It was the biggest thing I have done for many years. Thanks everybody who made this conference possible, and I would like to meet you all again in the future! (Jonas Darin – Sweden)

Only now I seem to be aware of everything that Connect was and did for me and all of us. An incredible time! I will surely never forget about this week that was far too short! (Jasper De Ryck)

Those six days were just awesome. When we were at the airport back to Holland, we all had the feeling to just go back to Dornach and hitchhike home some days later, just to be there for a little bit longer. Thanks to all the great people! (Marijn van der Loo – Netherlands)

I feel a bee buzzing
around my ear,
but suddenly it doesn't
make any sense. The noise
that would normally irritate
me is captured in a moment
of feeling the breeze that the
bee causes and tickles my ear
like a feather would do.
It is soft like a touch of
a lover. (Irene Kruijssen)

Seriously, that was so much cooler than I expected. I just have an urge to go to every country that was present at Dornach, and I will! (Simon van den Bogaerde)

I am a yellow flower with soft pink edges. I have been growing for years and my leaves and stem are strong. I am ready to be picked and enjoyed by the world. But instead, I am going to be replanted into a grey square box –  it is cramped and it adds a little greyness to my vibrant yellow …

What if I drink up my water every day, greet the bees every day, massage my roots every day? I’ll grow tall as the oak trees around me, and I’ll grown down deep into the ground and nobody will be able to pick me ever again. Staring at these oak feet all my life has made me sad – my pretty yellow is fading already ... I’ll do it. I'll do it! If I try hard enough, someday I'll grow tall and meet the leafy faces of the oaks, and I will tell them what it means to be picked, and they'll nod and try to understand. (Katie and Milla)

Photos: Moritz Anselmann

All you Connect Conference organisers/helpers/participants are such beautiful amazing and incredible people!
... will never forget ...
thank YOU everyone
Lots of Love from NZ
Xox0x (Camille Iona – Taikura Rudolf Steiner School, New Zealand)

She stood there
her toes deeply into the earth,
the roots of those around her
were caught up so deeply
into the earth
with its rituals, tiny insects chewing,
leaves playing with the wind
and sharp grass sshing, sshh
be quiet, keep calm, don’t move

all she wanted was to reach the river
to get into the water that’s always moving
so full of life

she slowly started to loosen her toes
secretly reaching towards the water
until she stood there
ready to dive …

standing there on the edge,
peering out over the water,
the whole fulcrum of the
sky – the whole starry firmament
reflected in the stillness and
waiting – one big sheet of
mirrored stars
innumerable in the black space that holds them –
the whole universe reflected
there – and her … her as bright and luminous as any
star – herself a star – already in the
water, already out of it, on the mirror, all –
hung up
in every space between. (Sigal and John)

I sit here and try to recall all the experiences that occurred during a jam-packed four days – it feels like one of those dreams which keep on coming back and making you smile. Was it true? Did it all happen? Or did I just make it up? But then I look around the YouthSection office and see all my awesome co-creators with that same distant smile … and then I know it did all happen. (Silvia Zuur)

Thanks to everybody who has made donations so far. As you can see, Connect Conference 2009 was a remarkable success. In order to break even, however, it needs a further 10,000 Swiss Francs. Donations can be made directly by clicking here. Every bit helps, and ensures the success of more Connect Conferences in the future.

Becoming Human Conference, Goetheanum: May 21–24.

Transition Town Conference, London: May 22–24.

Heartbeet Youth Conference, Vermont, USA: May 23 & 24.

The World & I Youth Conference, Denmark: May 30–June 1.

Youth Conference, Denver: June 12–14.

Young People's Festival, San Francisco: June 22–26.

Centre for Anthroposophy Renewal Courses, New Hampshire: June 28–July 3 & July 5–10.

Art, Culture and Sustainability Summer Program, Weimar, Germany: June 28–July 11.

Jump Youth Conference, Australia: July 5–10.

Think OutWord's 'Today's Global Crisis' Classes, Massachusetts: July 5–11.

New Zealand Youth Conference and Winter Celebration: July 7–9 (new date).

'360˚ Exploring Community' Summer Conference, Sweden: July 11–17.

International Painting Conference, Sydney, Australia: July 14–19.

'The Other's Face' Mini-Festival, Norway: July 25.

Engagement and Consciousness Intensive, Stuttgart, Germany: July 31–August 7.

Encircling Light - Expectant Silence Conference, Yukon, Canada: August 1–8. (Discounts may be available for youth – contact the organisers for information.)

Und Jetzt? / And Now? Conference, Potsdam, Germany: August 3–8.

Inner Transformation and Social Renewal Conference: August 8–11.

Natural Science Section Summer University: August 10–21.

First Mystery Drama and Conference, New York: August 12–16.

The Mercury Project, USA: August 30–October 5.

Nachhaltige Entwicklung, Goetheanum: September 4 & 5.

ECArTE Arts Therapies Conference, London: September 16–19.

Michaelmas Conference, Goetheanum: September 24–27.

WOW (Waldorf One World) Day: September 29.