Open Source Summit Europe 2024

Willem and Daniel have been discussing on cultural differences between China and Spain and how to effectively engage newcomers from different regions. Two books were used as starting point: The Culture Map book by Erin Meyer and From the Soils by Fei Xiaotong, a sociological study of the Chinese society written in the 40’s. While Western societies tend to be more individualistics when approaching an OSS community, according to the book From the Soils, Chinese society works in a more ‘ring based’ scenarios where network of trust are quite important over the years. As an example in Chinese society, if you want to do business with another person, you need to be introduced by a trusted person. It is like a social currency to play with. In the case of the OSS communities, your personal career and public record can talk for you, so you do not need others to introduce you. Your own brand is your social currency. In China, an extra step may be required and a trusted person may introduce you. This talk will share experiences and good practices learned over the years to engage and onboard newcomers. Specially, those that face specific barriers such as language or cultural ones.

In today's world, where disability affects a significant percentage of the population, it is crucial for open-source communities to address the challenges faced by persons with disabilities (PWDs) and work towards their inclusion. This talk will delve into practical measures such as referral programs, internal disability disclosures, and integrating disability into existing agendas rather than treating it as a separate issue. We will dive into disability mainstreaming with a focus on its role in promoting universal design and inclusivity. Attendees will gain insights into establishing disability mainstreaming committees, formulating action plans, implementing best practices, and monitoring and evaluating progress.

Over the past 6 years, the African tech ecosystem has seen significant interest and participation in global open source projects through communities like Open Source Community Africa and Python groups. According to the GitHub 2023 Octoverse report, Nigeria is a hot spot for OSS adoption and technological advancement with a 45% year-over-year growth rate. This talk will explore the importance of Open Source in Africa's development and success. We will discuss Africa's current state, its challenges, and how Open Source can be used as a tool for development, innovation, and collaboration. Through success stories and real-world examples, we will highlight the impact of Open Source on Africa's development and the opportunities it presents for the future.

Mentorship is key to bringing new people into your open source communities. There are large programs (Google Summer of Code, Outreachy) and many smaller programs that have successfully integrated new contributors into open source communities making them long term contributors. In this panel we’re going to discuss some of the things you need to think about when creating a new mentorship program (single or multi-community). From how to find the right mentors, have great beginner documentation ready, set expectations, where to advertise your program and plenty of time for Q&A.