What Is Men's Nation?
Men’s Nation, formerly MenFest, is about building community.
Bringing together an Annual Gathering of men and men-centric organisations to share, present, perform and teach.
A taster of all the amazing workshops, retreats, books, podcasts, discussions, etc., that are created and presented for men to explore and celebrate – being men and building the future we desire – together.
Since our beginning in 2016, and our first gathering as MenFest in 2019, we have hosted some of the world’s leading voices in healthy masculinity, ethical approaches and sustainable practices. We’ve also had a whole lot of fun and a chance to kick back and relax.
Men’s Nation is an opportunity for you to help co-create a safe space and a strong community – through Radical Participation, Radical Diversity and Radical Inclusion – to bring and share our gifts and offerings with other men over four amazing days!
If you, or someone you love, identifies with the label ‘man’, you/they are invited to attend our annual Men’s Nation Gathering!
Creating New Culture
Building Healthy Community
At our Gathering, we seek to emulate this as a circle of circles, honouring and bringing members’ own groups, organisations and circles together and encouraging every man to grow their own support networks.
We Stand Together
Inclusion and Diversity
We stand together – with only one commonality – identifying each as a man. All colours, all sexualities, all religions, all nationalities, all abilities and other identity markers are welcome. We acknowledge the wrongs done to certain groups and we strive for healing and reconciliation.
Women
We stand together in support of the women in our lives, their wisdom, circles and gatherings. We are mindful of the wrongs men have done and continue to do to women and we seek lessons in healthy masculinity so we may honour women and the feminine – as we honour ourselves.
Environment
We stand together in appreciation of the natural world. We are mindful of the harms that continue to be done to our planet. We seek to heal and regenerate a healthy relationship with Earth.
Core Values
In creating the community experience of exploring and co-mentoring, we are guided by the following values:
Compassion
We start from a place of compassion for the joy and tragedy, the complexity of the human condition and the inherent flaws every person will always possess.
Humility
We accept that we will occasionally meet our shadow sides and we commit to listen and learn from our co-mentors in those moments. We agree to practice being centred in our truth and come from humility beyond dogma.
Courage
We will nonviolently and compassionately address the questions, frustrations and confusions around the Masculine within ourselves, as parents, teachers, and within all our communities with respect and dignity for people with differing experiences.
Integrity
We seek to embrace the current human condition, with all of our faults and foibles, as we strive to create ‘Thriving Life’ and incentivise modern society to live sustainably in right relationship and realise lasting harmony between all sexes, creeds and nations.
Balance
We respond to the issues we face as Men, in ourselves, in our families and in our communities with the full breadth and depth of our abilities for self care, to practice showing up – acknowledging, adjusting and balancing our shadows – while appreciating our need for community.