WordCamp Europe 2018, the largest WordPress event in Europe, has opened its call for speakers and call for workshops, and has shared exclusive insights into why this is such a popular event for the tech community to speak at, with quotes from the very people who have made WCEU what it is: the past speakers.
With the goal for WCEU 2018 being to improve and innovate, the organising team recently completed a phase of research, revealing advanced development as the most popular topic, followed by design, business and SEO. The data showed that the talks made attendees feel inspired and connected.
To celebrate the opening of the call for speakers and workshops, these quotes show how past speakers feel too:
Morten Rand-Hendriksen: “I share my knowledge because I owe my own career to others who did the same for me.”
Miriam Schwab: “We all do better when we all share our knowledge rather than keep it only for ourselves.“
David Lockie: “WordCamps provide a safe opportunity and framework to develop personally and professionally by focusing in on an aspect of your world and creating a story about it.”
Alice Still: “The first time I understood the importance of accessibility was at WCEU 2015. The first time I learned about neurodiversity was at WCLDN 2016. These talks continue to influence how I think and how I approach my work.”
Caspar Hübinger: “We’re all caught up in our preconceived notions, biases and cultures. It often takes somebody coming in from a different part of the planet, with a different mind-set, to crack open our comfort zones and ignite new views and ideas.”
Dario Jazbec Hrvatin: “I don’t feel particularly special, I’m just a guy using WordPress, so I really want to motivate people and show them that they can do and learn anything.”
Adrian Roselli: “I regularly speak on accessibility in an effort to improve the experience for everyone across the web.”
Marina Pape: “I felt I had a unique story to tell.”
Heather Burns: “My talk was titled ‘Making your voice heard’, but WCEU was the right place to make my voice heard too.”
WordCamp Europe has discovered a formula for making people feel heard and inspired, and for the 2018 event, organisers have introduced workshops as a new opportunity to teach attendees something new. This opens the door to a more hands-on teaching and learning experience for 50 to 80 attendees per workshop.
Workshops will cover a variety of topics including development, design and UX, community and content. There will be workshops for all levels of expertise, from beginner to advanced, with two types of workshop lengths: 90 minutes and 3 hours.
Organisers have also compiled an extensive list of ideas and topics to inspire speaker applicants. Applications for speakers and workshops will be accepted until the calls close on 15 January 2018.
Download the full release with further information and quotes in context here.