Building Connections, Expanding Possibilities: Reflections from GELYDA 2026

By Denise Montgomery, CultureThrive and Global Centre for Creative Youth Development

Conferences typically expand our knowledge; the best ones also expand our sense of what is possible. The 2026 GELYDA International Conference in Seoul did both.

The conference's success was shaped in important ways by the thoughtful leadership and gracious hospitality of Professor Sang Hoon Bae, Provost of Sungkyunkwan University and Chair of the conference. Together with conference Co-Chair Dr. Gil Noam, colleagues from GELYDA, the Education and Future Institute, and the Korean After-School Study Association, he created a gathering that extended well beyond the formal academic program. The conference organizers fostered an environment where knowledge was shared generously, relationships were intentionally cultivated, and our global community of youth development and extended education professionals grew stronger.

Professor Bae wrote before the conference that his hope was to create opportunities for participants to "build new connections, share experiences across contexts, and continue conversations that extend beyond the conference itself." Looking back, I believe that aspiration was fully realized.

From the moment we arrived, many of us found ourselves struck by the setting. Sungkyunkwan University, with its remarkable 628-year history, is much more than a beautiful campus. Walking its grounds, we were reminded of the generations of scholars who have studied there—asking questions, generating new ideas, and building on the knowledge of those who came before them. It was an inspiring reminder that the work we do today is part of a long tradition of learning, inquiry, and service.

I was honored to deliver one of the conference keynotes, sharing the emerging field of creative youth development with colleagues from around the world. The warmth with which the presentation was received—and the interest in creative youth development from researchers, practitioners, and policymakers at GELYDA 2026—was both energizing and encouraging. The conversations that followed reinforced my belief that creativity is increasingly being recognized as an essential dimension of young people's engagement in learning, well-being, and future flourishing.

The conference itself reflected the richness of an international learning community. Presentations explored civic engagement, belonging, extended education, after-school systems, artificial intelligence, policy, and practice from diverse cultural perspectives. Robust virtual participation, including a symposium of presentations by colleagues at UNESCO, further broadened the conversation and underscored the global nature of our shared work.

The graduate students from Sungkyunkwan University were another memorable part of the conference. Bright, energetic, and welcoming, they played an integral role in the conference, and I especially enjoyed getting to know them through conversations about their individual research interests. Their curiosity and enthusiasm were infectious. I look forward to seeing these young scholars and emerging leaders present their work at future GELYDA conferences and to following their contributions to the field in the years ahead.

As with any great conference, some of the most memorable moments happen beyond the formal presentations—in the conversations, connections, and shared experiences that bring colleagues together. During the conference dinner at DOORE at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, we enjoyed an artfully presented meal featuring Korean cuisine. After mingling with participants from Japan before dinner, I found myself seated between colleagues from Iceland and Australia. Over dinner, we exchanged stories, learned more about one another's work and lives, and discovered some common questions in our research and practice. This experience embodied one of the conference's greatest strengths: bringing together people who share a commitment to supporting young people to flourish through extended education and youth development.

Throughout the conference, I was reminded that our field is both wonderfully diverse and deeply connected. We approach youth development through different policies, cultures, and educational systems, yet we are united by common questions. How do we create environments where young people develop agency? How do we foster belonging, civic engagement, creativity, and well-being? How do schools, communities, families, and youth-serving organizations work together to expand opportunities for all young people?

The value of an international community is that it brings perspectives shaped by different contexts into conversation with one another. Through that exchange, we see our own work differently—questioning assumptions, learning from approaches developed elsewhere, and gaining new perspectives on how we can better support young people in our own countries and communities.

I came away from Seoul with new knowledge, fresh perspectives, and new questions to carry forward. I was especially energized by the innovative work happening around the world and by the generosity of colleagues who shared their ideas and experiences. The relationships that began at GELYDA 2026 will, I hope, continue to develop, along with the dialogue that opened up new possibilities for what we can learn and accomplish together. I look forward to seeing where that dialogue leads and to carrying the curiosity and sense of connection I experienced in Seoul into the work ahead.