The first connections of ISLI 2026

ISLI always begins long before the opening session. This year, the very first connections were made at the train station. The students from Albert-Einstein-Gymnasium Buchholz were already joking: they wanted to take the “Swedish train” and waited on platform 4 in Koblenz to welcome the Swedish participants arriving via Oberwesel. Leadership sometimes starts with simply waiting together.

From there, the climb began. Up the hill to what we proudly (and traditionally) call “Hotel Oberwesel.” For over 40 years, this uphill walk has marked the real start of ISLI — a small physical challenge before a week full of intellectual ones.

The Belgians arrived by car, as usual, making their traditional stop at McDonald’s for some last-minute energy. The Dutch students from Peellandcollege travelled by train, playing cards along the way. Different countries, different routes — but one shared destination.

And just like that, ISLI had already started.