Group: Librelocal/2026
Contents
Tell us about your LibreLocal 2026 meetup
This May is LibreLocal month! The Free Software Foundation (FSF) invites free software supporters like you to organize an in-person community meetup in your area in May, 2026 to bring people together to swap ideas, learn from each other, and celebrate free software. And the FSF is happy to help.
So tell the world about your meetup by listing it below.
LibreLocal meetups were organized for the first time in 2025, and your enthusiastic response to our call was outstanding. Free software supporters like you organized 29 LibreLocal meetups across five continents last year. Your excitement was so captivating that we had to do it again. So this year, let's organize more meetups!
Be a part of these meetups by organizing one yourself. List it below. The FSF is happy to support you in your organizing efforts. Tell us about your meetup so we can help get the word out about your LibreLocal meetup to other free software supporters near you. We will also be happy to have an available FSF staff member join your event virtually, or if possible, even in person!
The FSF is committing to financially assisting as many meetups as we can, but please note that the size and amount of our supporting grants are limited. If you would like to apply for support, submit a request to us -- BUT FIRST please log in or create an account on my.fsf.org! The deadline to apply for funding is March 15, 2026 so apply today.
So you're interested in organizing a meetup? Great! Tell us about it below. We have a whole range of resources that can help you with organization. We have a meetup guide that will give you some ideas, tips, and tricks; a template for your own safe space policy, and accounts of successful events from last year in two parts.
Your event's program and format is completely up to you. As we learned last year, it can range from coffee in a local cafe with like-minded people to a full-blown multi-day conference! We encourage everyone to organize events that help spread the free software philosophy, and are grounded in freedom. We hope you find a way to highlight that, as well as all the other benefits of working in and with free software, in your event.
Looking for a meetup to attend? Take a look at the list below for a meetup near you.
You've already attended a LibreLocal meetup? Tell us what you thought about it by taking the LibreLocal 2026 meetup survey.
Please note that these events are organized by volunteers. The Free Software Foundation hopes that these gatherings will be a great place for the free software community to meet up and wants to help make these events a success but can't be held accountable for anything happening during these events.
LibreLocal 2026 Event Template
City and country:
Date and time:
Exact location:
Registration (if any):
Organizer(s) (optional):
Description (What is your meetup about? Why do you think people should come?):
The FSF looks forward to promoting your meetup!
LibreLocal 2026 meetups
Democratic Republic of Congo
City and country: Kinshasa, The democratic republic of Congo
Date and time: January 5, 2026
Exact location: Bueno Vista, Avenue Kabila 43, Sebo, Commune de Mont Ngafula
Registration: Contact Narcisse Mbunzama at mbunzama@gmail.com or Tel : +243 84 27 74 438
Organizer: Free Software DRC & Digital Security Group
Description: Meeting to build awareness about free software.
City and country: Kinshasa, The democratic republic of Congo
Date and time: February 2, 2026
Exact location: Bueno Vista, Avenue Kabila 43, Sebo, Commune de Mont Ngafula
Registration: Contact Narcisse Mbunzama at mbunzama@gmail.com
Organizer: Free Software DRC & Digital Security Group
Description: Meeting to further build awareness about free software.
Iran
City and country: Shiraz, Iran
Date and time: May 28, 2026, 17:00 - 20:00
Title: Free Software Conference
Exact location: Shiraz University
Registration (if any):
Organizer(s) (optional): Persian Free Software Community (جامعه نرمافزار آزاد فارسی)
Description (What is your meetup about? Why do you think people should come?): A LibreLocal meetup to promote and discuss free software in the community. Join us to learn, share, and connect with like-minded individuals.
Ukraine
City and country: Kyiv, Ukraine
Date and time: May 2026
Title: Free Software Conference Ukraine
Exact location:
Registration (if any):
Organizer(s) (optional): AOP Robotics, Relvecorp, Kirill Sorudeykin
Description (What is your meetup about? Why do you think people should come?): Space to discuss technology and freedom as it is
United States
City and country: New Haven, Connecticut, United States
Date and time: Thursday, May 29, 2025 — 5:00pm to 9:00pm ET
Live Stream: Starting 5:00pm ET: https://privacysafe.live/rooms/5et-av7-cwx-slr/join Access code: pzu6rv
Exact location: MakeHaven (Lower Level), 770 Chapel Street, New Haven, CT USA
Organizer(s): Sean O'Brien, Sheree Ip & Mikalai Birukou
Description: Celebrate the vital role of Free Software for digital freedom! Enjoy a hands-on, community-driven evening at MakeHaven, sponsored by PrivacySafe.app. This LibreLocal meetup welcomes all experience levels to share in the legacy and future of digital freedom and features demos, talks, and networking.
Highlights include:
- 5:15pm - 6:15pm ET — Demonstration of free software E2EE tools by PrivacySafe.app
- 6:30pm - 7:00pm ET — Live-stream conversation free software, security, and government transparency with ex-CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou
- 7:00pm - 9:00pm ET — Socialize, network, and share libre tools and strategies!
Whether you're an experienced free software developer or just curious, join us to explore the technologies, ethics, and activism of the free software movement.
We'll be serving world-famous New Haven apizza and refreshments!
I'm looking for fellow activists to organize a meetup together
If you're looking for fellow activists to organize a meetup together you can add your contact information and the city you'd like to organize the meetup in below. If you don't want to provide contact information here you can email campaigns@fsf.org and we will connect you to people who are interested in organizing a meetup together with you.
