International Coordinators Meeting 2024
Welcome to the website for the International Coordinators Meeting.
The International Coordinators Meeting (ICM) will take place in May 2024 in San Jose, Costa Rica. The IEC hopes that as many of you as possible are planning to attend. This will be the first time we will all get together since our last ICM in 2016.
Please return here from time to time as we will be adding more information as we get closer to the event.
Brothers, let’s keep one another in our prayers as this great event approaches.
“Father, please bless and protect all the participants, speakers and staff as we prepare for the International Coordinators Meeting. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!”
ICM Information
When and Who
The ICM begins on Friday 24 May in the morning, and runs for 4 full days, finishing on Monday 27 May in the evening. Plan to arrive on Thursday 23 May and leave on Tuesday 28 May.
For those who are members of the International Assembly, it will meet on Thursday 23 May, so plan to arrive on Wednesday 22 May. Members of the Assembly are: senior coordinators of Full Member communities, regional coordinators and regional missionary coordinators (and senior coordinators of Underway B communities as Observers).
This is for all coordinators in the Sword of the Spirit (permanent, temporary, in training). Also invited are ordained clergy who are community members or who have a formal role for a SOS member community (such as diocesan liaison).
This also applies to Mission Directors of any well established community outreach (e.g. YPO, Couples, etc.) who are at least in their second year and for whom this is not their first significant regional or international SOS event: with the recommendation of their Senior Coordinator and the approval of the regional president.
Travel Information
We will meet at the Wyndham Herradura Hotel, 5 minutes away from the main SJO Airport in San José, Costa Rica.
Arrival: ICM participants should arrive on Thursday 23 May. Those who are also coming to the International Assembly need to arrive on Wednesday 22 May.
Departure: The ICM will finish on Monday 27 May in the evening. Your ICM Package includes sleeping arrangements for Monday night 27 May and Breakfast on 28 May.
If you arrive early or stay longer, we are offering arrangements for food and accommodations, you will need to book these directly with the hotel or make other arrangements elsewhere.
Airport: The nearest airport is Juan Santamaría International Airport (code SJO), 5 minutes away.
Airport Transportation: We will provide more information about this closer to the event.
Cost
It is not yet fixed, but likely to be around $800 for those sharing a bedroom (with extra costs for things like single-room accommodation). IA participants need to pay an additional cost for the extra day. There will also be optional day-trips on Sunday which will also have an extra cost.
Cancellation: If you need to cancel, let us know and we will endeavour not to charge you. If you cancel after 31 March, or just don’t show up, we will have to charge you a $200 cancellation fee.
Payment: Payment will be handled by region – your regional treasurer will contact you or your community.
Accommodation
We will be staying at the Wyndham Herradura Hotel. Some brothers will stay at the Hilton Doubletree hotel which is 300m away from the Wyndham.
Registration
This will be done online as we did last time. We will provide the internet address for registration later in the year.
Family Members
We regret that we cannot host or provide accommodation for wives or other family members who may be travelling with you. Of course you are free to arrange hotel accommodation for them if you wish.
Visas
If you need an invitation letter for Visa purposes please provide the following information (for each of the coordinators needing a letter) to Marvin Bravo, the Conference Manager in Costa Rica. His email address is: icm2024@swordofthespirit.net. You can check if you need a visa to enter Costa Rica by looking up your nationality in this list: Visas by Nationality.
- Name (as it appears on the passport)
- Country issuing the passport
- Home address
- Passport number
- Date of birth
- Is there a deadline you need to meet?
- Will your country take a PDF letter? (Almost all countries take a signed PDF) We will email you a signed PDF unless you tell us that the Costa Rican embassy in your country requires an original signed letter; it costs $50 for us to mail you an original signed letter by FedEx.”
Weather
Temperatures in May are normally around 20 to 29 degrees Celsius (68 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit), but can be cooler and warmer than this, and will likely rain: come prepared for everything!
Hosts
These meetings are being hosted and organized by brothers and sisters from the Árbol de Vida Community. Please pray for them as they prepare for the Conference.