Are you interested in learning more about Democracy? Do you want to meet and exchange experiences with other youth from the Nordic countries? Join us at Nordic Youth Con 2026, 30. october – 01. november!
Voksenåsen, a centre for Swedish-Norwegian cooperation, is the conference sponsor and together with a group of youth volunteers from the Nordics, they are organising a conference about Democracy for Nordic youth this fall, the 30. October to the 01. of November 2026.
Are you between the age of 15-24? Then you are eligible! No other prerequisites in order to attend. The conference is free for all participants
Our goal is to create an annual conference that will bring together Nordic youth and provide a forum to discuss democracy from a Nordic perspective. In times where democracy is not a given, it is extra important to create a space for young people to discuss the future. The conference aims at boosting the self-confidence of participants, giving them an opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences, as well as providing an arena for networking across borders.
What’s is on the agenda in 2026?
The theme for 2026 is Discovering Digital Democracy! We will explore democratic tools in connection to the new digital world and boost the participants democratic confidence through workshops, lectures and discussions on democratic participation!
Eligibility
Nordic Youth Con invites all nordic youth from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Faroe Islands, Åland, and Greenland to apply. You must be between the age of 15-24 to be eligible. Unfortunately, we have limited space and are only accepting 100 applicants. There are no prerequisites in order to apply or attend, however we would love to hear a little bit about why you want to attend the conference. Applicants will be chosen to establish a balance of age, gender, diversity, and country of residence (Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Faroe Islands, Åland, and Greenland). Applicants will also be chosen based on their motivation to attend the conference, but we do not require any previous experience.
How to apply
Applications are closed for NYCD 2026, but we invite you to apply again in June 2027! When reading the applications, we are looking at your motivation! This means that no matter the experience, we are looking for young people, who are motivated for a weekend of fun, new knowledge and new networks! If that sounds like you – we would love to see you there!
How much does it cost?
The whole weekend at Voksenåsen Hotel will be covered by Voksenåsen, this includes all meals and a shared room. We also cover the travel expenses to a certain amount (local transport not included), depending on where one is travelling from. We encourage participants to use the cheapest and most climate friendly forms of transport. More info will be given in the acceptance letter! (participants travelling with an affordable option will usually get everything covered)
What is Voksenåsen?
Voksenåsen is Norway’s national gift to Sweden as a thank you for the humanitarian aid Norway received during the Second World War. The hotel is owned by the Swedish state and today is run as a center for cooperation between Sweden and Norway and as a hotel and restaurant. One of the main goals of Voksenåsen is to be a meeting place for young people across borders. We believe that creating a space for young people will benifit the nordic region.
Do you have any questions? Contact our conference coordinator Sarah Lilleberg Safavifard : sarah@voksenaasen.no
Applications closed!
Applications for NYCD 2026 are now closed.
Working Group for NYCD26:
Top left: Ramona Kaapu, Julia Hannam-Larsen, Felix Kühn, Maitreyi Muralidhar, Mia Ðuric
Bottom left: Marie Borup , Selma Gjendine Østerbø, Anagha Krishna Prasad, Tuva Lockner (Not pictured: Sipho Khumalo)
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Programme 2026
The theme for 2026 is Discovering Digital Democracy , where we will explore topics like Nordic Perspectives, Youth Empowerment, Human Rights, Digital threats to democracy and Protecting democracy
The conference explores democracy from multiple perspectives, highlighting that democracy is not a fixed concept, but one that can be defined in many different ways. Through diverse discussions and presentations, participants examine how democracy functions in various cultural, political, and social contexts. The goal is to open up a broader understanding of what democracy can mean today—and how it continues to evolve.
The last four years we had speakers and organisations from several nordic countries, including the Nordic Youth Council, V-dem, Anki Gerhardsen, Stopp Hatprat, Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue, Myndigheten för psykologiskt försvar, Nordic Pioneers, Andreas Magnusson, Folk och Kultur, RØST, Stopp Hatprat and more.
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(Changes might occur)
Programme 2026
Friday 30. October
Ca. 18.00 Arrival and check-in
19.00 Welcome and practical information – Einar Gerhardsen
19.30 Dinner in the restaurant
20.30- 22.00 Social activities. Get to know each other/icebreaker
Saturday 31. October
07.30 – 09.00 Breakfast in the restaurant
09.00 – 10.00 Pre-meetings in groups
10.00 – 10.15 Welcome speech x Elevorganisasjonen (NO)
10.15 – 10.30 Break
10.30 – 12.00 Workshop with the hosting group
12.00 – 13.00 Lunch at the restaurant
13.00– 14:00 DISCOVERING Workshop with Ungt medborgerskap (NO)
13.00 – 14.00 DIGITAL Workshop with Cybersecurity academy (SE)
13.00 – 14.00 DEMOCRACY Workshop with Hanaholmen (FI)
14.00 – 14.15 Break
14.15 – 15.15 DISCOVERING Workshop with Föreningen Norden (SE)
14.15 – 15.15 DIGITAL Workshop with Stopp Hatprat (NO)
14.15 – 15.15 DEMOCRACY Workshop with Hanaholmen (FI)
15.15 – 16.00 Fika (Break with a snack)
16.00 – 17.00 DISCOVERING Workshop with Ungt medborgerskap (NO)
16.00 – 17.00 DIGITAL Workshop Cybersecurity academy (SE)
16.00 – 17.00 DEMOCRACY Workshop with SAGA (DK)
17.00 – 17.15 Brief information
18.00 – 19.30 Anniversary dinner
20.00 – 22.00 Social activities
Sunday 01. November
07.30 – 09.00 Breakfast and check-out
09.00 – 10.30 Workshop with KI ungdom (NO)
10.30 – 10.45 Break
10.45 – 11.45 Round table discussion with Föreningen Norden (SE), Hanaholmen (FI), Elevorganisasjonen (NO), Raoul Wallenberg Differencemakers (SE), UN Woman (SE) and Voksenåsen (NO)
11.45 – 12.00 Picture time and goodbye!
12.00 – 13.00 Lunch
FAQ
Do I need a lot of experience to get in?
No! When reading the applications, we are looking at your motivation! This means that no matter the experience, we are looking for young people, who are motivated for a weekend of fun, new knowledge and new networks! If that sounds like you – we would love to see you there!
When will I know if I got in?
We will try to get the invitations out a month before the conference.
What if I do not get in?
We wish we could invite all, but unfortunatly we do not have unlimited spots. In case you do not get an invitation, you will be put on a waiting list. If still no luck – apply next year!
Is the conference alcohol free?
Yes! We do not wish to mix alcohol and a youth conference, and we hope that you respect that too. But fear not – you won’t even notice it!
Nordic Youth Conference is supported by:
