A Desert That Connects Us: Experience the 9th Tri-National Sonoran Desert Symposium in Ajo
In the quiet hours of the morning, when the light stretches across the mountains and saguaro silhouettes greet the sky, you can feel it: the Sonoran Desert is alive with stories. From March 9–12, 2026, those stories come together in Ajo, Arizona, for the 9th Tri-National Sonoran Desert Symposium — a gathering rooted in connection, shared landscapes, and the deep relationships between the desert and its people.
Organized by representatives from the Tohono O’odham Nation, Mexico, and the United States, this biennial gathering was created to strengthen understanding and celebrate the cultural and ecological richness of the Sonoran region. Here, conversations flow across languages, borders, and generations. Presentations explore how the desert sustains life, how its ecological rhythms shape culture, and how environmental challenges ripple through communities past and present. The Symposium is a place for listening — to each other, to the land, and to the knowledge that comes from living in relationship with place.
Your time in Ajo becomes part of the story, too. Stay at the Sonoran Desert Inn, a mission-driven non-profit hotel housed in the beautifully restored Curley School Creative Campus. Desert-inspired art is woven throughout the Inn — from handmade javelina pillows and regional art in each room to murals in the Gallery Suites, the Coyote Commons, and across the campus. Outside, courtyards and desert gardens invite you to pause, breathe, and take in the creative spirit of Ajo.
Outside the Symposium, Ajo invites you to wander. Explore colorful murals painted by artists from around the world. Stroll the historic plaza, shaped by copper, community, and resilience. Extend your stay to discover nearby natural wonders including Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge — two of the most breathtaking and biologically rich landscapes in the Sonoran Desert. And as the sun sets behind the mountains, watch how the light transforms the landscape — a daily reminder of why people have cherished this region for centuries.
Begin planning your symposium experience and your desert journey at OnlyInAjo.com. For full program details, visit ISDAnet.org/symposium.
Come listen. Come learn. Come be part of the story of the Sonoran Desert.