Ignite the Fire of Wisdom Within

donate now
Join Mailing List

Ignite the Fire of Wisdom Within

donate now
Join Mailing List

Ignite the Fire of Wisdom Within

donate now

Day 24 · July 9, 2026 · Assisi, Italy 🇮🇹

Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” — St. Francis of Assisi

Assisi wasn’t just a place to learn about St. Francis. It was a place to ask what made him extraordinary.

Francis had wealth, friends, and every opportunity for a comfortable life. But war, imprisonment, and illness transformed him. Rather than becoming bitter, he dedicated his life to something greater than himself.

Visiting the basilicas where he preached, the place where he is buried, and the cave where he sought solitude, one realization stayed with us: Francis is no longer there. These places inspire us, but the spirit that transformed his life must ultimately be discovered within ourselves.

Most of us are not called to abandon our possessions. We are called to loosen our attachment to them. When we dedicate ourselves to the happiness of ourselves and others and to a purpose beyond ourselves, we discover a freedom and strength that were there all along.

That is why people still come to Assisi—not simply to remember St. Francis, but to remember what is possible within themselves

Arete Youth Academy Cohort 2026 Pohoto Gallery

Arete Youth Academy Cohort 2026 Videos

See if your employer will match your donation!

All information provided by
Double the Donation
Painted by Renaissance master Raphael, “The School of Athens” brings together history’s greatest thinkers—Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Pythagoras, Ptolemy, and others—in a grand hall of learning. Each figure represents a unique pursuit: ethics, reason, mathematics, metaphysics, and the search for truth. Raphael didn’t just paint a scene—he captured the human aspiration to grow, question, and collaborate across all fields of life: philosophy, science, art, and civic society. These diverse minds are united not by power or conformity, but by a shared purpose: to elevate humanity, to cultivate virtue, and to help each person achieve their arete.

Support the Arete Youth Academy through your donor-advised fund or by including us in your will or estate plan.

To recommend a grant through your DAF (e.g., Fidelity, Schwab, Vanguard), direct it to:
Agora Productions, Inc.
EIN: 20-8516833
Please note “Arete Youth Academy” in the designation.

To make a planned gift, you can help ensure that future generations benefit from an education grounded in peace, dialogue, and global citizenship.

We’re happy to work with you and your advisor to make the process simple and meaningful.
Contact: AreteGiving@AgoraProductions.org

Many employers match donations made to Agora Productions, Inc.—the nonprofit home of Arete Youth Academy. It’s a simple way to amplify your impact and support transformative education for emerging global leaders. Just enter your company name in the popup window to the right and follow the steps to submit your match request.

If your company or institution is interested in supporting AYA in other ways, such as partnerships, grants, visibility opportunities, co-branded materials, or speaking engagements with our founders or advisors, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact us at AreteGiving@AgoraProductions.org to explore meaningful collaboration.

We welcome donations by check, bank transfer (ACH), wire, or appreciated securities.

To donate by check:
Please make checks payable to:
Agora Productions, Inc.
Memo: Arete Youth Academy (or “Bill Taylor Scholarship Fund” if applicable)

Mail to:
Arete Youth Academy
c/o Agora Productions, Inc.
P.O. Box 452688
Los Angeles, CA 90045

To donate by bank transfer (ACH):
For larger or recurring donations, ACH is a secure and cost-effective option.
Simply select “Bank” as your payment method on our donation page and follow the step-by-step process.

To donate by stock, wire, or securities transfer:
We gladly accept gifts of appreciated assets.
Please contact us directly for transfer instructions:
AreteGiving@AgoraProductions.org

Click here to visit our Arete Youth Academy Fundraising Page on Facebook.

Hit “Share” to share it with your friends on Facebook to multiply your donation and help us reach more supporters.

Bill Taylor was the visionary founder of the original Arete West program, which ran from 1979 to 2017. Over the course of 40 years, he personally led students on 20 transformative journeys across the globe, inspiring hundreds of young people to pursue wisdom, leadership, and compassionate service. His encouragement helped spark the creation of the Arete Youth Academy, which carries forward his mission to empower youth through education. This scholarship fund ensures his legacy continues to shape future generations.

To designate your gift:

1. Visit our donation page.

2. Enter your donation amount and choose the “Give in honor or in memory of someone” option.

3. In the “Honoree’s Name” field, type “Bill Taylor Scholarship Fund”

Gifts to the Bill Taylor Scholarship Fund will be used to provide tuition support for one or more participants in each cohort—extending Bill’s spirit of mentorship and service to future generations.

We’ll send a personalized message to your honoree or their family, letting them know how their influence continues to empower youth through Arete.

Contribute in Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other major cryptocurrencies. All crypto gifts are tax-deductible in the U.S. To initiate a crypto donation, please contact us at AreteGiving@AgoraProductions.org for secure instructions and wallet address details. Our team will guide you through the process and provide a tax acknowledgment letter upon receipt.

France — Paris & Bièvres

In France, Creative Scholars will explore the humanistic tradition through Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, examining questions of justice, conscience, inequality, redemption, and the individual’s responsibility to society. Near Paris, students will return to the Literary House of Victor Hugo at the Château des Roches in Bièvres, which Daisaku Ikeda founded as an international center for literature, art, and cultural exchange. Through Hugo’s life and work, participants will consider how literature can challenge injustice and awaken compassion. Visits to Parisian cultural and historical sites, together with dialogue with French scholars and young people, will connect the ideals of nineteenth-century humanism to the challenges facing a new generation of global citizens.

China — Beijing & Xi’an

In China, students will explore one of the world’s oldest continuous civilizations while examining the relationship between Confucian humanism, collective responsibility, modernization, and global citizenship. In Beijing, Tu Weiming and Daisaku Ikeda’s New Horizons in Eastern Humanism will frame the dialogue on Chinese philosophy and the encounter between Eastern and Western thought, complemented by films such as Zhang Yimou’s To Live. Participants will engage in dialogue with students and scholars at Peking University and explore Beijing’s historical and contemporary life. A possible journey to Xi’an, the ancient capital and eastern gateway of the Silk Road, will illuminate centuries of exchange among Chinese, Buddhist, Islamic, and Central Asian civilizations.

Italy — Florence, Rome & Naples

In Italy, Creative Scholars will explore the evolution of Western humanism from the classical world through the Renaissance. In Florence, Dante’s Divine Comedy will provide a lens for examining moral choice, transformation, and the human journey, while Michelangelo’s David and Renaissance art will illuminate changing ideas of human dignity and potential. Students will also explore the life and legacy of Florence Nightingale, who was born in Florence in 1820, examining how compassion, disciplined learning, evidence, and service enabled her to transform nursing, professional education, and healthcare worldwide. In Rome, the legacy of the ancient world and the emergence of Christianity will be explored alongside Reza Aslan’s Jesus of Nazareth. In Naples, participants may collaborate with Scholas Occurrentes, engaging young people in dialogue around culture, community, human dignity, and the challenges facing their generation.

Athens, Greece

In Greece, students will walk in the footsteps of the world’s first philosophers—tracing the origins of inquiry, democracy, and the examined life. Standing in the Agora, where Socrates engaged young Athenians in fearless dialogue about virtue and truth, participants will reflect on how authentic conversation remains the heartbeat of human progress. Visits to the Parthenon, the Acropolis Museum, and the ruins of Aristotle’s Lyceum will anchor discussions on the birth of reason and the moral responsibilities of free thought. Key readings will include selections from Plato’s Apology and Republic, Pericles’ Funeral Oration, and Constantine Cavafy’s timeless poem Ithaka, urging travelers to cherish the inner journey as much as the destination. Students will also explore Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, reflecting on his vision of “eudaimonia”—a flourishing life achieved through virtue and self-mastery—and its relevance to modern global citizenship.

Sofia & Plovdiv, Bulgaria

In Bulgaria, participants will explore the country’s pivotal role as a cultural bridge between East and West, engaging deeply with its spiritual, philosophical, and historical contributions. A key focus will be the philosophical dialogue “The Lion’s Path” between Daisaku Ikeda and renowned Bulgarian art historian Axinia Djourova, offering insights into the power of cultural memory and humanistic values in post-communist societies. The cohort will meet with Djourova and students at Sofia University, where they will participate in structured cross-cultural exchanges and reflective dialogue on shared ethical concerns. Visits will include the Ivan Duychev Centre for Slavo-Byzantine Studies, which Djourova led for many years, to examine Bulgaria’s enduring role in preserving Byzantine intellectual and artistic traditions. Participants will also explore museums and cultural sites in Sofia and Plovdiv, gaining a comprehensive view of Bulgaria’s influence from ancient Thracian civilizations to its vibrant contemporary arts scene.

Japan — Tokyo, Kamakura, Hiroshima

In Japan, Creative Scholars will explore courage, conscience, loyalty, and the complex relationship between individual character and responsibility to society. In Tokyo, students will examine Bushidō, the Meiji transformation, and Japan’s encounter with Western modernity, asking how a civilization can embrace change without losing its cultural identity. A journey to Kamakura and Tatsunokuchi will explore the near-execution of the influential 13th-century Japanese Buddhist teacher and reformer Nichiren, and his refusal to abandon his convictions as a case study in moral courage. The journey will then continue to Hiroshima, where the Peace Memorial Museum and dialogue with Japanese youth will provide a profound setting to examine war, militarism, nuclear destruction, historical memory, and reconciliation. Through stories such as diplomat Chiune Sugihara’s rescue of Jewish refugees during World War II, students will ultimately consider when conscience must transcend loyalty and how suffering can be transformed into a commitment to peace.

Jerusalem, Israel

In Jerusalem, participants will investigate interfaith ethics through texts like Scars of War, Wounds of Peace by Shlomo Ben-Ami and My Promised Land by Ari Shavit. Sandy Tolan’s The Lemon Tree will serve as a humanizing lens through which to examine the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Students may also explore The Heart of Islam by Nasr and Heschel’s The Sabbath, creating a tri-faith ethical conversation. In-person dialogue with Palestinian and Israeli youth, faith leaders, and scholars—potentially including figures like Dr. Mustafa Barghouti—will animate philosophical themes of reconciliation and historical memory. Artistic engagement may include viewing the photographic work Refugee by Khaled Akil.

India — Delhi & Bal Ashram, Rajasthan

In India, Creative Scholars will explore the meeting of Buddhist, Islamic, and humanistic traditions and their shared search for compassion, dignity, and peace. In Delhi, Reza Aslan’s No god but God will explore Islam, including a possible visit to the shrine of Nizamuddin Auliya and a dialogue on Sufi traditions of love, service, and spiritual openness. Students will also visit Emperor Ashoka’s 3rd-century BCE Rock Edict and study the origins of Buddhism in ancient India, exploring its founding spirit of compassion, nonviolence, and inner transformation. The journey will culminate at Bal Ashram in Rajasthan, where Kailash Satyarthi’s Karuna: The Power of Compassion will guide dialogue and service learning alongside young people and members of the Satyarthi Global Compassion Movement, asking how wisdom and courage can ultimately be transformed into compassionate action.

Greece — Athens

In Athens, Creative Scholars will return to the intellectual origins of Arete itself, exploring what it means to pursue human excellence and live a good and meaningful life. Plato’s Dialogues and the ideas of Socrates and Aristotle will guide discussions of virtue, justice, democracy, truth, friendship, and civic responsibility. Visits to the Acropolis, the Agora, and other sites of ancient Athens will transform philosophical texts into lived encounters with the places where many of these ideas first emerged. Through dialogue with Greek students and scholars, participants will consider how ancient questions about character, citizenship, and human flourishing can illuminate the challenges confronting democracy and global society today.