Re: [107all] Update on IETF 107 Vancouver and COVID-19

[Joseph Potvin <[e-mail]>]

Just an FYI: LibrePlanet 2020 (13-15  March) has shifted to fully online.
Their announcement is below.

Joseph Potvin

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Zoë Kooyman, FSF <[e-mail]>
Date: Tue, Mar 10, 2020 at 6:09 AM
Subject: LibrePlanet 2020: In-person component canceled, but we'll see you
online
To: Joseph Potvin <[e-mail]>


[image: Free Software Foundation]

*Read and share online:
https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/libreplanet-2020-in-person-component-canceled-but-well-see-you-online
<https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/libreplanet-2020-in-person-component-canceled-but-well-see-you-online>*

Dear Joseph Potvin,

It is with deep sadness that we are canceling all of the in-person events
associated with LibrePlanet 2020 due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak and
our corresponding concern for the safety of this community. This includes
the conference sessions on March 14 and 15, and all Free Software
Foundation (FSF)-organized social events on March 13, 14, and 15.

However, just because we won't be holding a conference in person this year
doesn't mean that we've given up our fight to "free the future." Instead,
LibrePlanet will be a *fully free (as in freedom) virtual conference and
livestream*. We had an extremely exciting program planned, and we're going
to try and maintain as much of that schedule as possible with all of the
speakers who are willing and able to participate remotely. The resulting
livestream will be run on and entirely accessible via free software, so
that you can enjoy these amazing talks from the comfort of your home.

With our small staff and the immense amount of other work to be done for
free software this year, we decided that rescheduling to later this year
would not be feasible, and that a virtual conference would be much more
valuable.

We changed our plans since our announcement last week because, over the
weekend, the number of presumptive coronavirus cases reported in
Massachusetts grew to 40
<https://www.mass.gov/doc/covid-19-cases-in-massachusetts/download>. We
also have been receiving a steady flow of speaker and attendee
cancellations, indicating concern. The continuous spread of the virus, the
daily changes to the situation, and its confirmed growth in the Boston area
all made it impossible for us to sufficiently guarantee people's safety
attending the event. With this issue out of the way, we can now focus all
of our energy to deliver the best possible version of the event online.

This decision has not been made lightly; the financial costs already
incurred in terms of money and staff time are a heavy burden on the
organization. We ask you for your understanding, and to please consider
making a donation <https://www.fsf.org/donate> to the FSF, especially as we
move forward with our plans to bring the conference to thousands of virtual
participants around the world. To those whose travel plans were disrupted,
please accept our apologies.

More information will be forthcoming. For now, please follow the World
Health Organization
<https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019>
guidelines about keeping safe during this difficult time. Again, thank you
for your patience and understanding.

Happy hacking,

Zoë Kooyman
Program Manager