fisl is also an opportunity for Free Software communities to gather and make mini-meetings related to their groups, projects and entities.

Communities may, therefore, gain more reach, by popularising their initiatives and may experiment a tighter integration of their members - something that often happens only in events, and also with the larger Free Software community.

How does it work?

• There is a track and a room reserved specifically for the Community Events in fisl's programme. This year they will happen in room 601 from building 40, with seats for up to 100 people.

• Each community event shall be proposed by three coordinators, previously registered in the Speakers System (Papers) and referenced in the CE proposal.

• Each meeting may occupy one or, at most, two 50 minutes session.

• When using two 50 minutes session, it must be properly justified in the proposal (shorter events = more communities participating!)

OK, got it... And how do I go about proposing my Community Event (CE)?

Registrations are made through the Call for Works System. One of the coordinators registers the proposal and then invites all the other coordinators as speakers in fisl' proposals system.

Submission of proposals for community events shall be made and confirmed up to 05/25/2012

The following information must be contained in your proposal:

• Name of the Community/project/group/entity
• event's theme and name
• attendance estimate (in number of people)
• time needed (1 or 2 50 minutes sessions)
  
• event's programme
  
• brief version of the programme (abstract)
  
• URL of the event's webpage (site, blog, social media..)

Each community event shall contain at least two of these items in their programme:

• General speech - introduction to the project/community, mentioning their goals, activities and results

• Lightning talks - mini-speeches of 5 to 10 minutes each, with participation of the envolved people

• Discussion/Questions - interaction with enough time for questions and discussions
  

• Work your event  in advance Converse Talk to your project/community before proposing your CE. Check out who's confirmed for fisl and will be available to participate.

• Use a list to build up the programme collaboratively.  Set up theme, programme, activities, write a general plan of what can be presented and how to attract people's interest and potential collaborators. Interesting programme = more interested people = better visibility for your community.

• Write a page for your event (at Noosfero or in the channel of your liking), so we can link you to the oficial fisl13' webpage, and the organizing committee be autonomous to update your event.

• Now publish! Disclosure of time, room and date in websites, blogs and social media is paramount for your event to succeed.

 Last, but not least...

It is very important to be aware of the following issues:

• Because community events are integrated to the major programme's grid, there's not much flexibility about schedule. We will try as much as possible to manage the grid so as to accomodate as many registered groups and communities as we can.

• All registrations are evaluated by the organizing committee and the approved ones are contacted and informed of their approval as well as date and time.

• Events with a related community or users groups will be prioritized. 

• Only relevant events will be approved: events not related to free software will be automatically discarded.

• Each CE coordinator can coordinate only one community event at fisl13.

• Event's coordinators must be the authors of the proposal.

• Changes in the event's coordinators will not be allowed after the registration deadline.

• It is indispensable that you send the complete programme and abstract of your event so we can add it to the main programme.

Still in doubt?

Write to programafisl13 at softwarelivre dot org