The 2026 National Young Adult League Conference has reached capacity across all three registration tiers ahead of its July 1 to 5 gathering at the Cleveland Marriott Downtown at Key Tower in Cleveland, Ohio. The conference is a parallel young-adult gathering held during the same week as the 48th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress, with participants joining selected sessions of the Congress.
The conference is organized by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministries, known as Y2AM, together with the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Pittsburgh. It is designed for Orthodox Christian young adults ages 18 to 35.
This year’s theme is “Rise and Build: Claim Your Calling,” echoing the Clergy-Laity Congress theme, “Rise and Build,” drawn from Nehemiah 2:18. The theme focuses on parish life and the question of how young adults can serve more fully in the Church, not only as participants, but as people with gifts and responsibilities.
The schedule follows the four pillars of YAL ministry: worship, witness, service, and fellowship. The week begins Wednesday evening with registration and a welcome reception at the hotel. On Thursday, participants will join portions of the Clergy-Laity Congress, including keynote addresses, sessions, and lunch, before taking part in the Diakonia Project, from the Greek word for service or ministry.
Friday begins with Orthros, or morning prayer, followed by workshop sessions and a sand volleyball event. Later in the day, participants will gather for Paraklesis, a prayer service of supplication, before an evening banquet connected with Hellenic College Holy Cross, the Greek Orthodox college and seminary in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Saturday moves from Orthros and breakfast into a question-and-answer session with Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, followed by two workshop sessions and a Ministry Pavilion. The day ends with an off-site evening gathering expected to coincide with Cleveland’s Independence Day fireworks over Lake Erie during America’s 250th anniversary weekend.
The conference concludes Sunday with Orthros and a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy celebrated by Archbishop Elpidophoros, followed by a conference photo and a grab-and-go brunch or lunch before departure.
All three registration tiers, now marked full, are listed as Early Bird Registration at $370, Main Registration at $395, and “Greek Time” Registration at $425. The name of the final tier appears to play on the familiar Greek community joke about running behind schedule, but the page does not explain what distinguishes that tier beyond the price.
The fee covers admission to scheduled events, meals listed on the schedule, and transportation between official conference venues. Hotel rooms, airfare, and transportation to and from the hotel are not included. A hotel room block is provided after registration, and Delta Air Lines and United Airlines are offering airfare discounts for the conference.
Participants must register for the full weekend package. A government-issued photo ID and proof of age are required at check-in, and registration fees are listed as non-refundable and non-transferable.