Across Europe, public institutions are increasingly turning to open-source communication solutions. The Fediverse, particularly the microblogging platform Mastodon, has gained traction, with various governments and public institutions launching their own instances in recent years.

However, these initiatives often operate in silos and encounter similar governance challenges, limiting interactions with each other and the broader Fediverse developer community. To foster lasting change in public communication, we must focus on long-term planning.

Our unconference aims to kickstart cross-country collaboration and community building among stakeholders, including public institutions, civic societies, and FOSS developers. By strengthening networks among participants, we can share resources and strategies, amplifying our collective impact and ensuring the enduring success of decentralized social media networks.

Our get-together will follow an unconference format, blending structured sessions with open contributions. We’ll kick off with a keynote address and a few workshops, but everyone is encouraged to propose their own topics—these can include workshops, presentations, joint roundtables, and informal discussions.

The main goal is to promote knowledge sharing in a relaxed environment, allowing everyone to engage in meaningful conversations. Feel free to come prepared with a topic or join spontaneous discussions with like-minded individuals.

We look forward to hearing what topics matter to you and creating an enriching experience for all. Potential topics include:

• Moderation techniques and tools
• Protocol and feature development
• Governance frameworks
• Engagement strategies
• Terms of service, codes of conduct, data protection assessments
• Funding
• Your topic?

Everyone who is already or interested in using alternative social media in the realm of public institutions/administrations.

This can include developers, administrators, communication and content managers, coders, maintainers, and contributors, open-source folk who work for public institutions, and many more!

Tba, early 2026; the available dates will be announced soon!

out your preferred availability in the form below

1,5 days, Thursday (full day) - Friday (half day)

Marineterrein, Amsterdam, an excellent spot for a great gathering! Let's prepare our ships. ~;\

https://marineterrein.nl/en/home/