- Importance of inclusivity highlighted by WCEU organisers.
- Unique voices from diverse groups encouraged to apply to speak and host workshops.
- Less than one week until call for speakers and workshops close.
There is less than one week remaining to apply to speak or apply to host a workshop at WordCamp Europe 2018. Make it your New Year’s resolution to apply before the deadline on 15 January 2018.
WCEU organisers recently posted about the importance of diversity in the tech industry and WordPress community, encouraging unique voices to share their knowledge, personal stories and expertise at WordCamp Europe, taking place in Belgrade, June 14-16 2018.
Sonja Leix, Content Team Lead of WCEU2018, and Independent Digital Strategist said: “WordPress is about people. The people behind making the software, those who use it, and all of us who are part of our thriving and global community. The fact is, we are a diverse community and WordCamp Europe embraces that by creating an inclusive event. As event organizers, we provide the stage and we want you to share your unique voice!”
WCEU 2018 is committed to providing a platform that supports diversity and inclusivity in tech. By creating an inclusive event, the team behind WCEU are providing an environment that gives confidence to attendees, speakers, organisers and volunteers that they are welcome, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity or religion.
John Maeda, Head of Computational Design & Inclusion at Automattic, said that after speaking at WCEU 2017, he was “struck by the International nature of WCEU and the strong spirit of inclusivity as represented in the program and in the event’s leadership.”
Jenny Wong, former WordCamp London lead organiser and Human Made team member, who presented on diversity at WCEU 2017, said: “as an organiser of tech events, diversity is important to me. But diversity puts the emphasis on the minority. Instead of looking at diversity, we looked at inclusivity. We made it easy for people. It meant that the minorities became the majority.”
“We’re all caught up in our preconceived notions, biases, cultures,” said Caspar Hübinger, WCEU 2017 speaker and support agent at WP Media: “It often takes somebody coming in from a different part of the planet, from a different mindset, industry, community, or whatever background to crack open our comfort zones and ignite new views and ideas.”
“Not only does WordPress help to democratize publishing,” said Thabo Tswana, freelance web designer and WCEU 2017 speaker, “but as a humanitarian side-effect, it brings people together of different nationalities, religions and backgrounds. We all have stories to tell and perspectives to be heard, which help us to make WordPress better for everyone.”
Jenny Beaumont, Global Team Lead of WordCamp Europe and Senior Project Manager at Human Made said: “Setting the bar high on diversity is not only about representation to me. As an organiser I’m not satisfied by statistics or content when we can tip the numbers toward parity no matter the scale. Diversity is important because our conferences, these WordCamps, are a reflection of our whole community. They are a showcase of sorts, a slice of the pie, and as community members coming together to learn, share, connect and be inspired, we need to feel that we have not only a place, but a voice. We all need that opportunity to be seen and to be heard.”
Encouraging diversity also encourages originality, and all attendees and speakers at WordCamp Europe 2018 will benefit from an atmosphere where people from different walks of life can collaborate and learn from each other.
Apply to speak or host a workshop at WordCamp Europe 2018, before the deadline on 15 January 2018.