From SITAR to Young SIETAR

The story of Young SIETAR begins with the wider SIETAR movement — a global community born from the social change and intercultural ideals of the 1960s.

1968 – Planting the Seed

At a Peace Corps training conference in Estes Park, Colorado, intercultural trainers, researchers, and educators came together to share ideas. For the first time, they imagined a professional society dedicated to intercultural learning and exchange.

1974 – SITAR to SIETAR

That idea became reality in 1974, when SITAR (the Society for Intercultural Training and Research) was formally established in Washington, D.C. Soon renamed SIETAR — to include Education — the Society created a forum for trainers, researchers, and practitioners to exchange knowledge and strengthen both theory and practice in intercultural communication.

1980s–1990s – Going Global

The vision quickly spread beyond the United States. SIETAR International was founded in 1982, followed by national and regional groups worldwide: SIETAR Japan (1985), SIETAR Europa (1991), SIETAR USA (1999), and many others. By the mid-1990s, SIETAR had become a network of communities sharing a global perspective while rooted in local cultures.

1994 – The Birth of Young SIETAR

Within this growing movement, younger members imagined a space of their own. In 1994, Young SIETAR was founded as a volunteer-driven, independent network for students and early-career professionals. Its mission: to create an open, welcoming community where curiosity, playfulness, and intercultural learning could flourish without hierarchy.

2005 – First TOIT

Young SIETAR launched its first Training of Intercultural Trainers (TOIT) in 2005. This immersive program became a signature tradition, offering emerging trainers a safe environment to practice, experiment, and grow.

2010s – Expanding Connections

As the network grew, so did its reach. Online spaces, global partnerships, and new initiatives like the Training Library and Virtual Cafés connected members across continents.

2020 – Staying Connected Online

The global pandemic forced everything online. Young SIETAR adapted quickly, creating digital spaces to keep its community active, connected, and inspired.

Today – A Global Network

Today, Young SIETAR is one of the largest intercultural youth networks in the world, with members in 70+ countries. From its grassroots beginnings, it has grown into a thriving, international community — still volunteer-led, still open to all, and still committed to keeping intercultural learning alive, playful, and powerful.