WordCamp Bilbao 2024: Quality People

What can be said about a WordCamp that hasn’t been said already?
We can only add that WordCamp Bilbao 2024 promised, and it delivered.

For wetopi, writing about a WordCamp always means talking about the goodness of its people, attendees, speakers, volunteers, organizers, and the whole “scene” that revolves around this CMS. We might be getting used to experiencing it, but it’s no less special for that.

And in Bilbao, there was plenty of quality.

Table of Contents

• Go Bilbao!
• A Sponsor’s Perspective at WordCamp Bilbao 2024
• Contrasting Opinions
• Attendee Insights at WordCamp Bilbao 2024
• Conclusion

Go Bilbao!

And indeed… What a great atmosphere there is in Bilbao! Beyond clichés about food, Bilbao is very authentic. The WordCamp Bilbao 2024 team knew how to convey this well by hosting the event at AS Fabrik, right by the Bilbao estuary, in an environment blending its industrial, working-class past — somewhat combative, and an uncertain future with ongoing works seeming to contradict its origins.

The timing, April 20-21, was also spot on. Ideal temperature, sunshine, long days, cool evenings — perfect for post-dinner strolls.

A Sponsor’s Perspective at WordCamp Bilbao 2024

It must be acknowledged, an open-source, collaborative tool, with a community dedicated to sharing knowledge freely, just because, for the betterment of all, is extraordinary.

Each WordCamp has a unique atmosphere, and each person experiences it from a different perspective.

From a sponsor’s perspective — using this WordCamp in Bilbao as an example, but it could be applied broadly — it’s perhaps the most “commercial”approach: we expect a return on our investment when we pay to participate.

• Does that make us less altruistic, less inclined to contribute to the community, disrupting the communal dynamic on which a WordCamp is based?
• Or, conversely, is it the ultimate form of contribution, investing money earned through hard work into the benefit of a community?

Perhaps it’s a mix of both: we contribute as a company and as individuals, while seeking visibility and trust in our services. It remains a transaction, with more good than bad.

Contrasting Opinions

WordCamp Bilbao 2024 brought together people with diverse perspectives, offering us the opportunity to test the strength of our own against others.

As an example, we had an interesting debate with colleagues about whether the organizing team of a WordCamp should be financially compensated under certain circumstances or not.

What do you think?

Organizing a WordCamp is a massive effort. The team dedicates countless hours, often putting aside their regular work. It seems fair to compensate them, yet an argument for volunteerism is that when your motivation isn’t financial, you often go further than if it were.

Volunteer teams and organizers don’t watch the clock; they give their all selflessly.

There’s a concern: if money enters the equation, does the community spirit fly out the window?

Setting aside any controversy, contrasting beliefs with others is an enriching experience. You may not reach a conclusion on a specific issue, but that’s not always necessary. Having the luxury of discussing it calmly in one of Bilbao’s countless venues is a pleasure.

We appreciate the debate spaces this WordCamp in Bilbao has provided us. The size, location, and timing were perfect for this.

Attendee Insights at WordCamp Bilbao 2024

As sponsors, returning to our interest, we aim to network and make new contacts.

In this aspect, we couldn’t be happier! It must be the spirit of these people who have conquered seas and distant lands, with a strong, unique culture, always staying ahead… of exactly what, we’re not sure, but we sensed an active, refined listening that captured the message and embraced novelty they hadn’t encountered before. We leave with very positive impressions.

Perhaps influenced by the pleasant aroma of the herbal teas we brought from the Val d’Aran. Or the plantable cookies from Eixarcolant…?

Many appreciated this type of merchandise, even if they weren’t sure how it related to hosting activities. For us, it’s simple: it contributes to something beyond direct economic gain, supporting other projects that care for their environment and make improvements. Similarly, at wetopi, we aim to nurture the prosperity of your web project and improve your peace of mind.

Conclusion

A WordCamp isn’t just about the number of attendees and speakers but about their quality. Among the speakers, that’s what we seek and expect (and we achieved it, by the way — check it out on WordPress.TV), but when attendees, with their active, positive, and polite engagement, support your presence and express gratitude, it’s very fulfilling.

It must be said that this community is respectful at all its events, wherever they may be, but in Bilbao, we felt particularly welcomed.

See you at WCEU 2024 in Torino, Italy!

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