+FOSDEM 2025 is almost here, and guess what? We want you to be, once +again, part of it! Mark your calendars for 1 and 2 February 2025. The +Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) will be there with a keynote on +our Apple court case, talks, devrooms, workshops, and of course, a booth +where you can meet us, chat and share ideas. Stop by and say hello!
+ +
+As one of the most established Free Software conferences in Europe, +FOSDEM hosts thousands of developers and Free Software enthusiasts every +year, on the first weekend of February to meet, discuss the latest news +and updates about Free Software, and collaborate. As always, the FSFE +will be there with a booth, co-organizing two devrooms, and giving talks, like the +one from our Legal Programme Manager, Lucas Lasota, at the main FOSDEM +stage about ongoing legal battle to defend software freedom in the +European Union. Come around and check out our latest merchandising, +including hoodies, t-shirts, socks and get some stickers for your +devices!
+ +We are organising social gatherings throughout the weekend—stay in +the loop, come by for a relaxed evening and great discussion while +making interesting connections! Join our FOSDEM Matrix Chat +Room and be up to date with all the information.
+ +We will start starting the party early! If you are already in +Brussels on Friday, you can give us an extra hand in our booth set-up +(please, if you can make it, contact us beforehand).
+Once our booth is ready for Saturday, we will meet at La Mazzette at +19:00h., where we can have some drinks and some small treats. See in +OpenStreetMap.
+ + +We are early birds. From the moment the doors open, you will us at +our booth, ready to welcome everyone. Come chat with our team about Free +Software, learn more about our activities, and grab some stickers and +postcards! Our booth is the best place to connect with us. You will find +us in Building K, Level 2, Group A – Community Advocacy, +Room 5. We look forward to seeing you there!
+ +Saturday will feature the +Legal and Policy Issues DevRoom, which we've been co-hosting since +2020. The devroom will take place from 10:30h., H.1301 +Cornil. Once again, Matthias Kirschner (FSFE’s president) and +Alexander Sander (FSFE Senior +Policy Consultant), together with Karen Sandler and Bradley Kuhn +(Software Freedom Conservancy), Tom Marble (Informatique, Inc.), and +Richard Fontana (Red Hat) will be addressing +key legal and policy issues related to Free Software. We anticipate an engaging and insightful discussion!
+ +Lucas Lasota, FSFE Legal Programme Manager, will participate in the +fireside chat titled “Breaking +Tech Monopolies in Europe: A Fireside Chat with the European +Commission”. Later, Alexander Sander, FSFE Senior Policy Consultant, +will also participate with two talks: Legislative +overlay: anticipating and navigating through regulatory vectors and +CRA Q&A on Open Source Stewards under the Cyber Resilience Act.
+ +Additionally, Tobias Diekershoff, FSFE’s System Hacker and core +developer of the Friendica project, along with Michael Vogel, also a +core member of the Friendica development team, will provide an concise +introduction to Friendica that late afternoon.
+ +10:30h - 19:00h. Legal +& Policy Devroom: H.1301 (Cornil)
+After a long day, it is time to relax and continue our interesting +discussions in an informal environment. Join us for dinner at L’Horloge +du Sud at 19:00h. See +in OpenStreetMap. +
+ +We are starting the day with an informal breakfast to meet and +connect other QWLINTA*s (Queer, women, lesbians, intersex, non-binary, +trans and agender) before kicking off another full day at FOSDEM. If you +wish to join, please fill +in this form.
+ +While we prepare for keynote speech later this day, by our +staffer Lucas Lasota who will talk about the FSFE intervention in the +Apple vs. European Commission case, we have several talks and events +beforehand.
+ +One way is to start with the “FSFE’s +Upcycling Android Workshop”, organized by Darragh Elliot, a former +FSFE working student. If you ever wanted to try installing custom +Android ROM’s, this workshop is for you! Demonstration phones will be available.
+ +Also in the morning, Bonnie Mehring, FSFE’s Project Manager will +explain our programming competition, Youth +Hacking 4 Freedom, whose fourth edition is now open for +registration! Youth Hacking 4 Freedom invites European teenagers aged 14 +to 18 to showcase their creativity and programming skills. Participants +will have the opportunity to bring their project ideas to life.
+ +Sunday is also the day of the second devroom that the FSFE is +co-organizing, a debuting one on funding the FOSS +Ecosystem. Its +aim? To bring together developers, maintainers, policymakers, +entrepreneurs, donors and funders to explore various models and +mechanisms for funding that ensure longevity and security of FOSS +projects. Find +the schedule here. + +
+Just right after the closing of the Funding the FOSS Ecosystem +devroom, run to FOSDEM main stage, Room Janson, where at +16:00h. Lucas Lasota, FSFE's Legal Programme Manager, +will give a key speech about “How +we are defending +Software Freedom against Apple at the EU's highest +court”. In this keynote, Lucas Lasota will explain why +this case is pivotal for Free Software in Europe, and why we should all +care.
+ + +The FSFE has been granted the right to intervene in the Apple +vs European Commission case at the Court of Justice of the European +Union, where Apple is trying to dodge its obligations as gatekeeper +under the Digital Markets Act.+ + +
There will be many more interesting talks going on! You can check the +schedule of the two-day conference in the FOSDEM website.
+ + +As the weekend wraps up, join us for the final community gathering to
+say goodbye to FOSDEM 2025 in style.But first... after party
+packing! We hope to leave FOSDEM with as little merchandising
+as possible, but we’ll need some extra hands to help pack everything up
+on Sunday. If you can help us with booth tear down, please get in touch
+with our Office Assistant, Francesca,
Once all is packed and tidy, it is time to meet at L'Ermitage +Saint-Gilles at 19:00h. for a laid-back evening of +conversation, drinks, and celebration. It’s a chance to unwind, meet new +people, and reflect on the amazing time we’ve had. Here’s the OpenStreetMap +link to find us!
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