Cyprus Tech Policy Unconference - ReFLOSS edition

https://www.neme.org/blog/refloss

When: Saturday, 17 May | 9:30am – 6pm
Where: Cyprus Interaction Lab, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol (Google pin: maps.app.goo.gl/iEHRv66sWwRyycx4A)

This is one of a series of unconferences (open space gatherings with an emergent agenda) aiming for impact in tech policy, in Cyprus and beyond.

The tech industry celebrates disruption and innovation—yet too often sidesteps the deeper conversations we urgently need: What kind of digital futures are we building? For whom? By whom? At what cost? The Cyprus Tech Policy Unconference is an invitation to pause, regroup, and reclaim the narrative. To centre ethics, digital sovereignty, and the commons in our thinking about technology. We seek to challenge extractive models and nurture free, fair, and participatory infrastructures for governance, education, and life.

We call together:

  • People who think and work towards digital rights and the democratisation of technology,
  • FLOSS developers, educators, researchers, creatives, and community organisers,
  • People interested in co-creating ethical digital policy and resilient community tech
  • People invested in mapping the obstacles and opportunities for free/libre software in public institutions, schools, and cultural spaces,
  • People interested in the Right to repair, and the “public money public code” movement
  • Practitioners and policy-makers looking to move toward grounded, implementable strategies for digital justice,
  • People interested in connecting the above priorities with sound business practices.

What to expect

  • A fluid, minimally guided, participant-led networking, brainstorming, and co-working atmosphere, following the principles of Open Space Technology: sessions are proposed and shaped by attendees themselves, allowing for spontaneity, relevance, and co-ownership of the agenda.
  • Space for panels, co-writing labs, workshops, and policy round-tables.
  • Emphasis on dialogue, transparency, and co-creation.

As part of our commitment towards a community-conscious and low-waste event, we kindly ask participants to bring their own reusable cup or bottle. Let’s care for the commons—online and offline.

What Open Space can look like

Initial schedule

09:30 | Gathering
10:00 | Kick-off
10:00 | 11:00 Session Planning
11:00 | 13:30 Parallel sessions
13:30 | 15:00 Potluck Lunch
15:00 | 16:30 Parallel sessions
16:30 | Outcomes
18:00 | Wrap-up
18:30 | rethinking the presentation of generative artworks w/ Alexandre Burton and Line Nault (Affiliated event)
20:30 | Dinner & ELLAK Cyprus Beer Assembly**

Session proposals

  • Let’s connect powerful FLOSS advocates across Cyprus academia, in for a next level (Un)conference on Tech Policy in Education.
  • Let’s populate the following programme on Ελεύθερα Δημιουργικά Εργαλεία – Free Creative Tools
    mypads.framapad.org/… -ya3rx7pe
  • Let’s work out the requirements for a Repair Cafe – repaircafe.org/en/join… r-own/
  • Co-write/adjust an open letter / policy paper DRAFT: Strategic Collaborations Between Cyprus and the United States: Opportunities and Risks in Education and Technology

Confirmed participants

Chrystalleni Loizidou, PhD, NGI0/NLnet Regional Representative (co-facilitator)
Marios Isaakidis (co-facilitator)
Yiannis Colakides (host)

Affiliations

The Cyprus Tech Policy Unconference is organised with the support of
Next Generation Internet Zero (NGI0), by NLnet and the European Commission,
the Brno University of Technology (Czech Republic)
ELLAK.org.cy
NeMe.org
101.CY
hack66.info
Cyprus Interaction Lab, Cyprus University of Technology

Contact
+357 99 586369

Unconference room: matrix.to/#/!XKYpLyMUcnjUqDeKKT… =matrix.org

 
 
 
 
back to top