Global Gathering 2025
This page is under construction! Stay tuned for more information!
Welcome to the 2025 Global Gathering!
When: September 8 - 10, 2025
Where: Estoril, Portugal
The 2025 iteration of the Global Gathering (GG) will bring together diverse individuals from 144+ countries for three days of collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and networking. The event focuses on issues related to digital rights, online security for civil society, and other challenges at the intersection of human rights and technology.
The idyllic outdoor venue in Estoril, Portugal provides participants with the ambience and space to rejuvenate, and the event’s celebrated safety and security measures allow for authentic trust-building across regions and disciplines.
Please note that in response to current funding freezes, this year we are changing the format to provide organizations and networks with more space to host their own public and private events. If you are interested in learning more, please email gather@digitalrights.community.
Global Gathering Platform
Head over to the Global Gathering Platform where you will be able to:
- Apply to join the 2025 Global Gathering
- View your Global Gathering application status
- Update your Global Gathering application
Global Gathering Overview
The recent US government funding freezes have had a widespread impact on our field, including at Team CommUNITY. As such, we will be transforming the event’s programming to accommodate the needs, challenges, and risks of those organizations and networks that will be attending. What this means is that programming will be focused on:
- 1. Networking, Collaboration, and Knowledge-Sharing
- If you’ve never attended the Global Gathering, you’ll find that our unique design fosters organic networking and collaboration-building. This year, we are enhancing this approach by providing participants with the tools and spaces needed to mobilize around conversations that are crucial to their urgent goals. While TCU will facilitate meetups focused on specific topics or regions, participants will also receive clear guidelines on how to propose their own meetups or talks once they arrive in Portugal, thus shifting to a more self-organized model.
- 1. Networking, Collaboration, and Knowledge-Sharing
- 2. Villages and Private Events
- We are providing organizations and groups in attendance with space to host their own activities, including Villages and other private and public events. This could include stakeholder meetings, team retreats, or topical mini-conferences focused on specific themes. If you are interested in this option, you must email us as soon as possible so we can reserve your space. Please contact us at gather@digitalrights.community
- 2. Villages and Private Events
- 3. Booths
- We will continue offering booth spaces for projects that can be used to either showcase their work, run a tool demo, or even conduct a skillshare or support desk. Booths will be hosted in permanent wooden structures equipped with electricity. TCU will share information about requesting a Booth space to individuals whose applications to join the event have been approved.
- 3. Booths
More details about how to submit Booth proposals and Self-Organized Circles will be shared soon!
Planning Your Trip
Learn about recommended hotels in the area, how you can get to Estoril from the airport, as well as hospitals, pharmacies and other healthcare information.
Navigating Estoril
We have compiled a list of day trips you can take from Estoril, a list of ATMs and Banks near the venue, general information about public transportation, and some Portuguese language tips, including how to order coffee!
Visa and Equity Fund Support
Equity Fund Support
The recent government spending freeze has impacted TCU. Our ability to provide financial support is limited so that we can ensure that all attendees receive holistic security support. We will not have an open application process for Equity Fund support for the 2025 gathering, as we are prioritizing community nodes who work with us to achieve critical security and community management goals.
Visa Support
The Visa Support page has all the information you need regarding:
- Obtaining a Schengen visa for Portugal
- Applying for ETIAS Travel Authorization
- Ongoing support TCU can offer during your visa process
Community, Security & Health Policies
Stay tuned! All of our community and security policies will be updated for 2025.
Global Gathering Past Editions
To learn more about the Global Gathering, take a look at:
