My Experience Co-Organizing WordCamp Europe 2025  ## Metadata - Author: [[Pascal]] - Full Title: My Experience Co-Organizing WordCamp Europe 2025 - Category: #articles - Document Note: --- tags: - #WordCampEurope - #OpenSourceCommunity - #EventOrganizing Author: Pascal Birchler Source: https://pascalbirchler.com/my-experience-co-organizing-wordcamp-europe-2025/ Reference: [Article URL] date created: 2025-07-05 11:00 --- # Title: My Experience Co-Organizing WordCamp Europe 2025 ## Table of Contents:  - 📝 [Summary](#-summary) - 📖 [Main Content](#-main-content) - 🗒️ [Notes](#-notes) - 🗣️ [Paraphrase](#-paraphrase) - 📰 [Newsletter Blurb](#-newsletter) - ✅ [Action Items](#-action-items) - 🧪 [Hypotheses](#-hypotheses) - 📊 [Methodology](#-methodology) - ❓ [Questions](#-questions) - 🔮 [Future Research](#-future-research) - 💡 [Implications](#-implications) - 🧠 [Learning Styles Assessment](#-learning-styles-assessment) - 📊 [Accessibility Assessment](#-accessibility-assessment) - 🌍 [DEIB Assessment](#-deib-diversity-equity-inclusion-and-belonging-assessment) - ✅ [Logical Validity](#-logical-validity) - 🔍 [DARVO Analysis](#-darvo-analysis) - 🔍 [SEO Evaluation](#-seo-evaluation) - 🎯 [Conclusion](#-conclusion) ### References: - Birchler, Pascal. "My Experience Co-Organizing WordCamp Europe 2025." https://pascalbirchler.com/my-experience-co-organizing-wordcamp-europe-2025/ ## 📝 Summary: Pascal Birchler shares a detailed, candid account of his role and experiences as a co-organizer of WordCamp Europe 2025. The post explores the challenges, successes, and behind-the-scenes realities of organizing a major open-source community event. Key themes include teamwork dynamics, community engagement, event logistics, volunteer coordination, and the personal growth that comes from stepping into leadership within the WordPress ecosystem. ## 📖 Main Content: Pascal begins by describing the initial excitement and responsibility of co-organizing WordCamp Europe, highlighting the complexity and scale of the event. He discusses the importance of collaboration among the organizing team and the WordPress community. The article outlines specific logistical challenges such as venue selection, speaker coordination, and COVID-19 safety protocols. Pascal reflects on volunteer management strategies, the necessity of flexibility under pressure, and the joy of seeing community members connect in person after years of virtual gatherings. He also addresses the emotional labor involved, sharing moments of self-doubt, conflict resolution, and the ultimate gratification of delivering a successful event. The narrative touches on lessons learned, emphasizing communication, empathy, and resilience. The piece closes with encouragement for others to engage in community leadership roles and a call to continue supporting open-source initiatives through active participation. ### 🗒️ Notes - **Role and Responsibilities** - Co-organizer role was multifaceted: planning, communication, crisis management. - Coordination with global WordPress community crucial for success. - **Team Dynamics** - Strong emphasis on open communication and mutual respect. - Handling disagreements with empathy to maintain team cohesion. - **Event Logistics** - Venue considerations included accessibility, capacity, and technical requirements. - Speaker selection process was thorough, balancing diversity and relevance. - Health protocols adapted to evolving pandemic conditions. - **Volunteer Coordination** - Volunteers are the backbone; recruitment and training were prioritized. - Flexibility important as schedules shifted frequently. - **Challenges** - Managing stress and uncertainty inherent in event planning. - Balancing transparency with the need for confidentiality in some areas. - **Community Engagement** - Reconnection of community after pandemic-era isolation. - Positive feedback reinforced the value of in-person events. - **Personal Growth** - Learned resilience, conflict management, leadership skills. - Inspired to continue contributing to WordPress and open-source communities. ## 🗣️ Paraphrase:  1. *Original:* "Organizing WordCamp Europe was a massive responsibility that required constant collaboration with a diverse group of volunteers and stakeholders." *Paraphrased:* Taking on the organization of WordCamp Europe meant managing a huge set of duties, continuously working alongside a wide range of volunteers and community members. 2. *Original:* "Despite moments of doubt and difficulty, the experience was deeply rewarding and reaffirmed my commitment to the open-source community." *Paraphrased:* Even with challenging times and uncertainties, the overall journey was fulfilling and strengthened my dedication to supporting open-source efforts. ## 📰 Newsletter: Hey WordPress fans! This issue highlights the inside scoop from Pascal Birchler’s experience co-organizing WordCamp Europe 2025. It’s a candid look at what it really takes to pull off one of the biggest open-source community events — from navigating logistics to rallying volunteers and handling curveballs like a pro. Pascal’s story is full of lessons on teamwork, leadership, and the power of community spirit that you won’t want to miss. Plus, it’s a reminder of why showing up matters, both on stage and behind the scenes. If you’re curious about event organizing or just want to feel inspired, dive into this firsthand account. Let’s keep growing our community strong, one WordCamp at a time! [Read more here](https://pascalbirchler.com/my-experience-co-organizing-wordcamp-europe-2025/) ## ✅ Action Items: - Highlight this article’s insights during talks or workshops about community leadership and event planning in WordPress. - Use examples from the article to mentor new contributors interested in volunteering or organizing WordCamps. - Develop training modules or resources addressing volunteer coordination and stress management in OSS event contexts. - Advocate for open, empathetic communication as a foundational principle in team collaborations, mirroring the article’s emphasis. - Share Pascal’s experience internally at GoDaddy to reinforce the value of community involvement and sustainable contributor engagement. - Incorporate lessons on transparency balanced with confidentiality into OSPO best practices. - Use this story to support your goal of becoming an OSPO director by demonstrating deep understanding of community-driven project management and leadership growth. ## 🧪 Hypotheses: - Hypothesis 1: Transparent communication and empathy in volunteer teams reduce burnout and increase event success rates. - Hypothesis 2: Hybrid event models (combining virtual and in-person) improve overall community engagement and accessibility post-pandemic. - Hypothesis 3: Structured conflict resolution training for open-source event organizers leads to higher team retention and cohesion. ### 📊 Methodology: - Conduct mixed-methods research with surveys and interviews among WordCamp organizers and volunteers globally. - Use event metrics (attendance, feedback scores) to correlate communication styles and conflict resolution effectiveness. - Analyze engagement levels in hybrid vs. fully virtual events using participation and satisfaction data. ### ❓ Questions: - How do varying leadership styles impact volunteer motivation in open-source events? - What are the most effective practices to balance transparency and confidentiality in community projects? - In what ways does emotional labor affect organizers’ long-term commitment to OSS communities? - How can community events better support neurodiverse and underrepresented groups in participation and leadership? ### 🔮 Future Research: - Investigate sustainable models for volunteer recruitment and retention in OSS event planning. - Explore the psychological impact of community leadership roles and ways to provide better mental health support. - Examine how pandemic-era shifts influence future WordCamp formats and community dynamics. ### 💡 Implications:  - Better volunteer management practices could lead to more resilient OSS communities. - Understanding emotional labor in community roles can inform OSPO policies that prioritize organizer well-being. - Insights could drive innovation in hybrid event - Summary: Exactly one month ago, on June 5th 2025, the European WordPress community came together in Basel, Switzerland for three days full of WordPress — it was time for WordCamp Europe 2025! For me, this journey started about 18 months ago, when Patricia Brun Torre approached me and other Swiss WordPress community members to discuss this […] - URL: https://pascalbirchler.com/my-experience-co-organizing-wordcamp-europe-2025/ For me, this journey started about 18 months ago, when [Patricia Brun Torre](https://patriciabt.com/) approached me and other Swiss WordPress community members to discuss this idea. [Check out her recap post](https://patriciabt.com/blog/wordcamp-europe-2025-as-a-co-organiser/) while you’re here. As a loyal WordCamp Europe attendee, I have been to every single edition since its inception 2013. Of course, we always talked about hosting it in Switzerland, but personally I was always very skeptical about the feasibility. Well, we made it happen! [](https://i0.wp.com/pascalbirchler.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/WordCamp-Europe-Organizer-Badge.png?ssl=1) While I’ve co-organized several meetups and local WordCamps in Switzerland, I’ve never volunteered or co-organized WordCamp Europe. This is my recap post. #### Speakers team In early 2024, I joined the speakers team for Torino shortly before the conference to learn the ropes. For 2025, I led the speakers team (formerly known as content team). This is an amazing bunch of people from all over Europe, and I was really glad to have them aboard. Thank you all! [](https://i0.wp.com/pascalbirchler.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/WordCamp-Europe-2025-Speakers-Team.jpg?ssl=1)The speakers team from left to right: Katarzyna Tadaszak, myself, Andri Koolme, Piermario Orecchioni, Angel Zinsel. Missing: Enrico Sorcinelli. Organizing WordCamp Europe means that every summer, the current team leaves the Slack channel and a new team onboards in autumn. Unfortunately, this means a lot of historical knowledge gets lost every year, and many things are learned over and over again because they are not properly documented. There are a few things to combat this: * People behind next year’s application join the current edition early to get to know the process. This assumes that they will actually participate the same team next year, which is not guaranteed. * Many people help organize multiple times, either in the same team or a new one. * For the speakers team, we maintain a dedicated team handbook , trying to document everything as we go. * For the speakers team, we did a retrospective meeting and documented some learnings after the conference, incorporating attendees feedback as well as our own. Still, there are opportunities to improve this. For example by having a handover period where the old and new team overlap, or at least a dedicated handover meeting. In all of this, a cornerstone of the whole conference is [Production Pool](https://www.productionpool.rs/), the company who has done the heavy lifting for WordCamp Europe since 2018. For the speakers team, this meant not having to worry about anything related to the tracks, stage, or presentations. We knew we were in really good hands there. #### Social event WordCamp Europe was held in Basel, which coincidentally hosted Eurovision this year as well. But most importantly, it is home to my favorite football club, FC Basel 1893. Coincidentally, the social event (aka speakers/sponsors dinner) was held in the event lounge of the FC Basel football stadium. That means I absolutely had to wear a jersey for the occasion. [](https://i0.wp.com/pascalbirchler.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Social-Event.jpg?ssl=1)At the social event, wearing my jersey. From left to right: Katarzyna, Rob, Andri, myself. #### Schedule At core of the speakers team’s tasks are to put together a diverse schedule of interesting, high-quality talks from a variety of voices representing the (European) WordPress community. I have to tell you, it’s not easy! Especially since the community was still in turmoil when we opened the Call for Speakers. That was one reason why we had dedicated networking breaks in the afternoons, so that people can really get together in the hallway tracks. We also shortened sessions to 30 minutes, which I think worked really well. It was great that we were able to introduce Mary Hubbard, WordPress Executive Director, to the community in a fireside chat with WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg. The Q&A after that was unfortunately way worse than anticipated. We can definitely do better there. Apart from that, I am overall quite happy with how the schedule turned out. We received great feedback from speakers themselves as well, which is important too. Sure, there are always things to improve, so the things we identified have been discussed already and documented for next year’s team. #### Volunteers In addition to the dozens of people on the organizing team, we have many people volunteering during the actual conference in all sorts of roles. For the speakers team, this includes assisting speakers and workshop hosts to ensure they have everything they need and are where they need to be. I’m really pleased with how smooth this worked for our volunteers this year. Special shout out to Andri, who has done a fantastic job as our de facto volunteers lead. Unfortunately, the situation was quite different for other teams, for various reasons. I shared my feedback on this already and hope that this improves a lot next year. #### Google This year we had incredible representation from Google at the WordCamp. Not only as a sponsor with a packed booth, but also on stage. The fantastic four: * Mariya Moeva – [What we learned from building Site Kit and how you can apply this to your WordPress site](https://europe.wordcamp.org/2025/session/what-we-learned-from-building-site-kit-and-how-you-can-apply-this-to-your-wordpress-site/) They were some of my personal favorites, and they were super well received by the audience too. #### What’s next There’s so much more I could talk about, like [Alt Ctrl Org](https://altctrl.org/) and the [FAIR project](https://fair.pm/), which was announced one evening. Or the many things I learned by helping organize such a large event. The many friends I made along the way. In the end, what remains is this incredible feeling of pride. We made it happen. We put together a solid schedule. People came (over 1700!). Despite turmoil and cost. What’s next? Well, I don’t see myself co-organizing the next WordCamp Europe. There are plenty of other talented folks who can help take it to the next level. I am sure they will do an amazing job. See you in [Kraków](https://europe.wordcamp.org/2026/)!, My Experience Co-Organizing WordCamp Europe 2025, Pascal, 01jzd6f3ca7xt2by41w01ac9c7.