Call for hosts for GUADEC 2012

[Brian Cameron <brian cameron oracle com>]

The GNOME Foundation invites proposals to host GUADEC, the annual GNOME
conference, during the Summer of 2012.  GUADEC is the biggest gathering
of GNOME users and developers and includes a multi-day conference, the
annual general meeting of the members of the GNOME Foundation, and a
week of coding, meeting, and discussing.

For those of you who would like to host the next GUADEC in 2012 you are
hereby invited to write a formal invitation to the board of the GNOME
Foundation at board gnome org.  The deadline for the proposals is June
20, 2011.  Please send proposals to board gnome org.

The conference will require availability of facilities for one week,
including a weekend, during the summer. Dates should avoid other key
free software conferences.

Key points which proposals should consider, and which will be taken into
account when deciding among candidates, are:

 * Local community support for hosting the conference.
 * Venue details.  Information about infrastructure and facilities
   to hold the conference should be provided.
 * Information about how internet connectivity will be managed.
 * Lodging choices ranging from affordable housing to nicer hotels, and
   information about distances between the venue and lodging options.
 * The availability of restaurants or the organization of catering
   on-site, cost of food/beer.
 * The availability and cost of travel from major European cities.
 * Local industry and government support.
 * Please provide a reasonably detailed budget.
 * Bear in mind that at GUADEC, the hallway track and social activities
   are also very important.

See the GUADEC check list [1] and the call-for-bids for previous GNOME
events for additional things to consider when putting together a
call-for-bids.  Also feel free to contact board gnome org if you have
any questions or need help.

A few words of advice: organizing a conference of this size is hard
work, but there are many people in the community with experience who
will be there to help you.

Thank you and looking forward to your bids!

Brian

[1] - http://live.gnome.org/GuadecPlanningHowTo/CheckList