The Camden Conference announced that Unity Foundation, Unity, ME has offered the Conference a challenge grant of $15,000 in support of the 30^th Camden Conference in 2017: Refugees and Global Migration: Humanity’s Crisis. Founded in 2000, the Unity Foundation invests in building the capacity of nonprofits that serve both local and statewide needs.

Larry Sterrs, Unity Foundation CEO, notes “We view our support of The Camden Conference as a way to help our greater Maine populace, both adults and students, better understand world events. We’re fortunate to have such a well-respected nonprofit here in Maine.” One of Unity’s goals is to promote sustainability among nonprofits that reliably serve Maine communities. Sterrs points out that the relationship with The Camden Conference is one of the longest in Unity’s giving history, with 2017 marking 10 years of support.

After three decades, the Camden Conference now has programs that involve dozens of educational institutions and public libraries statewide in addition to its annual February event. An almost entirely volunteer driven organization, the Conference provides courses, lectures and other opportunities for Mainers to learn about and discuss the most important global issues.

Peter Imber, Camden Conference Board President, believes “The importance of engaging in what is happening in the world has become only more crucial since the Conference was founded. We are grateful for the strong partnership that we have with Unity Foundation as we continue to pursue our mission of providing opportunities to better understand the present and face the future.”

The 30th Anniversary Camden Conference, Refugees and Global Migration: Humanity’s Crisis, will be held February 17 – 19, 2017 at the Camden Opera House and will be live-streamed to the Strand Theatre in Rockland, UMO’s Hutchinson Center in Belfast and the USM campus in Portland.