wife and musical partner Jenny Taira on the creation of a musical, entitled “Peace On Your Wings,” based on the true story of 12 year old Hiroshima atomic bomb victim Sadako Sasaki and her thousand paper cranes. The show has toured ten cities in ten years, including the city of Hiroshima where Sadako’s story took place.

Through the journey of this musical, Laurie and Jenny have developed an understanding of how peace is a crucial and integral part of the education process. They’ve learned how conflict on a micro level can influence conflict and violence on a macro level. “Peace On Your Wings” has been an example to them of how theater and music are more than performing on a stage, and that both contain key components that change attitudes, minds, and lives.

Jenny Taira

Jenny Taira is an award winning clarinetist, pianist, and arts educator. She is one of the co-founders of Ohana Arts, a performing arts program and youth theater company, now in its 14th season, which aims to cultivate peace and an international family in the pacific through the universal language of the arts. Jenny served as composer, co-bookwriter, orchestrator, and arranger on the groundbreaking new musical, “Peace On Your Wings,” based on the true story of 12 year old atomic bomb victim Sadako Sasaki and her thousand paper cranes which has toured ten cities in the US and Japan. Jenny has music directed over 20 shows and has served as conductor for the Ohana Arts pit orchestra for the past 14 years.

Watch a powerful video that Laurie and Jenny made on bullying from one of their past projects with young people.

FAQs

Friends and Relationships

What trait to you like about yourself most?

What trait do you not like about yourself?

What was the most hurtful thing someone has said to you?

What was the most hurtful thing you said to someone else?

What prompted you to say something hurtful?

Creative Writing

Students will be asked to write stories, passages, poems, or monologues based on life experiences that relate to conflict, whether inner conflict, conflict with another individual, or experience with a larger, more global conflict. Participants will be asked to share their passages with the group.

Spirituality and the Definition of Unconditional Love

Sharing perspectives on the purest form of love, kindness, compassion, and empathy. Questions to explore: “If there is more to the world than what we see, what would we hope for?”

“Who am I and how do I fit in?”

Laurie will share passages from her book, specifically focusing on the more difficult middle school years, and concluding with the excerpts that share what she learned from those experiences and how they helped her succeed.

You and your family will leave inspired, connected, with precious memories of magical experiences, and clear ideas of next steps that you can take as a family to build a better world

All retreats and high-impact summits are lead by Caroline Watson, visionary founder of The Centre for the Arts and Global Leadership, and the Global Arts Impact Agenda. An award-winning entrepreneur, Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum (Davos) and a talented performer herself, using the arts to effect large-scale social change across the world, Caroline is the owner of Clos de Gaye and a masterful hostess and creator of extraordinary experiences.

Coach and leadership development expert to global heads of state, corporate executives and world leaders.

Inspirational educator for children and young people

Unfolding your leadership potential

Caroline Watson, Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum, Harvard, Yale, INSEAD, Oxford

"……Caroline is a wonderful events organizer, Her multifaceted skill sets, combining her talents as an actor and leadership expert, shines through in every detail she orchestrates. Caroline’s passion, strong sense of inclusion, impeccable organizational skills, and innate flair for hospitality ensure that every event is a seamless and rewarding experience……Caroline's events are expertly curated adventures that leave a lasting impact."

Shirley Liu, L’Oreal Paris

Clos de Gaye

Extraordinary experiences where the world comes together for impact

Welcome to Clos de Gaye, a unique and special place in the far southwest of France, in the foothills of the Pyrenees, close to the border of Spain and the stunning Basque coast.

Clos de Gaye (pronounced ‘guy’) means ‘Place of Happiness’ and it is at once a private home, a residential retreat, a creative and artistic workspace, organic farm, community kitchen, restaurant and tea house, and a convening ground for global leaders, artists, creatives, entrepreneurs and all those charged with the care and governance of our planet. Think of it as the meeting point between the Bloomsbury set’s Charleston and Camp David. It is a place to stay, to play, to share and to transform our world.

The spirit of Clos de Gaye is one of contribution, generosity and accountability. Those that have a seat of the table have arrived there through hard work and a genuine desire to be of service to the world. Time spent here is for you to reflect on what has been achieved so far and to be a springboard into future leadership and the continued desire to be a force for good in the world.

Deep in the heart of the French countryside, embedded in the ‘old world’ rises a new way of thinking about the future. The best of European heritage, beauty and aesthetic, with interiors from all over the world, reflecting our founder’s upbringing in Asia, and bringing energy, dynamism and a sense of inclusion of the new world.

An opportunity to reclaim the very best of European culture and values, with a renewed way of thinking about its relationship with the rest of the world, restoring humanity to everyone.

The camp takes place against the backdrop of some of the most beautiful corners of south west France and will include visits to the following places:

The Pic du Midi d’Ossau
Evening picnic on the Plateau de Benou
Stunning views from Clos de Gaye
Soothing effect of the ocean
Dramatic waves
Award-winning cuisine
Culture
Heritage
History
Elegance
Sophistication
Refinement

Getting Here

From your home to Clos de Gaye

Clos de Gaye is situated less than 20 minutes away from both Pau airport and train station in south west France. We are also 50 minutes away from Tarbes/Lourdes airport. Biarritz, Bordeaux and Toulouse are all between 1 - 2 hours drive or train ride.

In keeping with our vision to have a positive impact on the world, all retreats start and end at Gare Montparnasse in Paris, so you can use train travel to ‘set the scene’ on your extraordinary journey and reduce your carbon footprint. We also kindly ask all international visitors to offset the carbon from their plane travel to Paris through a reputable carbon-offsetting scheme.

We suggest that you aim for a plane or train to arrive in Paris on the morning of the retreat date, and to take the 2pm train from Montparnasse to arrive in time for dinner. Transfers from the train station to Clos de Gaye can be arranged ahead of time and the transfer time takes less than 20 minutes.

Dates

17th to 23rd August 2025

Come together with some of the world’s foremost leaders to take part in transformative workshops, discussions, performances and experiences that will change the world.

Investment

Bell tent for 4 people - 4999 euros (extra child 999 euros)

Luxury Stargazer Tent for family of 4 - 6999 euros (extra child 1499 euros)

Rose Cottage for family of 4/5 - 9999 euros family

Mountain Suite in Manor House for family of 4/5 - 14999 euros

Green Room in Manor House for family with 2 children (shared bathroom) - 7999 euros

Red Room in Manor House for family with baby/toddler - 5999 euros (shared bathroom)

Included:

Retreat

All workshops, talks, dinners, and performances
Your Accommodation in a bell tent or Stargazer luxury tent or Manor House (see pricing)
All your meals, including eating out
Your day trips to the Pyrénées and the Basque coast

As a socially-entrepreneurial for-profit company, choosing to purchase one of our programmes at The Centre for the Arts and Global Leadership creates employment opportunities for artists and creatives and supports low-income and marginalised communities to also take part in extraordinary experiences at Clos de Gaye and elsewhere in the world, enabling others to also benefit from the life-transforming effects of our programmes.

Possible side trips to add to your itinerary

Paris

City of Lights, one of the most romantic capitals in the world, and host of the summer Olympics 2024. An easy train ride from Paris with lots to see and do, we recommend a few days stop here en route to Clos de Gaye when flying internationally.
Toulouse

Just two hours from Clos de Gaye, this gorgeous ‘pink city’ is unique in France for its distinct architecture and vibrant and youthful spirit. Our partnership with the Hotel des Arts provides a wonderful addition to your stay with us.
Basque Coast

With it’s dramatic landscape and Michelin-award winning cuisine, the Basque coast and the towns of Bayonne and Biarritz, St Jean de Luz and the Spanish city of San Sebastian make for a stunning driving holiday to finish off your trip.
Bordeaux

Stunning French city in the heart of the famed wine region, world class dining, and the possibility to visit vineyards, chateaux and the surrounding Dordogne and Landes region