The YMCA Youth Conference on National Affairs was started in 1968 as a follow-up to the outstanding state Youth and Government programs conducted by the YMCA throughout the U.S. The success of the conference is directly attributed to the leadership of many YMCA professionals and volunteers, but primarily to the dedication of the youth involved. Last year, young people from thirty-three states and the District of Columbia participated in the conference. National Affairs is a program of the YMCA of Montgomery, AL.

We are excited to announce that the 2025 YMCA Conference on National Affairs will be held in-person from June 28th to July 4th at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, due to hurricane-related damage at the usual location, the Blue Ridge Assembly in Black Mountain, NC.

Each year, the Arizona Youth and Government program opens an application to all delegates and selects a small delegation of top students to represent Arizona at CONA.

This program offers exceptional opportunities for young people to conduct research in areas of national and international concern, organize their findings into documented proposals, and engage in intensive discussion and debate with like-minded youth from across the country. Participants consistently share that this experience significantly deepens their understanding of the democratic process.

The Delegates for the Arizona CONA Team have already been selected. Please apply at the Model Legislature and Court Conference in December to be considered as a delegate for next year’s conference.