Guided by our values, NAFSA uses its annual conferences to expand ongoing dialogue and create opportunities for constructive engagement in different cities and states across the United States. Our mission supports our members, students, and colleagues, ensuring we meet them wherever they live and work.
Given the size of our community, there are only a handful of U.S. cities feasible for our annual conference, and we must secure those locations contractually 5 to 7 years in advance. This means that our conference may be located in an area where there are actions, policies or laws that are not aligned with NAFSA’s core values: academic freedom, social justice, and respect for diverse viewpoints. We also recognize that, as a result, some public employees are restricted from traveling to these states.
While the reality is that political winds are constantly changing, at NAFSA we will take our values with us wherever we go. In partnership with local organizations in each host city, we use our platform and conference programming to affirm our commitment to constructive conversations, social justice, and DEI work through meaningful action. Creating space for differing perspectives and intercultural exchanges is at the heart of our work, and international educators are on the front lines, building bridges across campuses and communities. We must not allow our voices to be silenced, and we must support our members who live in places where content and discourse have been limited.