11 Youth Сonferences You Should Consider Attending In The First Four Months Of 2017

YO!Fest / Maastricht, Netherlands / 7 February

Organizers say that at this event you can expect to see thousands of young people debating how to change Europe. Participants will do their work in debates and in workshops, and they will spend time with EU administrators. But the organizers will also give attendees the opportunity to enjoy live music, sports, and theatre. Learn more about this event, register, and discover the other steps you can take at this webpage.

N.I.C.E Learning – New Intervention with Creative Education for Youth Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship / Varna, Bulgaria / 22-28 February

The N.I.C.E conference will include participants in Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and the training offered will have the goal of empowering Youth Organizations and Erasmus+ Program users. The N.I.C.E. organization wants to empower young people and the associations they work with to develop Erasmus projects and to develop training processes for innovative solutions. Participants in the conference will work together one week and will develop an Action Plan. You can read more about the conference on the following link, where you can also apply for the event.

iLOOP 2 / Mollina, Malaga, Spain / 28 February – 5 March

This event includes learning outcomes through projects, and the event is the second edition of TC, where youth workers, leaders, and project coordinators work together for one purpose. They say that learning is the main thing in their projects and that “they will try to create a space to learn and share in analyzing previous project experiences but also in creating a learning environment”. Attendees at the conference will work on methods to implement new ideas in teams and also in Erasmus+ Youth in Action programs. You can find more information about the conference here.

International Careers Festival / Rome, Italy / 11-14 March

The International Careers Festival will assemble young people and also institutions, companies, NGOs and other international organizations in one place with one aim. This festival is interesting because it embraces four main projects: the RomeMUN, the Rome International Careers Course, the Rome Business Game, and the Rome Press Game. Anyone from 15 to 30 years old can apply for this course (but if you are a graduate you must prove that your graduation happened no more than two years ago). You can find more about this festival on the website.

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities / Strasbourg, France / 26-30 March

The Congress will take place in Strasbourg, France from 26 to 30 March and also from 16 to 20 October. The Council of Europe works with young people and encourages them to be active in European society and also to defend human rights and diversity, but this event also promotes youth policies and activism in, basically, every field. The Congress invites young people from various fields and various backgrounds, so among those in attendance you will find youth workers, activists, volunteers, young politicians, and young people in general. All of them were invited to present and develop their projects on a regional level. The Congress will take place in two sessions, from 26 to 30 March and from 16 to 20 October. Read more about this interesting event.

europe@DJHT – A social and fair Europe for all young people / Düsseldorf, Germany / 27-30 March

This is an event which encompasses youth work and child and youth welfare in one place. The event accepts approximately 30 thousand guests and participants, so it is possible to meet many professionals from all parts of Europe there. Actually, every three years the German Child and Youth Welfare Congress (DJHT) organizes a meeting, with participants from different areas of youth work and child and youth welfare. The project is financed by Erasmus+, and all the costs of accommodation, visas, and many other expenses are completely covered. You can download everything about the conference on this link.

The Sustainable Development Youth Action Forum 2017: What We Can Do Together / Belgrade, Serbia / 13-16 April

This conference will be organized by the New Diplomacy Centre and MUNPlanet, and the organizers say that this event will inspire innovative thinking and practices. The conference affirms the importance of bringing together youth leaders, thinkers and activists who will work together and exchange views but also transmit knowledge about important issues to contribute to moving change forward and reforming existing situations. Participants will work on topics such as human rights, education, employment, the environment, peace, justice, and many others. The conference is open to students and also to young people who are professionals, academics, NGOs and private sector representatives, but the great thing is that anyone who is interested may apply to attend. You will find more information on the conference website.

The Corps Network National Conference / Washington, D.C., USA / 12-15 February

This conference will assemble national and local leaders who are influential in youth development, community service, and the environment. The event will have the goal of empowering young people and giving them the possibility of bettering their lives through service. As the conference website notes, the purpose is to attract young adults who understand the societal risks posed by “poverty and decay, environmental injustice, and the effects of climate change”. The Corps Conference will discuss racial, environmental, and community inequities and also knowledge deficits.  You can check out more about the conference, conditions, and requirements on this website.

The IMPACT Conference / Missouri, USA / 16-18 February

The IMPACT Conference is basically the largest national conference which gathers student leaders to engage young people in activism, politics, service, and many other responsible endeavors. You can find out more about this conference on their website.

The Diversity Abroad Conference / Minnesota, USA / 19-22 March

This coming year, the Diversity Abroad Conference will mark the first decade of Diversity Abroad, providing a motive to celebrate all the progress in global education made in the past 10 years. The conference will focus on the important issues of access, diversity, and inclusion in global education. The conference will assemble academic leaders from across the globe to debate and share useful practices. You can read more about the organization and the conference at this link.

Asian Youth Leaders, Travel, and Learning Camp / Singapore / 9-13 February

This conference will assemble student leaders from around the world, with 2017 marking the sixth year that this conference has existed. This organization offers engaging activities and prepares young people to become better leaders. They also aim to introduce students to Singapore and its multicultural society. The goal is for students to gain new perspectives and share their knowledge of their countries. More information is available on this website.

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