The 30th Session of the AFS Youth Assembly Participation Agreement: Terms & Conditions

AGREEMENT BETWEEN PARTICIPANT AND AFS INTERCULTURAL PROGRAMS

Each individual applying to participate in the 30th Session of The Youth Assembly taking place in New York on August 8 – 10 (“YA Program”) shall be bound by these terms and conditions (“Terms”), and these Terms shall form the agreement between AFS Intercultural Programs, Inc. (“AFS”) and each participant to the YA Program (“Participant” or “you”).

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING TERMS CAREFULLY BEFORE APPLYING FOR THE YA PROGRAM. By applying and/or registering for the YA Program, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms you may not be eligible to participate in the YA Program. You also represent and warrant that you are of legal age to agree to these Terms and that all registration information you submit is accurate and truthful. AFS may, in its sole discretion, refuse to offer the YA Program services to any person and change its eligibility criteria at any time. This provision is void where prohibited by law and the right to access the YA Programs is revoked in such jurisdictions.

A. APPLICATION AND PAYMENT TERMS

Spaces for the YA Program are limited. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis by AFS staff or AFS’s officially designated representatives. Admission is based on the following YA Program eligibility criteria:

Individual applicants must be at least 18 years old at the time of the start of the program. AFS may authorize younger groups of Participants if chaperoned by AFS affiliated member organizations or other duly vetted organizations.
Before attending the YA Program in New York, you must secure an appropriate visa and have completed any health requirements set by the United States, State of New York and City of New York. It is the sole responsibility of the Participant to secure the appropriate visa needed to attend the YA Program. AFS may issue an invitation to apply letter, or a letter confirming acceptance as a AFS Youth Assembly Delegate for the purposes of supporting a visa interview. AFS is not able to support the applicant or delegate in any other way during their visa application and interview scheduling process.
Participants must comply with current health protocols and rules of relevant venues.

At the time of your application to the YA Program, you will be asked to pay a registration fee (“Registration Fee”). The early-bird amount for the Registration Fee is USD $350 for individuals registering by October 1, 2024. After this deadline, the registration website will display the relevant deadlines for the regular (USD $450, November 1 – May 31, 2025), and late (USD $550, June 1 – August 1, 2025). Registration Fees may be changed at any given time until the registration period is closed.

It is possible to submit an individual application or a group application for groups of five (5) individuals or more. See delegation partner webpage for more group requirements.

No application will be processed and completed before receiving the applicable Registration Fee.

For applicants whose program application is rejected, the Registration Fee will be refunded.

For accepted applicants (those that receive a written notice from AFS that their application has been accepted) the Registration Fee is non-refundable and non-transferable, except as provided herein.

B. CANCELLATION BY PARTICIPANT

The Registration Fee is non-transferable (you cannot transfer it to another person, or to a future edition of the Youth Assembly) and, except as provided below, it is non-refundable in the event of cancellation by the Participant for any circumstances and reasons whatsoever. These circumstances and reasons may include, but are not to be limited to, medical conditions, family conditions, impossibility to travel due to Covid restrictions or any other government restriction, issues related to visa applications, etc. Upon submitting application forms and paying the Registration Fee, AFS reviews, processes, and may accept those applications. In return for this service, accepted applicants may not request a refund or credit or dispute the charges before, during, and after the YA Program, except for receiving partial refunds of the Registration Fee as listed below

Date of Written Cancellation Notice by Accepted Applicant	Available Refund Per Person
On or before December 31, 2024 (12am EST time)	100% of Registration Fee
On or before April 30 2025 (12am EST time)	50% of Registration Fee
After May 1, 2025 (12am EST time)	No refunds available

Note: Written Cancellation Notice has to be provided as follows: write an email to [email protected] with the subject “Cancel Registration”, informing your full name, registration ID, and email address used in your application. We will also ask you to briefly describe the reason for canceling the reservation if you agree to share that with us (optional).

C. CANCELLATION BY AFS

AFS may cancel the in-person YA Program at any time if it determines that it is not possible to hold the in-person event due to circumstances beyond its control, including but not limited to acts of God, strikes, riots, natural disasters, pandemic, war, crime, sickness, threats of terrorism per US Department of State Advisories, governmental acts or omissions, changes in laws or regulations or other events that AFS determines would result in unsafe travel conditions or would not allow AFS to safely offer the YA Program services in-person. In this case the Registration Fee is non-refundable. AFS will provide an online alternative format for the YA Program, the schedule and log in information will be shared with YA Participants after notice of cancellation of the in-person YA Program. YA Participants that wish to attend the online Youth Assembly format will be responsible to have the adequate technical equipment required to join, including access a computer, smartphone or other digital device with an integrated webcam and mic plus a stable internet connection to take part in the online live sessions and other content that may be made available.

D. TERMINATION

AFS can terminate the participation of any Participant in the YA Program if AFS or its agents or representatives deem said Participant to be detrimental to the YA Program or to the reputation of AFS itself. In this case the Registration Fee is not-refundable and AFS shall have no responsibility for any expenses incurred by any such Participant. AFS reserves the right to expel any Participant for disruptive behavior at any point during the YA Program as deemed appropriate by on-site AFS staff and volunteers (or online moderators in the case of online Youth Assembly format). All consequential costs of Participant expulsion shall be borne by the Participant without recourse to refund of unused YA Program benefits.

E. MODIFICATION OF AGREEMENT & SUBSTITUTIONS

AFS reserves the right to modify these Terms, including the YA Program services and costs, if AFS’s anticipated expenses are affected by unforeseen monetary fluctuations, changes in costs of services and accommodations, changes in transportation tariffs, or other circumstances beyond the control of AFS. In this event, AFS shall provide notice as soon as practicable to the Participant. If such changes result in a Fee increase that exceeds 10% of the YA Program Fee, the Participant may cancel the contract and request to receive a refund of the payments made by the Participant to AFS, minus any out of pocket expenses paid by or to be paid by AFS.

F. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

In the event that YA Program meeting venues, activities, conference agenda, or any other parts or all of the YA Program are changed, delayed, postponed, canceled or otherwise not provided, AFS’s liability is limited to the provision of such substitute or supplementary venues, and/or services as can be secured or provided at no additional cost to AFS. AFS shall have no responsibility in refunding to the YA Participant due to such change, nor for any expense that may be incurred by the Participant due to such changes. AFS may refund to the YA Participant any amount that AFS is able to obtain as a refund from the service provider for the lost services.

IN NO EVENT WILL AFS OR ITS AFFILIATES OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY BE LIABLE TO THE YA PARTICIPANT FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, EXEMPLARY, PUNITIVE OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING ANY LOSSES RELATING TO PARTICIPANT, SUCH AS LOST DATA, LOST PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, OR LOST SAVINGS. SOME STATES OR JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE TOTAL LIABILITY TO THE YA PARTICIPANT (WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) EXCEED THE FEE PAID BY THE YA PARTICIPANT FOR THE YA PROGRAM.

G. PROPERTY DAMAGE

AFS shall not be responsible for any property belonging to the YA Participant that is lost or damaged during the course of the YA Program. Further, the Participant understands that he/she is responsible for, and shall indemnify AFS against, any and all claims made against AFS, its agents and representatives, for damage to property caused by any Participant during the YA Program.

H. CREDIT

Participant agrees to credit AFS prominently in any publicity, brochures, films, videotapes, exhibitions, visual materials, or other materials that the Participant may be authorized by AFS to produce or distribute in connection with the YA Program. Such credit shall be listed or mentioned separately from any other recognition of support, e.g., “This photo/video was taken during The AFS Youth Assembly, a project of AFS Intercultural Programs, Inc.”

I. WAIVER OF LIABILITY

Participant agrees that AFS shall not be responsible for, and Participant hereby waives any claim against AFS for, and releases AFS from, any liability of any nature whatsoever for loss (including additional expenses caused by delays and/or changes in meeting venues, activities, conference agenda or other services), damages (including consequential damages), or injury to property or persons due to any cause whatsoever, including, without limitation, any act, omission or negligence of any hotel, airline, bus company, railroad or owners or contractors providing accommodations or other services, occurring during the duration of the YA Program, except for claims based on the willful misconduct and/or gross negligence of AFS. Nor shall AFS be responsible for any loss, cost, damage, injury, delay or expense arising from acts of God, strikes, weather, war, civil disorder, crime, sickness, pandemics, or other events beyond the control of AFS and any loss or expense arising from the above contingencies shall be borne by the Participant involved.

J. INDEMNIFICATION

In connection with the YA Program and the conduct thereof, Participant agrees to indemnify and hold AFS, and its agents, affiliates, officers, employees, volunteers and directors (the “Indemnified Party”) harmless from and against any and all loss, liability, claim, suit or demand, including reasonable attorney’s fees arising there from, which may be asserted against the Indemnified party by any person or organization on account of the Participant’s involvement with the YA Program, except if such loss, liability, claim, suit or demand is based on AFS’s willful misconduct and/or gross negligence.

K. CHOICE OF LAW

These Terms and their performance shall be governed by and in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, exclusive of any choice of law rules, and that law shall be applicable to the merits of any dispute between the parties.

L. ARBITRATION

All disputes arising in connection with these Terms shall be settled under the Rules of the American Arbitration Association. The place of arbitration shall be in New York City. The arbitration shall be conducted in English. No consequential, punitive or incidental damages shall be awarded to the parties by the members of any arbitration tribunal hearing a case in respect to this Agreement.

M. AGREEMENT

This Agreement, along with the notice of payment schedule, encompasses the entire agreement of the parties, and supersedes all previous understandings and agreements between the parties, whether oral or written.

Last Updated: August 18, 2024

THE AFS YOUTH ASSEMBLY

A PROJECT OF AFS INTERCULTURAL PROGRAMS, INC.