The WordCamp Europe 2022 is the 10th edition of this event, and it is the largest WordPress event in Europe. It’s a conference where you can learn, network, and have fun with the global WordPress community. WordCamps are volunteer-organized, user-driven conferences focusing on everything related to WordPress.
This year’s version of WordCamp Europe (WCEU) will take place over three days from the 2nd to the 4th of June at the Super Bock Arena – Pavilhão Rosa Mota in Porto, Portugal.
What is a WordCamp
WordCamps are free events that anyone can organize. They’re open-source, volunteer-driven conferences that WordPress users hold just like you! Anyone can host a WordCamp, and you don’t need permission from anyone. Meet this year’s organizers team here.
WordCamps are not just about learning about WordPress — they also focus on networking and community building. You will get the chance to meet like-minded people at the event itself or during the days leading up to it. And once you have an idea of what makes other people tick, you can find new friends or even partners for your projects!
By the way, if you want to know Scalater’s take on blogging in 2022, please read the article Is a blog a Good Idea in 2022?
Europe WordCamp 2022
The event has a COVID protocol in place, where you can find the nearest testing installation and arrange a test before the event or even your arrival in the country. These arrangements must be made directly with the operator here.
They also have put particular thought into accessibility and inclusivity and have available all the information you might need on this page.
In the organizers’ words, “WordCamp Europe 2022 aims to create an accessible and inclusive environment for the WordPress community”.
For example, they’ll have volunteers wearing black shirts at the event to assist you if you need them. In the link below, you have photos and maps of the venue so you can plan your routes to the different events. If you have a disability or an inclusivity inquiry, it’s critical to contact the event Attendee Services team here and let them know about it and request all the information you need.
They’ll have accommodations for blind, partially-sighted, photo or light-sensitive, autism, anxiety, or neurodivergence people. Those with dietary requirements have all the information about food and beverages available on the accessibility and inclusivity page.
In addition, they’ll have:
- Special access parking spaces are available in the official venue car park but are limited to 10 spaces.
- Toilets on Level 0 of the venue are gender-neutral. Sanitary items will be available in every bathroom. Please let a volunteer know if you need anything else or if additional sanitary items are needed.
- Toilets and elevators (lifts) are marked on the venue map, which will be provided to all attendees.
- Guide dogs, as well as assistance dogs, are welcome at the venue but not in the park next to the venue.
- Free childcare is available during Contributor day and the leading conference (2-4 June). More information
- Live captioning will be available in English for all presentations of the 2 main tracks, but not during the workshop sessions.
Events
Three days of events non-stop!
The full schedule of sessions allows you to choose the topics of most interest to you to attend. Also, there will be events for all levels of knowledge, so the experienced, inexperienced, and everyone in between can assist. Many people will be starting their WordPress journey this year!
There are two separate tracks of events, so you’ll be seeing references to track 1 and track 2 in the schedule so that you can plan ahead your route through the event.
According to the events schedule, we’ll have more than 45 events and speakers during the three days.
Tuesday 2nd, Day One
As an open-source project, WordPress is for everyone. For that, the first day will be Contributor Day, a space where you can get involved and contribute to the development of WordPress. “Collaborate with new and existing contributors, meet new people and learn about the different ways YOU can get involved in the project”, the organizers say on the Contributor Day page.
From developers to designers, writers, teachers, and users can contribute from their perspective and experience to make WordPress even a better and more relevant tool.
Friday 3rd, Day Two
The second day has fourteen speakers and ten workshops, varying subjects from Why we Community, Accessibility for dyslexia, to Using WordPress as an API and Copy tips for brilliant alt text and accessible writing. The morning will be an open networking session, the same as the third day.
The highlight of the evening will be the session Acquisitions in WordPress, presided by speakers like Marieke van de Rakt — co-owner of Yoast SEO, Devin Walker — co-Founder of GiveWP, and Shane Pearlman — owner of The Events Calendar. Definitely a very distilled and exciting point of view about managing acquisitions in WP.
Saturday 4th, Day Three
On the third and final day of the WPEU, we’ll have ten speakers and eight workshops, but the highlight of this day is the Mat on WordPress session, Where Matt Mullenweg, co-founder of WP, will speak about the state of WordPress.
“Matt Mullenweg is the co-founder of the open-source blogging platform, WordPress(..)” and “founder & CEO of Automattic(…)”.
WordCamp Europe 2022 official Wappu
It is already a tradition for the WP events to have an official mascot named Wappu. WCEU 2022 create Galito, the Wappu in charge of greeting everyone to Porto. “This year’s design is based on the Barcelos Rooster, a popular symbol of Portugal that embodies the Portuguese love of life”, words the organizers. A lovely touch to integrate the local culture into the new design.
Here’s a complete list of past Wapuu’s.
Meet and Greet Learn
Aside from the schedule, one of the most important things you can do in WordCamp is to network and learn with the organizers, attendees, and speakers. Get to know other people like you interested in the same things, either for business or hobby. All the key names will be present, along with regular people developing their WP journey. It’s an excellent opportunity to know new and exciting people! With this objective in mind, WCEU 2022 has a WordPress Café, “a space created for attendees to meet, connect and chat about a range of topics that interest them”.
WP Café has three sections, color-coded by subject and expertise level. We’ll have beginner, intermediate and advanced levels and activities thought the three days. Get to know everything about the schedule and activities here.
This year’s event will be exciting and worth attending.
Scalater Attending
As enthusiasts and professional WordPress developers, we will be present on-site at the event and will report about the sessions we attend and the speakers we watch. Scalater, at this moment, has part of their team at Oporto ready to assist all of the most exciting events.
Stay tuned, and we’ll drop another article about this with the testimony of our CEO and one of our Chief Developers.
Thanks to all for reading!
