Special thanks to Kadri and her amazing organising team on a brilliant week of trips, activities, tours and plenty of free time to sit relax enjoy the camp site and catch up with all those who were present.  There was so many fun times and plenty of laughter, although we did miss those who had planned to attend but were unable to make it.

I am privileged to have a new 1^st Vice President Kadri Toomingas from Estonia who has joined the board, thanks must go to Mari from Norway who has stepped down – many thanks for all your help and support to me and the Board over the past years.

At the end of the conference a few of the Northern Ireland delegates stayed in Tallinn for a few days where we had a very special guided tour of the city and its history by Cristina Kaska from Estonia – many thanks and enjoy the whisky.

We look forward to the 67th European IFYC Conference on 21 to 28 August 2027 in Lenk, Simmental, Switzerland with the theme “Olympia”.

Being from the UK I have the pleasure to be able to attend the UK YFA Reunion in Exeter, England at the end of October 2026 and looking forward to meeting lots of fellow IFYE / YFA members.

Recently myself and my family has the pleasure of catching up with one of my exchanges who I stayed with in 1995 and who I hosted back in 1998 from Tasmania, Australia, this just shows the power for friendship that is made from those who go on exchange.

On another note, I would like to spare a thought to those members of the IFYE family who are sick or going through difficult and tough times at the moment, you are in our thoughts and prayers.

All the best, take care and be safe.
Sam Hawkes
President of European IFYE Alumni Association
IFYE from Northern Ireland to Australia 1995

Last year, we invited you to Estonia with a little warning: “Don’t come!”. We promised a magical forest, unexpected experiences, new friendships, nature, traditions and a week of discovering Estonia together. Was it all there?

From 1–8 August 2026, 181 IFYEs from 15 countries across the world actually did come to Estonia. And looking back now, we can say with some confidence that the theme of the 2026 IFYE European Conference, “Expect the Unexpected,” was perhaps a little too accurate.

The first days were about arriving, meeting old friends and making new ones. Some participants had visited Estonia before, while for others this was their first glimpse of our country. We wanted them to experience more than the Estonia they might find in a travel brochure, so the programme took them through forests, bogs, manor houses, farms, islands, small towns and industrial landscapes.

As for me, I may have taken the whole immersive experience a little too far when I managed to lose one of our participants in the swamp. Fortunately, I found him again, so the story has a happy ending and no missing-IFYE report was necessary.

The nature experiences continued throughout the week. There were forests, lakes, the sea, gardens, farms and plenty of walking. One participant managed around 14,000 steps in a single day, which is perhaps not what most people imagine when they hear the words “European conference.”

At Mäehansu farm, the conference became a little more hands-on. Participants met sheep and goats, tasted local products and experienced a slice of Estonian rural life. They also had the chance to make things themselves, including healing balm and clay buttons. Nicole Doidge from England particularly enjoyed learning about the natural properties of plants and making her own balm, while Josefine Rostin from Germany loved the creative atmosphere of the workshops.

Then there was Hara Island, where the unexpected came in a slightly different form. The local dialect was closer to Finnish than many participants expected, and when the guide began singing, some of our Finnish guests apparently understood more of the song than the Estonians did. At that point, we decided that perhaps we should have included subtitles.

The conference also took participants to Ida-Viru, where Estonia’s industrial history came to life. The day included learning about the oil shale industry, exploring former mining areas and, most memorably for many, having lunch underground in a former mine.

The mine safari added another layer to the experience, with steep roads, huge industrial landscapes and stories about the region’s past and present. There was even a temporary power cut underground, because apparently an underground mine was not unexpected enough on its own. The day ended with a swim in the Gulf of Finland, giving participants yet another completely different view of Estonia. But as the week went on, it became increasingly clear that the places we visited were only part of the story.

It happened on the buses, where people who had only just met started talking. It happened around dinner tables, during walks, in workshops and in the sauna. It happened late in the evenings, when nobody seemed particularly interested in going to bed.

There were official meetings, workshops, an Estonian Evening, a sing-along, the Forest Party, a stand-up show, the Annual General Meeting, the Swiss Conference intro and the Final Party. But the timetable can never show the moments that happen between those events. One participant put it beautifully: “Small talk was done with and friendships were made.”

IFYE conference is not really about putting 181 people in the same place. It is about what happens when those people start sharing their lives, cultures, jokes, traditions and stories with each other. And sometimes, apparently, that also means that the organisers themselves become part of the entertainment. At the Forest Party, I somehow ended up being a crocodile. At another point, I was introduced as an IFYE from Brazil. Annika was taking on roles from workshop leader and tour guide to the “doctor lady” and forest mother. That gave her the chance to connect directly with participants. None of these activities appeared in the official timetable. And yes, sometimes the organisers became part of the programme too.

After months of planning, you learn that there is only so much you can control. You can prepare the programme, but you cannot prepare the friendships. You can organise the excursion, but you cannot organise the joke that will still be repeated three days later. You can plan the evening party, but you cannot plan who will end up dancing together until the early hours.

That is probably why “Expect the Unexpected” turned out to be such a fitting theme. We expected people to discover Estonia. They did. We expected people to experience our nature. They did, sometimes quite literally from inside it. We expected cultural exchange. Instead, we got singing, dancing, stories, laughter and several moments when nobody was quite sure whose tradition we were following anymore. We expected to host a conference. What we got was a week full of moments that none of us could have planned.

On 8 August, the rooms were emptying, the last breakfasts were being eaten and people were beginning their journeys home. After months of preparation, the 2026 IFYE European Conference was over. The trains left with tired people, full phones, new friendships and probably more than a few stories that will sound increasingly unbelievable each time they are told.

For Team Estonia, the biggest achievement was not that everything went according to plan. It didn’t. It was that 181 people from 15 countries came together in Estonia and, for one week, became a community. They arrived as IFYEs from different countries. They left as friends.

So, about that invitation we sent last time: “Don’t come!”, we take it back. Please come again.

Kätlin Merisalu, on behalf of team Estonia

Let’s work together – IFYE spirit in Urjala
Original text and pictures from Hanna Taala (IFYE Finland to Switzerland 2008). Written by Emma Svahn (IFYE to Finland to Scotland 2018 and to Germany 2023).

Nordic 4H camp is coming to Finland!
Written by Jenna Järvenpää (IFYE to Finland to Taiwan 2018)

If you are interested to participate in an IFYE-like couch surfing, you are welcome to fill in this form to be shown on a map with all the possible places for other IFYEs to see.

Enter Only the zip code, city and your first name will be displayed on the map, not your personal data (see remarks "not public").

This information will be given to the traveller who asks for the information directly from the administrators (currently the IFYE-Swiss board).

If you would like to change the current information about you, check the link in the confirmation e-mail that you have got after filling in the form (check the spam). If you have any further questions or remarks about this project, write an e-mail to maps@ifye.ch 

IFYE Local Guide / Couch surfer Map
 

Register as Guide / Host
 

Lenk im Simmental, Switzerland 21–28 August 2027

Surrounded by magnificent nature, our home for the week will be the KUSPO Lenk Sports and Training Centre. With its modern facilities and welcoming atmosphere, it provides the perfect setting for an unforgettable week of learning, friendship, and adventure.

One of our main goals in organising this conference is to introduce you to this unique corner of Switzerland. Through a variety of excursions, you will discover the most beautiful places in the region while experiencing our local culture, traditions, and Swiss hospitality.

Our organising committee is already working with great enthusiasm to create an exciting and memorable programme for everyone. It is a true pleasure and honour to welcome you to our beautiful region.

Of course, the spirit of IFYE is about more than just exploring new places. International exchange, friendship, and spending quality time together are at the heart of the conference. We warmly invite you to spend this unforgettable week with us in Switzerland. In the words of the Olympic motto:

For the latest programme updates and contact information, please visit our website at www.ifye2027.ch