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Here is where we have policy debates, project announcements, and assist community members in organizing events.
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Welcome to the July edition of the MeetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. Organizer Newsletter! This month, we explore how to create purpose-driven WordPress meetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. that engage and inspire your community. Additionally, we’ll share important updates from the Community Team, new learning pathways on Learn.WordPress.orgWordPress.orgThe community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. https://wordpress.org/, and celebrate some vibrant meetups from around the world. Let’s get started!
Create Purpose-Driven WordPress Meetups
As WordPress meetup organizers, our goal is to create meaningful and engaging events. Priya Parker, author of “The Art of Gathering,” emphasizes that a successful event begins with a clear purpose. This purpose shapes the event’s structure, activities, and atmosphere. Without it, gatherings can feel aimless and fail to resonate with attendees. Inspired by Parker’s concept of a purpose-driven event, we can elevate our meetups by focusing on a clear and compelling purpose.
Apply This to WordPress Meetups
When planning your WordPress meetup, start by asking: What is the primary goal of this event? Is it to introduce new users to WordPress, deepen the skills of experienced developers, or foster networking within the local WordPress community? Identifying the coreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. purpose streamlines the planning process and ensures every element aligns with this goal.
Looking for a Purpose?
A key goal for WordPress events is to attract and engage first-time attendees. Reaching new users is crucial for the growth and sustainability of the WordPress project, aligning with the Big Picture Goals for 2024. Consider organizing some meetup events driven by the purpose of introducing new users to WordPress.
Communicate Your Purpose
Once you’ve identified the purpose, communicate it clearly to potential attendees. This attracts the right audience and sets expectations. For example:
Learning and Development: “Join us for a hands-on workshop focused on building custom themes with WordPress.”
Networking and Community Building: “Meet and mingle with local WordPress professionals at our summer social event.”
Knowledge Sharing: “Hear from industry experts on the latest WordPress trends and technologies.”
Design with Purpose in Mind
Every aspect of your meetup should reflect its purpose. If the goal is education, ensure you have knowledgeable speakers and interactive sessions. For a networking-focused event, prioritize activities that encourage interaction and connection. Aligning the event’s design with its purpose creates a cohesive and impactful experience for attendees.
After the event, gather feedback to assess whether the purpose was effectively communicated and achieved. Use this feedback to refine future meetups, continually enhancing their relevance and value.
Key Takeaways
Incorporating Priya Parker’s concept of a purpose-driven event into your WordPress meetups can transform them from ordinary gatherings into impactful, memorable experiences that provide clear value to attendees. By clearly identifying, communicating, and designing around a central purpose, you’ll foster an engaged and satisfied community, with attendees who are excited to return for future meetup events and help spread word about upcoming events.
Remember, a well-defined purpose is the cornerstone of a successful event. Happy organizing!
Announcement: Reactivating or Removing Dormant Meetup Groups
Learning Pathway for Intermediate WordPress Users Now Available on Learn.WordPress.org
We’re excited to announce that the Learning Pathway for Intermediate WordPress Users is now live on Learn.WordPress.org! This comprehensive learning pathway will help Meetup organizers support community members who are familiar with WordPress and looking to deepen their skills.
The following learning pathways were also recently published:
The Make WordPress Training Team is dedicated to creating learning pathways for all skill levels, from beginner through expert, and for users, developers, and designers alike. Learn more about this initiative in this post.
Learn WordPress Course Cohort
The WordPress Training Team recently concluded its second Learn WordPress Course Cohort: a six week facilitated learning experience focused on a course on Learn WordPress.
The goals of a Course Cohort are similar to those of Learn WordPress Online Workshops. The key difference? Course Cohorts are held across consecutive sessions, while Online Workshops are generally one-off sessions.
Want to participate in a future Course Cohort? Follow updates from the Training Team!
Meetups of the Month
This month, we celebrate the WordPress Meetup groups of Tegal (Indonesia) and Rabat (Morocco).
Tegal, Indonesia WordPress MeetupRabat, Morocco WordPress Meetup
Meetup Organizers, we want to feature you!
We’d love to publish pictures from Meetups all around the world in each newsletter. Do you want your Meetup to be featured? Share 1 picture with the Community team! Rename your picture as “Meetup-name_event-date” and upload it to this folder. The formats supported are jpg and png. Please remember, always ask for permission from your group members before taking the picture and sharing it with us!
If you have any questions, Community Team deputiesProgram SupporterCommunity Program Supporters (formerly Deputies) are a team of people worldwide who review WordCamp and Meetup applications, interview lead organizers, and keep things moving at WordCamp Central. Find more about program supporters in our Program Supporter Handbook. are here to help. Please email us at support@wordcamp.org or join the #community-eventsSlack channel. Thanks for everything you do to grow and support the WordPress community—let’s keep sharing knowledge and inspiring each other with our contributions!
Welcome to the June edition of the WordPress MeetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. Organizer Newsletter! As we launch into a new season, we’re excited to bring you a range of engaging activities, inspiring stories, and useful tips to help you make the most of your meetup events. Whether you’re a seasoned organizer or just starting out, there’s something here for everyone. Let’s continue to grow, share knowledge, and strengthen our vibrant WordPress community together!
June 25 – Join the first Training Team Thumbnail-a-thon: Make graphics together for the new Learn.WordPress.orgWordPress.orgThe community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. https://wordpress.org/!
We’re happy to share a great WordPress contributor opportunity for your meetup group: Participate in a group activity to make Learn WordPress Thumbnails(What’s a “Thumbnail-a-thon”? It’s simply a fun name for an event that brings people together to create Learn WordPress thumbnails – like a marathon, but for making Thumbnails!).
Now is your chance to contribute to the new Learn.WordPress.org redesign! The official WordPress education site is launching soon with a fresh look and Learning Pathways geared to users, designers, developers, and contributors. The WordPress Training Team needs help creating small thumbnail graphics for lessons and tutorials on the new site. You can see examples of what the graphics look like in the “Featured Courses and Courses” sections on the new site, which you can preview here. No previous graphics experience is required, since there’s a handy tool that makes the process of creating thumbnails simple!
Join the WordPress Training Team on Tuesday, June 25 for a free online workshop to learn how to use the tool, help make graphics for the new site, and have some fun along the way. You’ll get recognition for your contribution and get a foot in the door with the WordPress.org Training team. A recording of the workshop will be available afterwards.
Inspire Your Community with a “Success Stories” Session
As a WordPress Meetup Organizer, you have a unique opportunity to inspire and empower your community. One effective way to do this is by hosting a “Success Stories” session at your next meetup. This type of event can showcase the incredible achievements of WordPress users within your community, fostering a sense of pride and motivation among your attendees.
Here’s how to organize a “Success Stories” session:
Invite Speakers: Reach out to members of your community who have compelling success stories to share. These could be stories about launching a successful blog, building a thriving e-commerce site, or creating impactful nonprofit websites using WordPress.
Select Diverse Stories: Ensure a variety of stories by including different types of projects and experiences. This diversity will show the wide range of possibilities with WordPress and resonate with a broader audience.
Prepare Questions: Help your speakers prepare by providing them with a list of questions or topics to cover, such as the challenges they faced, how they overcame them, and the specific WordPress tools or plugins they used.
Interactive Q&A: After each story, allow time for a Q&A session. This interaction can provide valuable insights and practical advice to your attendees.
Share Online: Record the session and share it on your Meetup group’s page and social media channels such as LinkedIn. This can inspire even more people and showcase the strength of your community to a wider audience.
Hosting a “Success Stories” session can build confidence among your attendees by showing them real-life examples of what they can achieve with WordPress. It also fosters a supportive and inspiring community atmosphere, encouraging members to pursue their own WordPress projects with enthusiasm.
Host a WordPress Showcase for Your Meetup Group
The WordPress Showcase highlights the incredible versatility and power of WordPress, featuring a wide array of use cases such as personal blogs, small businesses, enterprise companies, and national governments.
Consider organizing a Meetup event to explore Showcase sites! This engaging activity will allow your Meetup members to discover the diverse brands and websites built with WordPress, and the most unique and innovative uses of WordPress.
Begin by introducing the WordPress Showcase to your attendees. Review some of the most impressive and innovative sites featured in the Showcase to inspire your group. Encourage group discussion about which designs and features most stand out to them. This interaction can spark new ideas and encourage community members to innovate in their own projects.
You can also invite local developers and agencies to present their most interesting WordPress projects. Ask them to participate in your Meetup event, share their experiences, and showcase their most innovative websites. Encourage presenters to discuss the challenges they faced, the solutions they implemented, and the WordPress tools and plugins they used. This can provide valuable insights and learning opportunities for your attendees.
Then motivate your presenters and attendees to submit their projects to be included in the WordPress Showcase. The WordPress Showcase is accepting submissions of innovative, modern, and/or enterprise sites and case studies.
WordPress Contributor Mentorship Program Q4 2024: Call for Interest
We are excited to announce an early interest form for the Q4 2024 WordPress Contributor Mentorship Program Cohort! This program connects seasoned WordPress experts with newcomers, offering a fantastic opportunity for mentees to gain hands-on experience contributing to WordPress, while mentorsEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. share their expertise and improve their leadership skills. Learn more and indicate your interest in joining the Q4 Cohort as a Mentee or MentorEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues..
Announcing the New Handbook for Sustainable WordPress Events
MeetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. of the Month
Vancouver WordPress Meetup (Vancouver, Canada)East Bay WordPress Meetup (Oakland, California, USA)
Meetup Organizers, we want to feature you!
We’d love to publish pictures from Meetups all around the world in each newsletter. Do you want your Meetup to be featured? Share 1 picture with the Community team! Rename your picture as “Meetup-name_event-date” and upload it to this folder. The formats supported are JPG and PNG. Please remember, always ask for permission from your group members before taking the picture and sharing it with us!
Do you have content ideas for future editions of the Meetup Organizer Newsletter? Please let us know by submitting a GitHub issue!
If you have any questions, Community Team deputiesProgram SupporterCommunity Program Supporters (formerly Deputies) are a team of people worldwide who review WordCamp and Meetup applications, interview lead organizers, and keep things moving at WordCamp Central. Find more about program supporters in our Program Supporter Handbook. are here to help. Please email us at support@wordcamp.org or join the #community-eventsSlack channel. Thanks for everything you do to grow and support the WordPress community—let’s keep sharing knowledge and inspiring each other with our contributions!
Want to organize a WordPress meetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. group in your community? Contact the WordPress Global Community TeamGlobal Community TeamA group of community organizers and contributors who collaborate on local events about WordPress — monthly WordPress meetups and/or annual conferences called WordCamps. at support@wordcamp.org or in #community-events on Making WordPress Slack.
Welcome to the May 2024 edition of the WordPress Meetup Organizer Newsletter!
We have a wealth of exciting updates and resources to share with you this month. From the launch of the Learning Pathway for Beginner WordPress Users, to actionable tips for attracting first-time attendees, we’re here to support you in growing and nurturing your local WordPress communities. Plus, read valuable advice about hosting engaging hybrid events (with some attendees in-person, and some attendees online), discover how you can harness WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Europe 2024 sessions for your Meetup group, and join us in welcoming our newest WordPress Meetup groups from around the globe.
We hope that within this newsletter you will find inspiration and practical tools to make your meetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. even more impactful. Thank you for your continued dedication to the WordPress community. Let’s keep learning and growing together!
Learning Pathway for Beginner WordPress Users Now Available on Learn.WordPress.orgWordPress.orgThe community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. https://wordpress.org/
We’re excited to announce that the Learning Pathway for Beginner WordPress Users is now live on Learn.WordPress.org! This comprehensive learning pathway will help Meetup organizers support community members who are new to WordPress. Leveraging our events to attract and nurture new WordPress users aligns perfectly with the WordPress project’s Big Picture Goals for 2024.
To get started, all you need is a WordPress.org account. If you don’t have one yet, you’ll be prompted to create it. We welcome your feedback — simply click the “Let us know” button in the right column, or even better, create a Learn GitHubGitHubGitHub is a website that offers online implementation of git repositories that can easily be shared, copied and modified by other developers. Public repositories are free to host, private repositories require a paid subscription. GitHub introduced the concept of the ‘pull request’ where code changes done in branches by contributors can be reviewed and discussed before being merged be the repository owner. https://github.com/ issue using the Feedback template.
The Make WordPress Training Team is dedicated to creating learning pathways for all skill levels, from beginner through expert, and for users, developers, and designers alike. You can learn more about this initiative in this post.
Reaching First-Time Attendees to Grow the WordPress Community
As WordPress Meetup organizers, one of our key goals is to attract and engage first-time attendees. Reaching new users is crucial for the growth and sustainability of the WordPress project, aligning with the Big Picture Goals for 2024.
To effectively attract first-time attendees, consider implementing the following strategies. First, share engaging content during outreach that highlights the benefits of attending meetups, such as learning opportunities, networking, and community support. Additionally, collaborate with local tech groups, universities, and co-working spaces to reach potential new users who may not yet be familiar with WordPress. Offering beginner-level content can also help newcomers feel more comfortable and engaged (refer to the article above for helpful resources!).
Finally, ensure that your events are welcoming and inclusive to all attendees, so that they are excited to return. Create a friendly atmosphere by having dedicated greeters, clear signage, and detailed event descriptions that help attendees understand what to expect. Encourage existing members to bring friends and colleagues, and consider hosting special “Introduction to WordPress” sessions for beginners. By focusing on these actionable tips, you can effectively attract and retain new attendees, helping to grow the WordPress community and ensuring its continued success.
As WordPress Meetup organizers, many of us are navigating the complexities of hybrid events. How can we ensure that both in-person and virtual attendees feel equally engaged? In Priya Parker’s article “The Future of Work is Creating Psychological Togetherness,” discover actionable strategies to bridge the gap between physical and virtual spaces. Learn how to treat Zoom participants as honored guests, ask “magical questions” to create shared context, and build feedback loops that connect everyone. These insights will help you elevate your next hybrid meetup event.
Harness WordCamp Europe 2024 Sessions for Your Meetup Group
Explore the WordCamp Europe 2024 schedule and speaker lineup to find sessions that may interest your meetup members. All WordCamp Europe talks will be live-streamed and recorded, allowing you to bring your Meetup group together to watch and discuss the sessions, whether live or at a later date. It’s the next best thing to being there and allows your group to come together to learn about the very latest in WordPress!
Happy 21st Birthday, WordPress!
WordPress celebrated its 21st birthday on May 27, and many meetup groups hosted festivities. We invite you to share your photos of the celebrations using the hashtag #WP21.
WordPress Fatehpur organizers sharing cakeWordPress Hisar community planting 21 trees to celebrate #WP21
Introducing our newest WordPress Meetup groups
Let’s welcome the new Meetup groups recently added to our chapter! Do support them in organizing both local (in-person) and global (online) meetup events, and let’s learn from their experiences and experiments along the way.
This month, we celebrate the WordPress Meetup groups of Bhopal (India), Baguio (Philippines), and Fatehpur (India) WordPress meetup.
Bhopal, India WordPress MeetupThe first Baguio WordPress meetup event in five years!Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh, India WordPress Meetup
Meetup Organizers, we want to feature you!
We’d love to publish pictures from Meetups all around the world in each newsletter. Do you want your Meetup to be featured? Share 1 picture with the Community team! Rename your picture as “Meetup-name_event-date” and upload it to this folder. The formats supported are jpg and png. Please remember, always ask for permission from your group members before taking the picture and sharing it with us!
If you have any questions, Community Team deputiesProgram SupporterCommunity Program Supporters (formerly Deputies) are a team of people worldwide who review WordCamp and Meetup applications, interview lead organizers, and keep things moving at WordCamp Central. Find more about program supporters in our Program Supporter Handbook. are here to help. Please email us at support@wordcamp.org or join the #community-eventsSlack channel. Thanks for everything you do to grow and support the WordPress community—let’s keep sharing knowledge and inspiring each other with our contributions!
Welcome to the April 2024 edition of your WordPress MeetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. Organizer Newsletter! The newsletter aims to inspire and empower WordPress meetup organizers worldwide to host engaging, impactful meetup events. Do you have ideas for topics to feature in a future edition of the newsletter? Please email your suggestions to support@wordcamp.org.
Elevate Your MeetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. With WordPress Playground!
Hosting or planning your next WordPress meetup? Make it unforgettable with WordPress Playground! This innovative tool transforms learning and interaction by allowing you and your attendees to run WordPress directly in your browser. Playground is the ultimate learning, teaching, and testing tool – perfect for demonstrations, hands-on learning, and exploring new WordPress features without the hassle of installations. Dive into WordPress Playground and bring your meetups to life: https://wordpress.org/playground/
Explore WordPress 6.5 Highlights
WordPress 6.5 “Regina” was recently released! This major releaseMajor ReleaseA set of releases or versions having the same major version number may be collectively referred to as “X.Y” -- for example version 5.2.x to refer to versions 5.2, 5.2.1, and all other versions in the 5.2. (five dot two dot) branch of that software. Major Releases often are the introduction of new major features and functionality. brings exciting features like the new Font Library, enhanced drag-and-drop functionality, and over 110 performance updates, making the Post Editor and Site Editor 2x faster than before. Notable improvements include AVIF image support, 65 accessibilityAccessibilityAccessibility (commonly shortened to a11y) refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design ensures both “direct access” (i.e. unassisted) and “indirect access” meaning compatibility with a person’s assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility) enhancements, and developer-friendly features like the Interactivity APIAPIAn API or Application Programming Interface is a software intermediary that allows programs to interact with each other and share data in limited, clearly defined ways.. With contributions from 700 individuals across 57 countries, including 150 first-time contributors, WordPress 6.5 reflects a global effort to empower users with a smoother, more efficient experience. Following closely, the maintenance and security release of WordPress 6.5.2 addresses crucial bug fixes and security enhancements, ensuring the WordPress experience remains top-notch.
How Your Meetup Can Explore WordPress 6.5 Together
Interactive Workshops: Host workshops focused on 6.5’s innovations, like creating custom fonts with the new Font Library.
Show and Tell: Inspire your community by showcasing real-world applications of 6.5 features. Encourage members to share their projects and learn from each other.
Share Your Feedback with Meetup.com
Earlier this year, Meetup.com was acquired by Bending Spoons, an Italian-based tech company with an ambitious vision for Meetup’s future. Bending Spoons acquired Meetup because they believe in the mission to foster human connections. Over the next few years, this new parent company intends to invest nearly $50 million to improve the product and grow membership. In particular, the team plans to improve event discoverability and reduce the friction for organizers to create events and engage with their communities.
Harness WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Europe 2024 for your Meetup Group!
WordCamp Europe 2024 has unveiled its schedule and speaker lineup! From talks on WordPress’s future to hands-on workshops, there’s something for everyone. WordCamp Europe talks are live-streamed and recorded, so you can bring together your meetup group to watch and discuss the sessions. It’s the next best thing to being there!
Celebrating Success: WordPress Contributor Mentorship Program
The WordPress Contributor Mentorship Program’s second cohort has just wrapped up, boasting 52 mentees guided by 28 mentorsEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. over six weeks. A heartfelt congratulations to all mentees – including six recipients of the LGBTQ+Press Empowerment Grant – for their outstanding contributions to WordPress.
Introducing our newest WordPress Meetup groups
Let’s welcome the new Meetup groups recently added to our chapter! Do support them in organizing both local (in-person) and global (online) meetup events, and let’s learn from their experiences and experiments along the way.
This month, we celebrate the WordPress Meetup groups of Cebu (Philippines), Managua (Nicaragua), Sofia (Bulgaria), and Malappuram (India)!
Meetup Organizers, we want to feature you!
We’d love to publish pictures from Meetups all around the world in each newsletter. Do you want your Meetup to be featured? Share 1 picture with the Community team! Rename your picture as “Meetup-name_event-date” and upload it to this folder. The formats supported are jpg and png. Please remember, always ask for permission from your group members before taking the picture and sharing it with us!
If you have any questions, Community Team Supporters are here to help. Please email us at support@wordcamp.org or join the #community-eventsSlack channel. Thanks for everything you do to grow and support the WordPress community. Let’s keep sharing knowledge and inspiring each other with our contributions!
Hi, WordPress MeetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. Organizers!
Curious to see all WordPress upcoming events worldwide? Check out the WordPress Events site! You can filterFilterFilters are one of the two types of Hooks https://codex.wordpress.org/Plugin_API/Hooks. They provide a way for functions to modify data of other functions. They are the counterpart to Actions. Unlike Actions, filters are meant to work in an isolated manner, and should never have side effects such as affecting global variables and output. by country, month, and event type and connect with the WordPress communities around the world!
News from WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Asia
In his Q&A session at WordCamp Asia, Matt Mullenweg (WordPress Co-founder) announced that State Of The WordState of the WordThis is the annual report given by Matt Mullenweg, founder of WordPress at WordCamp US. It looks at what we’ve done, what we’re doing, and the future of WordPress. https://wordpress.tv/tag/state-of-the-word/. 2024 will be held in Tokyo, Japan on December 16, 2024. You can view the full recording of Matt’s Q&A session on YouTube.
The Community Team has announced a project to revive Meetup Groups in big cities in Asia that are inactive, or help the local WordPress community that are not yet part of the WordPress Meetup Chapter Program to join. Please see the project’s post for more details, and let us know if you’d like to be involved!
MeetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. of the Month
This month, we celebrate the WordPress Meetup groups of Bengaluru (Bangalore, India), Griñón (Spain), and Satkhira (Bangladesh)!
Bangalore, IndiaGriñón, SpainSatkhira, Bangladesh
Introducing our newest WordPress Meetup groups
Let’s welcome the new Meetup groups recently added to our chapter! Do support them in organizing both local (in-person) and global (online) meetup events, and let’s learn from their experiences and experiments along the way.
We’d love to publish pictures from Meetups all around the world in each newsletter. Do you want your Meetup to be featured? Share 1 picture with the Community team! Rename your picture as “Meetup-name_event-date” and upload it to this folder. The formats supported are jpg and png. Please remember, always ask for permission from your group members before taking the picture and sharing it with us!
Meetup Tip of the Month
The best way to boost discoverability of your Meetup events is by putting relevant keywords in your event’s title and description (for example, “WordPress”). When writing your event description, be concise and specific. Include the same relevant keyword in your event title and at least twice in your description. The more you use a searchable keyword, the easier it will be for members to find your event.
If you have any questions, Community Team Program Supporters are here to help. Please email us at support@wordcamp.org or join the #community-eventsSlack channel. Thanks for everything you do to grow and support the WordPress community—let’s keep sharing knowledge and inspiring each other with our contributions!
WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Asia is just around the corner, and there are still a few tickets available. If you’ve been waiting until the final moment to decide whether to go, now is the time to grab your ticket!
WC Europe Call for Volunteers closes on February 28, apply now!
Curious to see all WordPress upcoming events worldwide? Check out the new event page! You can filterFilterFilters are one of the two types of Hooks https://codex.wordpress.org/Plugin_API/Hooks. They provide a way for functions to modify data of other functions. They are the counterpart to Actions. Unlike Actions, filters are meant to work in an isolated manner, and should never have side effects such as affecting global variables and output. by country, month, and event type and connect with the WordPress communities around the world!
Watch the State of the WordState of the WordThis is the annual report given by Matt Mullenweg, founder of WordPress at WordCamp US. It looks at what we’ve done, what we’re doing, and the future of WordPress. https://wordpress.tv/tag/state-of-the-word/. 2023 in your language!
At the last State of the Word we experimented with AI technology! Now you can watch the whole event while listening to Matt Mullenweg speaking the following languages, assisted by AI: Spanish, French, Brazilian Portuguese, German, and Japanese.
Feeling bold and creative? Apply to organize a brand new event!
MeetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. organizers are the pillar of the WordPress community. With your experience in community and event management, you have probably come up with several ideas for events that would have a powerful impact on your community, but would not fit the format of traditional WordCamps.
Don’t let this prevent you from giving your community a wonderful event! Apply to organize a creative WordPress event. Innovation is encouraged!
A group of community leaders published the proposal for a pilot program to test GatherPress, a community-developed pluginPluginA plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party, within interested and active WordPress meetup groups. For detailed information and join the pilot head to the proposal.
MeetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. of the Month
This month, let’s celebrate the WordPress Meetup Groups of Terni (Italy), Delhi (India), and Gdynia (Poland)!
Gdynia, Poland
Delhi, India
Terni, Italia
Meetup Organizers, we want to feature you!
We’d love to publish pictures from Meetups all around the world in each newsletter. Do you want your Meetup to be featured? Share 1 picture with the Community team! Rename your picture as “Meetup-name_event-date” and upload it to this folder. The formats supported are JPG and PNG. Please remember, always ask for permission from your group members before taking the picture and sharing it with us!
If you have any questions, Community Team deputiesProgram SupporterCommunity Program Supporters (formerly Deputies) are a team of people worldwide who review WordCamp and Meetup applications, interview lead organizers, and keep things moving at WordCamp Central. Find more about program supporters in our Program Supporter Handbook. are here to help. Please email us at support@wordcamp.org or join the #community-eventsSlack channel. Thanks for everything you do to grow and support the WordPress community—let’s keep sharing knowledge and inspiring each other with our contributions!
Thank you for joining us for another year of contributing to the WordPress open sourceOpen SourceOpen Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL. project! MeetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. are the heart of this project, and your willingness to host one is invaluable. Thank you for all you do to make meetups a reality in your part of the world.
A particular Community Team focus this year is our meetups. We’ll be looking at new ways to get them the support they need to help them grow.
Feedback Requested on the New WordPress Events Page
First, a little about the site.
This site aims to give more visibility to all kinds of WordPress events around the globe. Here you’ll find upcoming WordPress events like scheduled WordCamps, Meetups, Next Gen WordPress Events (WordPress Events from now on), as well as how to organize them.
So far, the site consists of the following three pages:
Those three pages are just the beginning of a vision where we bring the WordPress Events our local meetups are organizing closer to our users and visitors of WordPress.orgWordPress.orgThe community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. https://wordpress.org/.
The goal is for this site to become the central source of information for all WordPress Community events and organizers. From getting started to finding an event to attend, we can have one resource that supports them all.
WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Europe 2024 will be in Torino, Italy on June 13 – 15 2024. Tickets are now on sale! Grab your ticket today, you can choose between general admission and micro-sponsor.
Thank you and bye (for now), Jill!
After a decade of leadership, Jill Binder has decided to step away from her work with WordPress. Jill has been a key player in our community as the leader of the Diverse Speaker Training (#WPDiversity) working group and as the co-creator & maintainer of the Diverse Speaker Training Workshop. Her dedication to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) in the Project has been inspirational. Check out the extraordinary impact of #WPDiversity and use the invaluable open source resources created for WordPress event organizers, underrepresented speakers, Diversity and Community workshop organizers and #WPDiversity workshop translators.
Want to join us in wishing her the best for her next big adventure? Leave your comment to this post.
If you have any questions, Community Team deputiesProgram SupporterCommunity Program Supporters (formerly Deputies) are a team of people worldwide who review WordCamp and Meetup applications, interview lead organizers, and keep things moving at WordCamp Central. Find more about program supporters in our Program Supporter Handbook. are here to help. Please email us at support@wordcamp.org or join the #community-eventsSlack channel. Thanks for everything you do to grow and support the WordPress community—let’s keep sharing knowledge and inspiring each other with our contributions!
Whew! What a year it has been, as was highlighted in the kick-off to the 2023 State of the WordState of the WordThis is the annual report given by Matt Mullenweg, founder of WordPress at WordCamp US. It looks at what we’ve done, what we’re doing, and the future of WordPress. https://wordpress.tv/tag/state-of-the-word/.. 77 WordCamps were held in 33 countries, a small part of the 3,300 WordPress gatherings worldwide. Our events have more than doubled since the pandemic, and as we all know, our meetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. are at the heart of that.
It wouldn’t happen without organizers like you; thank you!
Speaking of incredible organizer accomplishments, read on to see how the community embraced this year’s State of the Word watch parties and get an update on a new communication tool the Make Teams are experimenting with.
State of the Word Watch Parties: A Look at the Numbers and Beyond
This year, over 475 community members RSVPed to attend one of the 47 State of the Word Watch Parties (27 online, 20 in person) held in 18 different countries. Imagine the fun they had celebrating together.
While both WordPress’s anniversary and the State of the Word celebration are ideal times to gather as a community, watch parties can be organized anytime!
Many of the resources available for hosting those events can be applied to others as well. Plan now to watch the live streams for WC Asia, WCEUWCEUWordCamp Europe. The European flagship WordCamp event., and WCUSWCUSWordCamp US. The US flagship WordCamp event. together. Additionally, WordPress.tv has a library of presentations you could watch together and discuss.
Whatever it is, consider making watch parties a part of your meetups regular routine!
Contribute to WordPress in 2024: No matter your skill set, there is a place for you on one of the more than 20 Make WordPress teams. To make things even easier, you can now use the new contributor tool at make.wordpress.org/contribute to find the perfect WordPress Contributor Team to join. Whether you contribute as a meetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. or individually, there’s never been a better time to start than now!
Meetup Survey – In 15 minutes or less, you can contribute to a more complete view of the WordPress community as well as add your own unique perspective to the global program. Simply fill out the annual survey today!
The Move to Matrix is On Hold
It was recently announced that starting in 2024 Community Team meetings would be held in Matrix. Due to usability concerns and a change in Matrix’s licensing, this move has been paused.
SlackSlackSlack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/. will remain the primary chat platform for the WordPress community, but this does not mean that Matrix is going away.
As Alex Kirk states in his post, “The Slack-Matrix bridge and integrations, such as Chatrix, are still valuable for contributors and will keep working. This allows for flexibility and the continued use of the achievements made so far, especially to help onboard new contributors. We encourage Make teams to further explore and take advantage of all the opportunities that Make team chat pages have to offer.”
So, if you’re interested in trying something new for 2024, check out Matrix and be a part of its feedback and testing.
If you have any questions, Community Team Program Supporters are here to help. Please email us at support@wordcamp.org or join the #community-eventsSlack channel. Thanks for everything you do to grow and support the WordPress community — let’s keep sharing knowledge and inspiring each other with our contributions!
November is an exciting month! New event formats continue to spring to life, WordCamps are in process, and new meetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. applications are coming in from across the globe.
As if that weren’t enough, three great opportunities are available this month:
Apply to speak at WCEUWCEUWordCamp Europe. The European flagship WordCamp event..
Schedule your local State of the WordState of the WordThis is the annual report given by Matt Mullenweg, founder of WordPress at WordCamp US. It looks at what we’ve done, what we’re doing, and the future of WordPress. https://wordpress.tv/tag/state-of-the-word/. watch party.
Complete the 2023 Meetup Survey.
Read on to learn more and please encourage your community members to take part.
WCEU Call for Speakers is Open
Connect, be inspired, and share our knowledge and stories with the global WordPress community by applying to speak at WCEU 2024. Be a part of the friendly, welcoming, and diverse flagship event that highlights what brings us together around the world’s most used CMS.
Schedule your State of the Word Watch Party Today
The State of the Word is an annual event during which WordPress Co-Founder Matt Mullenweg shares the latest updates and vision for our beloved platform.
This year’s State of the Word 2023 will be held in Madrid, Spain on December 11, 2023 at 15:00 UTC and will be live-streamed via WordPress.orgWordPress.orgThe community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. https://wordpress.org/ social media platforms for those who choose to watch from elsewhere.
Whether you watch the live stream or the recording at a time that is convenient for your community, State of the Word watch parties are a fantastic opportunity to come together with your local WordPress enthusiasts to connect, learn, and celebrate the future of our favorite content management system.
Want help getting started?
Check out the information in the Meetup Organizer handbook. It has all you need to organize a State of the Word watch party in person or online. All the tips, tricks, and resources you need in one place.
If you have questions or need additional help, you’re always welcome to ask questions in the Community Team channels on Making WordPress SlackSlackSlack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/. or email the team at support@wordcamp.org.
The 2023 Meetup Survey is Out
It’s annual survey time, an opportunity to work together to get a pulse on the local WordPress meetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook..
By taking 15 minutes to fill out the annual survey, you contribute to a more complete view of your community as well as adding your own unique perspective to the global program, both of which are invaluable.
The more responses we have, the more data we have to work with and the greater the impact is for WordPress meetups around the world.
This year’s survey has been simplified into one survey for both organizers and attendees, with a focus on your experience and how to best support growing communities. About two thirds of the questions are true/false or multiple choice, with the remaining questions providing opportunities for you to share your thoughts and ideas.
Submissions will be accepted through 14 January, 2024.
If you have any questions, Community Team deputiesProgram SupporterCommunity Program Supporters (formerly Deputies) are a team of people worldwide who review WordCamp and Meetup applications, interview lead organizers, and keep things moving at WordCamp Central. Find more about program supporters in our Program Supporter Handbook. are here to help. Please email us at support@wordcamp.org or join the #community-eventsSlack channel. Thanks for everything you do to grow and support the WordPress community—let’s keep sharing knowledge and inspiring each other with our contributions!
The year may be winding down, but our talented community continues to find new ways to contribute!
In this newsletter, we will:
Introduce you to one of the newest contributing teams, the Photos team and share their recent milestone.
Showcase new events being organized by the community.
Update you on the details for this year’s State of the WordState of the WordThis is the annual report given by Matt Mullenweg, founder of WordPress at WordCamp US. It looks at what we’ve done, what we’re doing, and the future of WordPress. https://wordpress.tv/tag/state-of-the-word/. so you can start planning your watch party early.
Share a Meetup.com resource for getting to know other meetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. organizers.
Ready? Here we go!!!
Celebrating the 10,000 Photo Team Submission
On 11 October, the 10,000th photo was approved!
Submitted by Sithara Koramprambil and approved by moderator Michelle Frechette, this photo of Sithara’s 10th wedding anniversary celebration cake which was taken on 27 January, 2022 at the Rock Cliff resort, Shillong, Meghalaya, India.
The Photo Team is one of the newest ways to contribute to the WordPress open sourceOpen SourceOpen Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL. project. You can submit photos, learn to review photos, and – like many team members – do both!
Whether you want to submit photos, help moderate, or need CC0 photos to use for a project, check out the Photos team’s contribution to WordPress. Want to participate? Consider making your next meetup a photo walk!
The Gdynia community chose to focus its one-day camp around the theme of optimization for both work and WordPress.
84 local WordPress enthusiasts will gather to learn from four experienced WordPress experts who will serve as mentorsEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. and facilitators at the one-day “Scale Up” workshop in Tegal, Indonesia. The focus will be on enhancing participants’ WordPress skills for the enterprise world.
Community Team Training #11: Using the Translate Live tool. On Thursday, November 9, 2023 at 12:00 UTC uncover the potential of the “Translate Live” tool. It’s ideal for presenting at your local meetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. to engage and onboard new translators for your native language. If you’re organizing a WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more., consider introducing this tool during your Contributor DayContributor DayContributor Days are standalone days, frequently held before or after WordCamps but they can also happen at any time. They are events where people get together to work on various areas of https://make.wordpress.org/ There are many teams that people can participate in, each with a different focus. https://2017.us.wordcamp.org/contributor-day/https://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/getting-started/getting-started-at-a-contributor-day/..
Learn WordPress: The Training team is creating new material and resources – don’t miss their latest updates.
Not in Madrid? No problem! Organize a Watch Party with your local community to watch live, or use the replay to meet at a time that’s convenient to you.
As usual, we have resources to help make organizing a Watch Party simple and fun. Head to the Meetup Organizer handbook to find information on requesting a Zoom account for online parties, or a venue support for in-person parties, and event and invitation templates you can use on Meetup.com.
Meetup Tip of the Month
Did you know there’s a thriving community of Meetup organizers on Discord? The Meetup Organizer Community allows Meetup Organizers to connect, share, and build a community for Organizer success. There you will find mentors and Meetup employees available to help. Check it out and join, assuming you haven’t already!
If you have any questions, Community Team deputiesProgram SupporterCommunity Program Supporters (formerly Deputies) are a team of people worldwide who review WordCamp and Meetup applications, interview lead organizers, and keep things moving at WordCamp Central. Find more about program supporters in our Program Supporter Handbook. are here to help. Please email us at support@wordcamp.org or join the #community-eventsSlack channel. Thanks for everything you do to grow and support the WordPress community—let’s keep sharing knowledge and inspiring each other with our contributions!
