GUADEC 2020 moves to online conference

[Neil McGovern <neil gnome org>]

Hi all,

I've just posted the following to our website, and to discourse at 
https://discourse.gnome.org/t/guadec-2020-moves-to-online-conference/3067

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After a lot of careful consideration and consultation with the local
organizing team, the GNOME Foundation has decided that GUADEC 2020 will
take place entirely online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event will
feature the expected high quality content, streamed over the internet
for anyone to participate. Mexico will now host GUADEC 2021, and we are
planning for GUADEC 2022 to be in Latvia.

“Although over three months away, there is no way we could ensure that
the event could continue in a way that would keep our community safe.”
said Neil McGovern, Executive Director of the GNOME Foundation. “It is
with a heavy heart that, after consultation with the local organizing
team, we won’t be visiting Mexico with GUADEC this year.”

We at the GNOME Foundation love GUADEC, it’s a once-a-year event that
brings us together to collaborate, celebrate, and learn; meet our
colleagues and friends; and strengthen the most special part of the
GNOME project — the community. While we will miss meeting in-person, we
are excited for the new opportunities that meeting online will bring to
the event. People who weren’t able to participate previously will be
able to. We’ll have a much wider pool of potential speakers and session
facilitators, as visas and travel fees will no longer be an issue.
We’re looking into creative and innovative ways to bring new types of
socializing, sponsor representation, and community time to GUADEC 2020.

Due to the new format, we are re-opening the Call for Papers.

We’ll be keeping you updated on things as they develop, on GNOME.org,
the Engagement Blog and on social media. Follow, subscribe, or just
check in!
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Thanks,
-- 
Neil McGovern
Executive Director, The GNOME Foundation