This program offers unusual opportunities for high school students to do research in the area of National and International concern; to organize this information into a documented proposal; to engage in intensive discussion and to debate these proposals with other young people from states all over the United States.

This national, week-long high school conference takes place each July at the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly in North Carolina and has been a part of the Youth and Government program since 1968. Information about the specifics and logistics of the Conference on National Affairs can be found at www.ymcacona.org

Up to 25 delegates and 4 alternates will be selected. The application will open in Mid-January. Students applying for CONA will need to commit to the full week of the conference. In the application, it will ask delegates to list at least three topics of national or international importance about which they would consider writing proposals suggesting solutions.  Delegates should apply with the understanding that creating a team environment, supporting one another, and bringing skills learned at CONA back to their local YG clubs are crucial parts of the CONA experience.  They also need to secure recommendations from an adults with knowledge of their YG activities.