AMA on How to Submit a Proposal for GG 2024

May 15: Ask-Me-Anything on How to Submit a Good Proposal

• Date: Wednesday, May 15
• Time: 1pm UTC / 9am EDT
• Where: On TCU Mattermost "GG2024" Private Channel.
  • Don't have an account to the TCU Mattermost? you can request one following the directions here. Please make sure to indicate that you are a Global Gathering 2024 attendee.

Join the Ask-Me-Anything (AMA) session to help answer your questions regarding how to submit a program proposal for the 2024 Global Gathering (GG). This is a chat based Q&A which will take place on May 15 at 13:00 UTC / 9:00 AM EDT on the Team CommUNITY's 2024 Global Gathering Networking channel. Come and learn about this year’s themes, the difference between a Booth and Circle, a facilitator and a coordinator, what makes a good proposal and what elements would be great to add to yours!

How can you join the private 2024 Global Gathering Networking channel on Mattermost?

All GG participants who currently have a Mattermost account will be added automatically. If you do not have a Mattermost account, please follow the steps on this link, and also make sure to indicate that you are a GG 2024 attendee in your request.

Notes

How can participants submit a proposal?

To submit a proposal for a programming activity:

• Log into the Global Gathering platform: https://gathering.digitalrights.community/
• Make sure your application has been approved. This information will be available on the platform dashboard when you log into your account.
• If your application has already been approved, select Submit a Proposal from the dashboard.

The deadline for submissions is May 31. For more details, check this: https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=Submitting_a_Proposal

What are the four tracks of the Global Gathering?

The four thematic tracks for this year’s event are:

• Ecosystem Wellbeing;
• Circumvention Technologies;
• Security, Threats and Risks; and
• Digital Rights 2050.

You can check for more information about the tracks here where we also share some examples of potential programming and ideas: https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=Submitting_a_Proposal

What are the goals of the Ecosystem Wellbeing track?

The goal of the Ecosystem Wellbeing track is to create space for discussions about the sustainability and wellbeing of the digital rights ecosystem. This track is an 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.

Some sample of issues include: building the capacity of local / regional networks, building impactful collaborations across regional and professional lines, attracting and onboarding new talent to the ecosystem, labor rights for digital rights defenders, sustainability of small- and medium-sized organizations working on digital rights, improving funding and grantmaking scenarios, equity and inclusion…

What are the differences between Circles and Booths?

• Circles can be either a collaborative discussion or meetup facilitated by one or more participants that run 45 minutes.
• Booths allow individuals to: showcase their project, research, initiative or organization; run a tool demo or activity; conduct an open skillshare or workshop; or provide a service or support desk.

How will Circles work?

The goal of a Circle is to bring people together to explore or exchange information about a certain topic or to enhance networking between peoples that share similar goals, interests, or commonalities. For example, a proposed Circle can range from “Circumvention Tech Challenges in X Country” to “X Regional Meetup”.

Circles should be collaborative with a focus on being interactive and engaging attendees. For example, a Circle is not a good forum to present your project or research to a group, however it may be a good place to discuss and get feedback on a research topic or on an area of work.

If you propose a Circle, you are committing to attending a virtual facilitation training from Team CommUNITY before the event.

How will Booths work?

Booths give you the opportunity to showcase your project or research and have more direct, one-to-one communication with GG participants. You will have a two-hour shift (or longer) in one of the many permanent, electricity-powered, wooden booths at the venue. You can decorate your Booth as you see fit, as well as bring your computer or devices with the materials you want to showcase.

Whereas Circles prioritize collaborative discussion, a Booth allows projects and individuals to present their work, answer direct questions and provide demos or workshops.

What will contribute to a great Circle proposal?

We are looking for proposals that prioritize professional development and insights from the digital rights and internet freedom field through open discussion and collaboration. One key goal at the Global Gathering is to promote networking and relationship building between stakeholders within the digital rights ecosystem. We are not going to solve complex challenges within 45 minutes, so the goal should be to leave attendees at these discussions with the connections they need to continue these conversations and collaborations at the Global Gathering and beyond.

How creative can I get with a Booth proposal?

We encourage you to be as creative as you like! Booths can be a collaborative workshop or table-top game or exercises, they can provide a service (accessibility training, digital security help desk), you could even turn your booth into a walk-in exhibition.

What resources will be available for Circles?

The Global Gathering will be a low-tech event. So when you are crafting your Circle proposals, remember that you will not have access to any audio-visual equipment (no mics, monitors or projectors). However there will be charging stations throughout the event space for laptops and mobile devices. You can bring any additional materials that you would like to use during your Circle to the Global Gathering venue and we can store them for you in the information booth.

What resources will be available for Booths?

Booths will have seating, a table and multiple EU outlets available. However there will be no audio-visual resources available. Last year, some individuals brought their own monitors, tablets and other resources to utilize in their booths.

Projects are also welcome to bring their own signage, banners, swag and decorations to decorate their Booths. For the duration of your Booth shift (2 hours minimum) you are welcome to make the space your own.

What are the next steps after submitting a proposal?

We will follow up with  If your proposal is accepted, you must attend at least one facilitator workshop. We will offer different instances in August and September. You must commit to reading the Facilitator Manual, which will provide you with tips and advice for hosting your Circle or Booth.

Can I propose activities focused on social or recreational activities?

Yes! We welcome ideas for fun, but we will share them outside of the main event program. If you have a more social or recreational idea to share with other GG participants that takes place during or outside of the GG, please email us to gather@digitalrights.community to support you.

Will participants be able to propose self-organized meetups at the event like last year?

Yes! Individuals will have the opportunity to propose self-organized sessions every day of the event. We will reserve a specific number of spaces throughout the day to accommodate these spontaneous meetups. This will give attendees the ability to organize meetups to expand on the conversations they have at the GG.

For the circles how many people are recommended to participate and if they all have to be in person?

The Global Gathering is a 100% in-person event and will not be supporting virtual participation due to security concerns and the outdoor nature of the venue.

Can Circles and Booths be held in languages other than English?

Yes, Booths and Circles can be hosted in multiple languages depending on the audience you are targeting. The majority of activities will be hosted in English as a “default” language, however attendees will be coming from a diversity of linguistic backgrounds and discussions can be hosted in the languages preferred by attendees.

What if I would like to host a Circle that is longer than 45 minutes?

There are two approaches that you can take if you need more than 45 minutes for a Circle discussion:

1. If you know that a Circle you are facilitating will be structured in a way that requires more time, you can submit a two-part Circle proposal or two Circle proposals for the same discussion. There is no guarantee that both proposals will be accepted, however they will be reviewed.
2. Every day we will be sure to have a number of spaces open each hour to accommodate follow-up discussions, self-organized meetups and other spontaneous discussions sparked at the event. You can always set up a same-day Circle at the event to follow up after the discussion.