National Conference
NC
The National Conference (NC) is the yearly membership meeting of YFU Switzerland. This is the moment, when the Board and the National Director inform it’s highest body, the membership meeting, about the actions they have taken during the year. This is also the moment, when overarching decisions are taken and new board-members are elected. Although there is a legal aspect to this event, the NC is always coupled with a social event, where volunteers, alumni, supporters and friends of YFU meet and enjoy each other’s company.
National Conference 2026
When
24. January 2026
14:00
Arrival
14:30
Start Membership Meeting
Sign up
All members of Youth for Understanding Switzerland are invited to participate in the National Conference.
Sign up closes on the 9th of January 2026.
Dear YFU Switzerland Members and Friends ,
As the new Chair of YFU Switzerland I would like to express my sincere gratitude for your support—whether through active participation, financial contributions, or moral encouragement. YFU would not be what it is today without you.
It is my pleasure to invite you to the National Conference 2026, which will take place on January 24, 2026 at the PROGR in Bern.
- Visa hurdles for the U.S. tested our resilience, but thanks to collaboration with our international partners andIntermundo departures went smoothly.
- Volunteers shone brighter than ever—especially in the Romandie, stepping up during the extended absence of our Romandie Program Coordinator.
- Our Local Coordinator model in German-speaking Switzerland proved its strength, leading to improved processes and exciting new initiatives!
The year ahead will bring new challenges once again. I invite all members, volunteers, friends, supporters, and staff of YFU to face them together and continue contributing to our shared mission—helping as many young people as possible experience life in another culture. Personally, I still draw on the experiences I had during my own exchange and in my various roles within YFU!
I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the National Conference. After the official part, we’ll have plenty of time to chat and reconnect over apéro and dinner.
Whether you’re a long-time member, an active volunteer, a former host family, a returnee, or someone discovering YFU for the first time, I’m genuinely excited to spend this day with you. Let’s fill PROGR with ideas, inspiration, and the unmistakable YFU spirit.
Don’t forget to sign up by January 9th, 2026!
See you there!
Warm regards,
Marco Hunziker
Chair of YFU Switzerland
Invitation to the National Conference 2026
Fiscal Year
10.2024 — 09.2025
You are cordially invited to YFU Switzerland’s National Conference 2026 which takes place
Date
Saturday, January 24th, 2026
Location
PROGR
Kleine Bühne
Waisenhausplatz 30
3011 Bern
The room Kleine Bühne is on the 1st floor in the PROGR right above the café bar Lehrerzimmer.
Access to the Kleine Bühne is via the inner courtyard. On the east side, there is a wooden door (PROGR OST) leading to a staircase equipped with a wheelchair lift. In the entrance hall on the intermediate floor on the right, there is a passenger lift that takes you to the first floor. From here, the Kleine Bühne (on the right) is accessible without any thresholds.
Arrival by train
PROGR is located only 6 minutes away from the train station in Bern. Exiting the train station towards the Bollwerk will take you straight to the city centre and PROGR.
Arrival by car
The closest parkhouses are Metro-Autopark or BERN Parking, both on Waisenhausplatz, right next to PROGR. There are no parking spaces from the PROGR.
Schedule
14:00
Arrival
14:30
Membership Meeting starts – National Conference 2026
17:00
Apéro
18:00
Dinner
21:00
Open evening
Agenda
1
Welcome and Opening
Marco Hunziker, Chair
2
Minutes of the National Conference 2025*
Marco Hunziker, Chair
3
Board’s and National Director’s Annual Report
Various Board Members
Nicole Litschgi, National Director
4
Financial Statement,
Auditor’s Report Fiscal Year 2024/25*
Oiliver Meili, Chair Finance Committee
5
Discharge of Board Members
Selina Bruderer
6
Board Membership Changes*
Marco Hunziker, Chair
7
Farewell of exiting Board Members:
Joël Floris
Marco Hunziker, Chair
8
Re-election of current Board Member:
Nomination Committee
9
Presentation and election of new Board Member(s):
Gaëtan Roux
Laura Furlanetto
Nomination Committee
8
Budget for 2025/2026
Oliver Meili, Chair Finance Committee
9
Outlook 2026
Nicole Litschgi, National Director
10
Motions (if any presented)
Marco Hunziker, Chair
11
Miscellaneous
(anything can be brought up but not voted on)
Marco Hunziker, Chair
* Additional information for all agenda items marked with an asterisk
Documents
Any additional information about the Conference as well as the following documents will be uploaded below as of January 13th, 2026.
Item 2
Minutes of the National Conference 2025
Item 4
Financial Statement, Auditor’s Report Fiscal Year 2024/25
Item 6
Documents of the candidates for Board Membership
Please note: No printed versions of these documents will be available at the National Conference!
Motions
To be considered, any motions or additional nominations for Board elections (through written recommendation by ten members of YFU Switzerland) must be submitted to the Board (board@yfu.ch) no later than December 27th, 2025 (4 weeks prior to the National Conference).
YFU Membership
Returnees 2024-2025, former Host Families 2024-2025 as well as active volunteers and staff are automatically members of YFU Switzerland. Anyone else becomes a member by paying a membership fee, which, following a decision by the National Conference 2020, amounts to CHF 80.- per year.
Anyone willing to become/stay a member is invited to send their membership fees to
YFU Schweiz
Alpenstr. 24
3006 Bern
IBAN CH42 3000 5227 9620 8779 0.
Travel Refund
The ½-price ticket for public transport to Bern will be reimbursed to members on a voluntary basis. Amounts not collected will be considered as a donation to YFU Switzerland.