By Dr. Anastasia Aldelina Lijadi – Vice President FIGT
When the Families in Global Transition Forum 2026 officially ended, it didn’t really end. The awe of it lingered—for days. Long after the laptops were closed and calendars suddenly had space again, many of us found ourselves replaying moments, conversations, and faces in our minds. There was excitement from new connections made across continents, surprise at how deeply some sessions resonated, gratitude for being understood without overexplaining—and, yes, a bone deep exhaustion that comes only after something meaningful has been fully lived.
The post-conference blues set in quietly, accompanied by a strange mix of emotions: exhilaration and overwhelm; pride and disbelief; inspiration; and the sudden absence of constant momentum. For two full days, the Families in Global Transition Forum 2026 pulsed with energy—voices overlapping across time zones, ideas sparking in chat windows, and a collective curiosity that felt almost tangible. And then, just like that, it was silent. Yet the silence was not empty. It was full—full of ideas still settling, relationships just beginning, perspectives newly shifted. Many of us felt that peculiar, almost emotional whiplash that follows an intense shared experience: thrilled by what had unfolded, surprised by its depth, slightly dazed by the pace, and undeniably grateful to have been part of something so alive.
Together, we connected with over 70 people across more than 20 countries and countless lived experiences, challenged our assumptions, stretched our thinking, and co-created the premier online conference for globally mobile individuals and professionals. Being surrounded—virtually—by so many likeminded people reminded us of something essential: when spaces are intentionally designed for inclusion, curiosity, and care, the impact doesn’t end when the session does. It carries forward, quietly and persistently, shaping the days that follow.
What’s easy to forget, in those quiet moments after the Forum, is just how much thoughtful, intentional work led us there.
The Work Before the Applause
The journey began nine months earlier with the call for proposals. Developing it meant asking big questions: Whose voices need to be heard? What conversations feel urgent right now? What perspectives have historically been missing? To honor those questions, we assembled a deliberately diverse group of proposal readers—representing different regions, professional backgrounds, lived experiences, disciplines, and identities. This wasn’t incidental; it was foundational. Inclusion doesn’t happen by accident—it happens by design.
What followed was both humbling and exhilarating. The quality of proposals was extraordinarily high. Choosing meant not ranking “good” versus “bad,” but carefully curating balance: research and practice, personal narrative and theory, familiar voices, and new perspectives. We also invited feedback from readers and committee members, challenging ourselves to look again, ask deeper questions, and ensure alignment with the Forum’s values of equity, accessibility, and impact.
Once sessions were selected, the real choreography began. Developing presenter and moderator guidelines—clear but human—was essential. Dedicated Q&A alignment sessions helped set shared expectations around tone, audience engagement, and the art of time discipline (a global skill still in development). These conversations built trust, confidence, and consistency—ensuring that behind every session was a common understanding, even as each voice remained distinct.
From Vision to Living Agenda
Constructing the agenda felt like storytelling with a stopwatch. Each session had to belong where it landed, flow thematically, and honor participant energy across time zones. Communication outreach followed—emails, posts, reminders, and gentle nudges—inviting a global audience into the experience, while hoping algorithms would be kind.
Speakers and moderators then finetuned their sessions—sometimes trimming a beloved slide, sometimes redesigning entirely—to ensure active participation rather than passive listening. Workshops were intentionally crafted to invite reflection, dialogue, creative expression, and lived experience from attendees. These were not sessions at people, but sessions with them.
Behind the scenes, a minute-by-minute technical rundown emerged—complete with backups for backups. Hosting a live online forum for ten hours across two days meant juggling platforms, transitions, breakout rooms, captions, chat moderation, timing cues, emergencies (minor and imaginary), and the steady reassurance: we’ve got this.
Two Days, Fully Alive
Day One launched with clarity and energy, guided by an engaging emcee who anchored the day with warmth and momentum. Thought-provoking keynotes and interactive workshops invited participants to actively explore communication across difference—through compassion, creativity, research, and emerging technologies—supported by surprising moments of art, awe, reflection, and mindful pause.
Day Two deepened the conversation, weaving together personal stories, complex identities, and global experiences of belonging, family, and faith. Highly engaging workshops continued to invite movement, dialogue, introspection, and collective meaning making—proving that even online, participation can feel alive and shared.
Between sessions, background music accompanied coffee breaks—small but intentional moments that created rhythm, transition, and a sense of togetherness. Networking sessions, remarkably well-attended despite full days of programming, offered space to connect informally, share stories, and remind us that community doesn’t end when a session does.
The People Who Made It Possible
None of this happened alone. The Forum exists because of an extraordinary group of dedicated volunteers and committee members—people who gave time, expertise, emotional labor, and quiet problem-solving without expectation of recognition. Their collaboration, patience, humor, and care carried the Forum through its most complex moments and its most joyful ones.
So yes, the post-conference blues are real. But they are softened by gratitude. By pride in what was built together. By laughter at what almost went wrong—and didn’t. And by the deep knowing that for two days, across the world, people showed up with openness and intention to talk across divides.
And that feeling? That’s what makes us ready to do it all again.
Anastasia Lijadi is an Indonesian Psychologist renowned for her work on Third Culture Kids (TCK). She pursued her doctorate at the University of Macau and received awards from the International Institute of Qualitative Methods and the International Congress of Psychology. She serves as the Associate Editor for The International Journal of School & Educational Psychology and contributes to the Journal of Psychological Research. Her research was recognized by Ruth van Reken and featured in the book "TCK: The Experience of Growing Up Among Worlds". Currently residing in Austria, she's raising two TCKs and working on developing new human well-being indicators. Anastasia is deeply involved with FIGT, where she serves as its current vice president and was its research and education director from 2019 to 2022.
