2024 Global Gathering Now Accepting Applications!
Dates: September 27, 28 and 29
Location: Estoril, Portugal
The 2024 Global Gathering (GG) will take place on September 27, 28, and 29 in Estoril, Portugal. The event brings together digital rights networks from around the world for three days of collaboration building, knowledge sharing, brainstorming, and rejuvenation.
Deadline to apply: April 30! Apply for your ticket on the link below:
https://gathering.digitalrights.community/The website of the event is here:
https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=Global_Gathering_2024
The 2024 edition will double in size from the 2023 event to around 900-1,000 participants - part of TCU’s three-year plan to grow the event in a safe, secure and sustainable way. Participants work on the most pressing challenges arising at the intersection of human rights, social justice and technology, and/or are actively protecting their communities/networks.
Programming will focus on enhancing networking and collaborative discussions, featuring meetups, project showcases, select workshops and sessions, and partner-led satellite events. Be ready for even more solidarity and glitter than ever!
The four 2024 programmatic themes include Ecosystem Wellbeing; Circumvention Technologies; Security, Threats, and Risks; and Digital Rights 2050.
(Note: A separate, private summit will not take place this year. This was unique only to the 2023 launch.)
What to Expect?
Check out our 2023 Global Gathering Report Back to gain an understanding of what to expect. Some highlights:
332 organizations representative of 92 countries
57.6% of participants identified as women or gender nonconforming
35.75% new voices, or people that have never attended a TCU digital rights event
54.3% living in the Global Majority
Who Can Apply?
Applications are open to any individual from around the world working on issues arising at the intersection of human rights and technology, digital rights, internet freedom, or the protection of their communities.
While applications will be received on a rolling, on-going basis, we encourage you to apply as early as possible, as we expect a high demand.
Note that the GG team will be curating a list that is reflective of different backgrounds, genders, regions, and disciplines.
How to Apply?
Please visit the event application platform, where you will be able to apply for an event ticket, view your application status, update your profile, and apply to the Equity Fund. Note: When you apply for the GG, an account on the platform will automatically be created for you.
You will receive a response in around four weeks' time. If your application has been approved, you will also be able to propose an activity for the program agenda once we open a call for proposals in the coming months.
“The only event that’s truly community focused on holistic skill-building, mutual support, and creating space for people to connect and build on ideas. It’s the only place that’s truly made FOR civil society.” 2023 Participant
“This is the best event I’ve ever been too. The amount of work I advance is mind blowing! “ 2023 Participant
“There is TRUE representation and diversity and a plurality of ideas and voices at the event. It's pretty much the only place that convenes the global digital rights community in way that its effective and completely focused on our issues.” 2023 Participant
The Equity Fund ensures that at-risk, underrepresented voices are present in important strategic conversations shaping the strategy, tools and solutions coming out of the digital rights field, and also helps advance a more feminist internet.
Is there a 2024 Equity Fund?
We are officially re-launching the Equity Fund in 2024, which supports participants from historically low-resourced, under-represented communities who truly cannot attend the Global Gathering otherwise.
The Equity Fund is limited and intended for folks that truly have no other option. We encourage all individuals to consider alternative forms of funding, such as seeking support from your partners and/or employers, if those options are available to you.
Applying is easier than ever! Immediately after you fill out the application form to attend, you will be directed to a confirmation page that says “Application Successfully Sent”, on that page, you can find the link for the Equity Fund form. Deadline to apply: April 15.
To date, the Equity Fund has been one of the most important tools in helping grow the digital rights community in a more inclusive and equitable way.
The Structure: More Collaboration and Networking!
This year, ONCE your application has been approved, you will be able to propose an activity such as a meetup, session or workshop. Our goal is to give participants more control over their experience, so they can better achieve their personal and organizational goals. In addition, we will prioritize proposed activities that enhance or elevate networking, knowledge-sharing, brainstorming, and collaboration building.
Notably, we will be hosting the popular Project Showcase as we did in 2023 to allow individuals to more organically network with projects and folks throughout the entirety of the event. We will also be hosting a Job Fair, to complement the recruitment support and popular Job Board we offer the digital rights community throughout the year.
Stay tuned as the call for programming proposals will be announced soon! In the meantime, check out the 2024 programmatic themes below.
Programmatic Themes for 2024
Ecosystem Wellbeing: Sustainability and wellbeing of the digital rights ecosystem. This track will be a unique opportunity to promote dialogues between different stakeholders to advance policies and practices that strengthen organizations and networks in the ecosystem and impact the quality of the work we produce.
Circumvention Technologies: Dedicated to developers and maintainers of any type of circumvention infrastructure. This track facilitates spaces where public-interest technologists from all over the world will be able to exchange ideas, experiences and eventually produce new projects.
Security, Threats and Risks: This track presents security in a holistic context, focusing on the risks impacting freedom of expression, freedom of information, and privacy, security and safety of civil society. Diverse stakeholders, ranging from security experts and tech developers to journalists and media specialists, can collectively brainstorm.
Digital Rights 2050: This track focuses on anticipating scenarios of action for the global community of digital rights defenders, for example emerging threats. Digital rights is a field that constantly needs to incorporate new topics and challenges given the fast developments in digital technologies and their impact on society. This theme is meant to give us some time to reflect and think about what's coming down the pipeline.
Become a Partner!
Did you know that by becoming a partner, you are entitled to the following benefits. In addition, all your support goes directly to our Equity Fund.
Tickets
A booth
Participation in our job fair
Support with your satellite event
(team retreats, coalition convening, workshops, etc.)Support with your project’s community outreach and building
And much, much more!
Email gather@digitalrights.community to learn how to become a partner.
The amazing Team CommUNITY Staff can help you with all your needs!
2024 Global Gathering's Partners and Sponsors that have already confirmed their support! More coming soon!
Questions? Email us at gather@digitalrights.community