Drupal Iberia 2024 Unites Portuguese and Spanish Communities
Drupal Iberia marks a significant milestone as Drupal communities from Spain and Portugal unite for the first-ever collaborative event. Pedro Cambra and Ricardo Amaro, members of the organizing team, share insights into the collaborative efforts and their expectations for this groundbreaking event.
Drupal Iberia, to be held on May 10th at PACT—Parque do Alentejo de Ciência e Tecnologia, Évora, Portugal, promises to be a significant milestone, fostering unity and collaboration among Drupal enthusiasts from both nations. The event is organized jointly by Associação Drupal Portugal and Asociación Española de Drupal.
A Decade in the Making
Discussing the genesis of Drupal Iberia, Pedro revealed,
"We started discussing it probably ten years ago but never took the step."
However, it wasn't until recently that the push to make it happen finally materialized. The organizers recognized the proximity of Portugal and Spain, noting that many Drupal local user groups in Spain are closer to Portuguese events than Spanish ones. This realization led to a desire to strengthen ties between the two communities, making Drupal Iberia a natural step forward.
The unique format of Drupal Iberia, alternating between the two countries biennially, aims to ensure equitable participation from both communities. Cambra shared,
"Both associations are committed to making the event a success, and we are seeing a fairly good response from the communities."
He expressed satisfaction with the initial outcomes, stating,
"It's great to see things ramping up nicely!"
One of Drupal Iberia's key aspects is its accessibility. The organizers have taken a flexible approach to the event, avoiding setting strict expectations and focusing on securing high-quality sessions. The schedule, which includes English, Portuguese, and Spanish sessions, is designed to accommodate attendees' needs, ensuring that there is always a session in Spanish or English at any given time. The event is free to attend, removing any barriers to participation.
Regarding the content and structure of the event, Cambra highlighted the high-quality sessions planned,
"Our first goal was to secure the event, and the next one was to have a high-quality set of sessions by attracting key people from both communities."
The diverse session lineup is available for viewing here.
While the recording of sessions is not guaranteed, the organizers are making an effort to make it happen. The event will also feature a social event in the historical center of Évora on the first day, extended lunch and coffee breaks, and early finishes on both days to allow attendees to continue networking.
On the topic of diversity and inclusion, a pivotal theme for many modern events, Cambra remarked,
"From our side, we made sure we’ll have gender parity in terms of keynotes."
The organizers have taken proactive steps to ensure a diverse range of speakers and attendees, fostering an environment of inclusivity and respect.
The event features two keynote speakers, André Barbosa presenting "Wikimedia as an open data platform" and Patricia Moreno Luna speaking on the topic "Communities and knowledge empowerment: the human side of technology." The event will also offer initiatives to encourage and support first-time attendees or newcomers to the Drupal community. Forcontu, a generous sponsor, will provide complimentary training to students and unemployed individuals attending the event. The organizers also communicate with local universities and technical schools to attract students to the event.
The journey of organizing Drupal Iberia 2024 has been a collaborative effort, with most of the organizing committee members having extensive experience in event organization. The team's engagement with the local community in Évora and the support of NTT Data in securing the venue have been crucial to the event's success. The organizers have managed to avoid burnout and are eager to repeat the experience.
The organizers urge every community member interested in helping to sign up on the designated sheet as a volunteer. With the event just around the corner, the excitement is palpable, and the Drupal community eagerly anticipates the opportunities that Drupal Iberia 2024 will bring. To discover essential travel tips for arriving in Évora and exploring its attractions, please visit the link here.
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