Nearly 1,000 young adults from more than 30 countries came together in Norway during August 2025 for the 59th annual Festinord conference.
The event, hosted by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Oslofjord Convention Center in Sandefjord, Norway, invited young adults ages 18-35 to experience faith, friendship and spiritual growth, reported the Church’s Europe Newsroom.
Festinord has become a “key annual gathering” for young Christians across Europe and beyond, ChurchofJesusChrist.org reported. And this year’s theme, “Part of His Crew,” encouraged participants to recognize their divine identities and their roles in God’s work.
Each day of the weeklong event began with a devotional led by guest speakers, including Elder Kevin W. Pearson, General Authority Seventy and the Church’s Europe North Area president, and his wife, Sister June Pearson, who spoke about divine identity and the importance of belonging.
Elder Mark Dundon, an Area Seventy in Norway, focused on how the gospel — and specifically the Atonement of Jesus Christ — can bring lasting change and personal transformation.
“The Savior and His Atonement are not just there for those who transgress and need to be forgiven,” Elder Dundon said. “The Savior is also there for those who are victims — of the consequences and choices caused by other people’s actions — to be healed.”
Besides devotionals, young adults at Festinord participated in service projects to support emergency aid workers and children in need.
They also enjoyed a variety of physical and social activities, including Zumba, ax throwing, archery, dances and musical performances.
My Helles, a participant from Sweden, said Festinord is an uplifting experience because “you meet friends, you get to feel the Spirit and feel our Savior’s love, and you reconnect spiritually and feel the love of Christ.”
Leah Evensen, a participant from Norway, said choosing to attend Festinord was a “no-brainer.”
“It’s fun to get to know new people and just be social, while knowing that there’s an opportunity to build on my faith because there are spiritual activities, too,” she said. “I get to do all the things I want to do, both socially and spiritually.”
Festinord dates back to 1934, when young Latter-day Saints in Sweden began holding annual gatherings.
Following World War II, the conference was reestablished and grew to include neighboring Nordic nations. In 1966, the conference was renamed Festinord, and Nordic nations began alternating the responsibility of hosting the event on an annual basis.
