Preparing for the International Student's Conference '26
Dear friends of the Youth Section from all around the world,
My name is Anna Christina. I am 18 years old, a lifelong Waldorf student from northern Italy, but half German as well. I love good books and humor, hot chocolate and cups of black tea with milk and going to concerts. Music inspires me deeply: I sing in multiple choirs and play the piano, but above all I enjoy spending time with inspiring people, creating something meaningful together.
Two years ago I had the privilege of attending the ISC24, the International Student's Conference that takes place at the Goetheanum in Dornach, with my class. Those five sun-filled days had a huge impact on me and on my classmates as well. We listened to deeply inspiring lectures, sang on terraces with people we had just met, filled the streets of Basel with songs and stories, laughed freely and felt a profound and natural sense of connection and belonging… and so I suddenly realised that being a Waldorf student means so much more than just attending a Waldorf school; it means being part of a powerful international and intercultural community. That feeling stayed with me long after the conference had ended. When I returned home and stepped back to my everyday life, I immediately knew that I wanted to make sure other Waldorf students could experience that exact feeling of belonging, togetherness and connection too…
…And so, here I am: A member of the ISC26 organising team, part of a group of young people from all over the world carrying this project forward. Working on this conference has been one of the most challenging, demanding, and at the same time deeply inspiring experiences of my life. It has shown me what becomes possible when young people come together with a shared intention and a shared dream.
This year’s ISC carries the theme: “Disconnect to Connect: the threads that hold us together.”
When we started working on it we asked ourselves a simple but essential question: What theme should a youth conference, attended by hundreds of students from all over the world, revolve around?
One word kept coming back to us: technology.
How does technology connect us?
Is it the only way to connect nowadays?
What does real connection mean?
Can disconnection from technology actually help us connect more deeply?
And what better opportunity could there be to explore those questions than a youth conference at the Goetheanum in Dornach? Imagine five whole days filled with singing, art, playful activities, inspiring lectures and workshops: five days of real connection!
To me connection means interconnection, whether between cultures or languages, or even through humor! I love sharing a good laugh with the people around me; it usually means we share a deeper connection worth exploring. Disconnection, on the other hand, is something I choose consciously; whenever I need it, I allow myself to take some time to concentrate on something that feels important to me, reminding myself that no matter how many very important tasks remain unfinished, I can deal with them later.
If these reflections resonate with you, if they raise questions, spark curiosity, or awaken a longing to explore connection and disconnection more deeply, then I truly believe this conference could offer you something powerful, meaningful, and deeply inspiring, just as the ISC did for me two years ago.
Registration is open! Learn more and join us at 26.isc.international