The International Affairs (IA) conference has been described as a joyful, meaningful experience that keeps people coming back year after year. The IA 2026 Conference will begin on Sunday, July 26 – Sunday, August 2, 2026. We hope you’ll join us!
IA WEEK ON STAR ISLAND
For some…
… it is the opportunity to interact, learn, and share ideas and experiences with a group of friendly and inquiring people. For others, it is the chance to be removed from the world, retiring for a week from daily routines to a small, beautiful island, to reconnect with family and friends, relax on the porch with a good book, and watch the sunrise or sunset.
Start your day…
…with a polar bear swim in the chilly Atlantic Ocean, morning stretch, and a cup of coffee on the porch, or music in the chapel. Settle into a rocking chair to watch the day emerge, or sit in a chair on the lawn while children play before breakfast. Later in the morning, gather in the chapel at the top of the hill for a thoughtful morning sermon from the minister of the week.
Engaging theme talks…
… led by recognized experts take place late morning. Gather to listen, learn, and be inspired, then enjoy conversations on the porch, Social Hour, and the dinner table.
In the afternoon…
… choose from many activities, including art, writing, yoga, and choir. Other activities include softball, swimming, visits to the Marine Lab, kite-flying, taking a rowboat or kayak around the harbor, trip to the snack bar, walks on the rocks, or time in the rocking chairs on the front porch. Evening activities include a bonfire, intergenerational dance, island staff talent show, lay-led chapel services, and more.
For children…
… the Youth Program is a time to experience the freedom of island life and to gain a deep appreciation of the natural environment in the midst of caring, attentive adults. Activities related to the conference theme together with community building activities, games, crafts, and time to explore the island round out the week. The program offers children the experience of wonder and friendships of long duration, the kind that cause them to start counting down the days until the next year’s IA conference even as they depart on the boat at the end of the week.
The natural beauty…
… and spirit of the island, together with the intellectually stimulating theme talks, the spiritually uplifting sermons, the myriad of daily activities, the strong sense of community among the conferees, and the vibrant Youth Program make the International Affairs conference a truly unique and memorable vacation.
2026 IA Conference
The Power of Music
Sunday, July 26 – Sunday, August 2, 2026
Join us for an inspiring and uplifting conference as we explore, discover and celebrate the power of music to heal us and change the world. We’ll be joined by leading professionals and artists who have studied and led transformative experiences that music makes possible. From South Africa to Estonia to the American South, we’ll hear and experience moving stories and songs that have led to resistance and social change.
Youth Program
Children and teens at IA are enthusiastically welcomed into the Youth Program by friendly faces and engaging children’s staff who help to fill each day with fun and new experiences. The program is filled with engaging, age-appropriate activities and interesting topics inspired by the Island.
In 2025, there were six children’s groups, each with experienced staff:
● Toddlers ~ ages 18mos – 3 years
● Barners ~ Pre K
● Brookies ~ rising K – 2nd graders
● Newtons ~ rising 4th – 6th graders
● Marshlandians ~ rising 6th – 9th graders
● Seniors ~ rising 10th – 12th graders
Register
Registration for the 2026 will open January 15th.
The registration link can be found here: https://starisland.org/program/ia/
For further inquiry, please contact conference registrar Joy Greeley ia.registrar.star@gmail.com