20 Visitors from multiple countries will be coming to make professional connections in San Diego examining the role of arts education in encouraging young people, both at-risk and not risk, to act as responsible and engaged members of society.They will explore the geographic, ethnic, and religious diversity of the U.S. population and how innovative arts programming can be instrumental in encouraging community stability, managing conflicts, developing youth leadership and conflict resolution skills, addressing personal and community healing, and promoting cross cultural understanding.They will also illustrate the role of performing arts as it relates to constitutionally guaranteed free speech and expression and its power and potential to shape contemporary values and build civil society and explore the diversity of roots of distinct American genres of music, art, and theater and their role in creating and reflecting a dynamic social system.