Hello Fares, thanks for reaching out - I hope the wider community also shares their experience, because the situation where I live (Belgium) is very different from the one in your Aleppo. From your mail, I have the impression that you're expecting hundreds of people. It looks like you have a very ambitious project outlined! From what I heard, good potential partners were libraries and schools. I don't think there is a hackerspace in Syria or more specific in Aleppo. For sure, if nothing else works and you have enough volunteers... you could do a "tour of digital freedom" (pick a name that may be more accessible for your area if needed) where different home living rooms get turned into an ad hoc place. If the speakers are willing to give their talk a few times, this might also be a way to distribute the people load - even offering the opportunity for more interaction with your audience. Others have also used coffee shops or cafés as venue, given they might sell drinks to the visitors. Anyway, wishing you best of luck, and looking forward to hearing more from you and your event! Greetings, Jurgen Op 25/09/2025 om 10:57 schreef Fares Alkhaled:
Hello SFD Community,
My name is Fares, I’m based in Aleppo, Syria, and I’m currently working on coordinating a Software Freedom Day event here. This will be one of the first SFD events of its kind in Aleppo, and I’m really excited about the opportunity to bring people together around free and open-source software.
The event is planned to include four main activities:
1.
*Technical Talks* – on digital freedom, open-source software, and their role in developing both the technical and civil society sectors.
2.
*Interactive Exhibition* – showcasing open-source software across different sectors.
3.
*Support Corner* – offering technical help to install FOSS software from the exhibition and providing guidance for visitors.
4.
*Hackathon* – where young people can participate in solving 3–4 technical challenges using open-source tools, with clear participation rules.
Right now, the main challenge I’m facing is finding a suitable venue. I’ve been looking for theaters or halls that can host the event, but so far it’s been difficult. Because of this, I may need to push the date to October 2nd instead of the official day.
I’d love to hear your advice on:
1.
*Program design* – What have you found most effective in engaging participants and keeping the energy high across multiple activities in a single-day event?
2.
*Maximizing local impact* – From your experience, what strategies can help make SFD more meaningful in regions where the FOSS community is still in its early stages?
3.
*Flexibility* – If I cannot secure a large hall, what creative approaches (smaller venues, hybrid formats, outdoor spaces, etc.) have worked for you?
I want this to be a strong and inspiring start for the FOSS community in Syria, and I’d be grateful to learn from your experiences.
Thank you in advance for your support and guidance.
Best regards, Fares Aleppo, Syria
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