Our Mission Statement

Description & Goals

Zenith Camp is a Sufi meditation camp that’s held every summer and runs for several weeks. Meditation courses and silent retreats form the core of the program. Dance, movement and music are further integral elements. The camp is rooted in the Sufi teachings of Hazrat Inayat Khan. Today’s program is also characterized by a wide variety of teachers and topics that are in dialogue with modern life. Each camp week offers space for silence, workshops of various kinds, conversations with new and old friends and, of course, music.

Zenith’s mission is to promote personal development and experience of community. We seek to encourage people to discover and embody their true selves. In the midst of turbulent times, we aim to be an oasis of peace and understanding, a space of true community. Furthermore, we encourage interfaith dialogue. Based on the core belief that religious and spiritual movements share a common truth, we promote understanding between religions, for example by organizing interreligious worship services.

Target group & Values

The Zenith Camp’s offerings are particularly aimed at people who are interested in Sufism, meditation and retreat and who are looking for authentic experiences in this direction. However, we welcome people of all ages, genders, origins and religions equally. We offer special support to families and young people by having a strong children and youth program and a flexible pricing structure.

During the Zenith Camp, a harmonious space is created that invites naturalness and authenticity. We put particular emphasis on ensuring that the camp is a safe space for everyone and are firmly committed to preventing discrimination, sexual violence and racism.

Characteristic for the camp experience is the proximity to nature, traditionally in the mountains. The peaceful surroundings help to slow down and relax from everyday life. The focus of the participants is directed inwards to the mind and soul. This is supported by a clear daily structure and a daily routine that is reduced to the essentials. We place particular emphasis on sustainability and awareness in dealing with nature.

A fundamental experience at Zenith Camp is working together: in the work camp and take-down, the camp is set up and dismantled by a group of volunteers. The operation of the camp is also only made possible by the voluntary work of the staff. The camp participants also help out a little during the week as part of “Karma Yoga”.

Connection with the Inayatiyya

The Zenith Camp is rooted in the tradition of Inayatiyya, a Chishti-Sufi tradition brought to the Western world by Hazrat Inayat Khan. His son Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan began offering retreats in the Alps in the 1960s, from which the camp eventually developed. Today, Pir Zia Inayat Khan is the central teacher of the camp, continuing the work of his grandfather Hazrat Inayat Khan and his father Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan.

The Sufism of the Inayatiyya is universal in its acceptance of all people and paths that lead to the unfolding of the light and power that lies dormant in humankind. Zenith Camp offers activities from all seven branches of Inayatiyya, from the Ziraat exercise in the early morning to the Universal Worship at the end of the week. An initiation into the Inayatiyya and contact with Inayatiyya leaders is possible during the camp as well as individual retreats with guides from the Inner School. In this sense, the Zenith Camp is an Inayatiyya event.

At the same time, the Zenith Institute association was deliberately founded outside the national Inayatiyya organizations and its statutes aim to promote understanding and peace between all religions. In this spirit, the Zenith Camp offers seminars and retreats from various traditions and movements. The Dances of Universal Peace as an evening program are just as much a part of the camp tradition as the yoga sessions during the lunch break. Workshops of various dance traditions, seminars with deep psychological themes or introductions to Turkish or Indian music have traditionally been part of the Zenith Camp.

Politics & Association

Zenith Camp is not a political or activist organization, but it does represent clear values. We believe in a united humanity and a common truth in all world religions. With our programs we want to support the participants in their individual development and enable them to find peace within themselves and to realize it in the world.

The Zenith Camp is organized by the Zenith Institute, a non-profit Swiss association. The central activity of Zenith is the organization of its annual summer camp. Throughout the year, contact with the community is maintained with regular newsletters. Outside of the summer program, smaller events are offered, such as the online morning meditations in winter or the New Year’s meeting for young adults.