The 2014 YJA Convention will be held at the Crystal Gateway Marriott from July 3-6, 2014. The site has been reserved for the Convention attendees and guests and will be appropriately prepared for a safe Jain-friendly environment.
Convention attendees must be between the ages of 14-29 as of the first day of the Convention. Each attendee must provide proof of their date of birth upon check-in.
We will cover topics such as Jain philosophy, culture, knowledge, global impact, leadership, school and careers, spiritual development, interfaith dialogues, and community contributions through discussions, panels, debates and interactive sessions.
Speakers from around the world with a variety of backgrounds will be invited to the Convention to cover a diverse range of topics. Please check back in May for a complete list of speakers and session topics.
This year’s Convention will be featuring traditional YJA nighttime activities such as the garba, talent battle, and the formal. There will also be “track specific” nighttime events targeted specifically towards high school/college attendees or Jain Networking Forum (JNF) attendees. There will be a Candyland Mixer as well as a Boardwalk and Afterglow Mixer for the high school and college attendees.
Jain Networking Forum is a track for attendees ranging from ages 21–29 that brings together young professionals for social, spiritual, and professional development.
Attendees who have graduated from college (undergrad) should register for JNF. Attendees who are 4th year college students who will be 21 before July 3, 2014 have the option to register for either JNF or the college track.
Please contact reghelp@yja.org if you have a disability and will be needing additional assistance. Please let us know your situation so we can do our best to accommodate your needs accordingly.
Adult volunteers will be chaperones and will be helping throughout the Convention. If you are an adult or know an adult who would like to get involved, please contact volunteer@yja.org.
Please fill out the 2014 YJA Volunteer Interest Form if you would like to volunteer to help during the actual Convention. We ask that only adults ages 30 and older volunteer because anyone between the ages of 14-29 we would want to attend the Convention. Youth can get involved by helping to fundraise (fundraising.dc@yja.org) and helping to publicize the Convention (pr.dc@yja.org).
Volunteers will be necessary to make this a successful Convention! Any amount of time, from four hours to the length of the entire Convention, will help us make everything run smoothly. Some of the areas that we will need volunteers are to transport people to and from the Convention, register attendees as they arrive, help for security, set up sessions and evening events, as well as assist speakers. Volunteers for this Convention cannot be between the ages of 14-29. If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out the 2014 YJA Volunteer Interest Form and we will contact you during the months of April-May for further instructions. For any further questions, feel free to contact us at volunteer@yja.org.
Please bring your driver’s license or other government issued ID (passports are acceptable as well). If you don’t have one, please bring your high school or college ID. Your ID must have your name as you have registered for the Convention, as well as your birth date and a photo of you.
Click Here for the Convention Dress Code
We expect that all of our attendees will conduct themselves in a polite, professional manner. To that end, YJA enforce a strict dress code during the Convention in order to foster our professional image. Our guidelines on appropriate attire are designed to promote a more productive, enjoyable social environment, while maintaining the high level of respect for speakers, for which our organization is known for. We recommend wearing event appropriate attire throughout the Convention. Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact info@yja.org.
High School (those in high school or entering high school in Fall 2014); College (those in college or entering college in Fall 2014); and JNF (ages 21-29). Note: College seniors who will be 21 by July 3, 2014 can choose between college or JNF.
The registration fee includes accommodations, meals and access to all the activities for the 4-day event. Also included is transportation to and from DCA (Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport) and IAD (Washington Dulles International Airport), as well as a souvenir bag filled with keepsakes such as Jain literature, a list of vegetarian/vegan friendly restaurants, a Convention t-shirt and other unique souvenir items.
To provide each attendee with hotel accommodations, meals, and the opportunity to attend sessions and social events, the actual total cost per person is $400.00 for HS/college students and $440.00 for JNF attendees. YJA works very hard in fundraising during the year to help subsidize each attendee's cost of attendance by $105.00. We would greatly appreciate it if you could help YJA by choosing the "Unsubsidized" pricing option at the time of payment. This would help us raise the money we need to ensure YJA remains affordable for as many potential attendees as possible.
Please e-mail reghelp@yja.org to cancel your registration. All cancellations regardless of reasons prior to May 14, 2014 will be entitled to 50% refund of all collected fee amount. Cancellations after May 14, 2014 will be entitled to 25% refund of all collected fee amount. Absolutely no refunds for cancellations shall be given after June 18, 2014 regardless of reasons.
For those that would like to attend but are in need of financial assistance, please download and complete the Financial Assistance Form and e-mail it to chairs.dc@yja.org. Financial assistance is limited and will be awarded on a first-come first-served basis until our allocation is exhausted.
Check-in will begin at 11:00am on July 3rd and continue throughout the day. It is recommended that attendees arrive as early as possible for the chance to experience opening day activities as well as meet and mingle with old and new friends.
Attendees arriving to DCA (Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport) can take a hotel shuttle that will be running in intervals, picking up attendees from DCA and dropping off attendees at Crystal Gateway Marriott. Limited transportation will be provided from IAD (Washington Dulles International Airport). No transportation will be provided from BWI (Baltimore–Washington International Airport). Attendees can also arrive at the Crystal Gateway Marriott by taking the Blue Line or Yellow Line to the Crystal City Metro Station of the Washington, D.C. Metro. For anyone driving, please note that only paid parking is available at the hotel.
Delicious Jain food will be served for the duration of the Convention. This includes a variety of cuisines ranging from Mexican to Italian to Indian. No onions, potatoes, root vegetables, meats, or animal byproducts will be distributed or used to prepare the meals. A vegan diet option will also be available (the attendee must specify this at the time of registration or contact reghelp@yja.org).