Making hope possible
Planning conference with conference partners for the 2026
4th Biennial International Transdisciplinary Conference
on Environmental Justice
The International Transdisciplinary Biennial on Environmental Justice at Lassalle-Institute (Switzerland) offers an inter- and transdisciplinary platform for common activities (such as research exchange, communicative validation of results, networking, methodological innovations) between engaged scientists and reflective practitioners concerned by socio-ecological transformation.
The 2026 Biennial International Transdisciplinary Conference on Environmental Justice at the Lassalle-Institute (Switzerland) will provide a dynamic platform for environmental justice communities, engaged scientists and reflective practitioners working toward social-ecological transformation. In preparation, we invite you to the August 17-20 2025 planning conference, which will provide an opportunity for all partners to participate in the process. As an institution of the Society of Jesus, the Lassalle-Institute fosters inter- and transdisciplinary dialogue, engaging different spiritual and cultural traditions, environmental justice communities, scientific disciplines, practitioners, institutions, and agencies seeking solutions for the common good.
Welcome to the preconference of our biennial “making hope possible”
Social-ecological transformation is driven by a shared vision of a better world and the pragmatic hope that future can be shaped individually and collectively, as outlined in the groundbreaking encyclical Laudato Si of Pope Francis (2015).
The aim of a preconference in 2025 is to jointly deepen the topic of hope regarding social-ecological transformation, specifically to:
- Further specification of the conference topic in the main knowledge fields (see below)
- Design of the conference (keynotes, parallel sessions, dialogue with business and government institutions)
- Preparing the call for papers
- Deepening the relationships between agents of social-ecological transformation
This process will be allowing for a common ownership of our conference in 2026.
Please find the call for participation below
Where and when
The pre-conference will be held from Sunday, August 17, through Wednesday, August 20. This year, we will convene in Zurich, specifically at Hirschengraben. The facilities of the community and the Jesuit student house aki will be at our disposal to ensure that we can make these intensive days as productive as possible.
Costs:
We are fortunate that also our conference will be subsidized. Participation fees can be waived. Accommodation fees from Sunday evening until Wednesday after lunch are CHF 400,-
We kindly ask you to submit your registration by May 9 to info@lassalle-institut.org.
For questions about our key concepts on Transdisciplinarity which we are approaching see here:
Impressions of our 3rd International Biennial on Environmental Justice 2024 "Making Hope Possible"
Contribution by Mayra Mayra Consuelo Leiva Tezó, indigenous representative from Guatemala
For further questions, please contact info@lassalle-institut.org
Learn more about past conferences
Host:
Lassalle-Institut, Zug/Zürich (CH)
Partners:
ESSC Institute of Environmental Science for Social Change (PHL)
Georgetown Environmental Justice Program, Washington DC (USA)
Institute of Geography, University of Berne (CH)
Leuphana University of Lüneburg (D)
Munich School of Philosophy (D)
Universidad Iberoamericana Ciudad de Mexico (MEX)
University of Fribourg, Environmental Sciences & Humanities Institute, (CH)
Xavier Institute of Management (IND)
ZHAW sustainability, Zurich University of Applied Sciences (CH)
Location
The aki is the official Catholic Student Chaplaincy in Zurich. It is located right next to the Jesuit community in Zurich and about five minutes from Zurich Main Station.
