EuroPython

“[The] first time I attended EuroPython I was just in awe of the dedication of the volunteer team, and I wanted to know more about how it all came together.” This week in our Humans of EuroPython series, we’d love to shine a light on Emma Cooke, the Lead of the Accessibility Team, and the ways she helped shape the EuroPython 2026 conference. Emma’s unique perspective took our approach to accessibility to a whole new level, helping us progress towards our goal of making EuroPython a place for everyone. We’re extremely grateful for that. 🐍 🐍 🐍 EP: If you had to sum up your volunteering experience in just three words, what would they be? Energising. Welcoming. Fulfilling. EP: Before you volunteered, had you already been to EuroPython as an attendee, or did volunteering mark your very first encounter with it? I’d been as an attendee in Prague 2024, then as a ‘pocket of sun’ volunteer in 2025, and 2026 in Kraków was my first year volunteering on the organising committee. EP: What did your main volunteer role involve, and what would a typical day look like for you? As part of the accessibility team, I wanted to focus on making the conference as inclusive and as accessible as possible. I looked after things like checking the venue was physically accessible for those with mobility issues, having quiet rooms and stim toys available to help neurodivergent attendees, responding to individual requests for assistance, childcare, dietary requirements, and just generally ensuring that folks at the conference could get the support they needed. EP: What are you most proud of achieving as part of your volunteer work? I am proud of introducing the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower scheme to EuroPython this year. The Sunflower is a tool that helps people with non-visible disabilities signal that they may need a little extra time or patience, without having to explain themselves. As a sunflower wearer myself, it is nice to see the sunflower supported in more places, and to raise awareness of the initiative. EP: Has volunteering changed how you experience conferences generally, even ones you're just attending now? Volunteering has massively changed my perspective! I have so much appreciation for the work that goes on behind the scenes. This is what got me interested in volunteering in the first place - the first time I attended EuroPython I was just in awe of the dedication of the volunteer team, and I wanted to know more about how it all came together. EP: If you were encouraging someone to join the EuroPython organising team, what would you say are the top three reasons to do it? The people. This community draws in people who genuinely want to make things better for everyone, and being part of the organising team gives you a chance to work with those people. The impact you can have. The conference simply doesn’t happen without volunteers. You'll gain a perspective you can't get as an attendee. EP: Thank you so much, Emma!

This week we’d love to spotlight 🐍 Diego R., a member of the Programme Team, and his contributions to EuroPython 2026. In addition to helping ensure an interesting and varied conference programme, Diego was our liaison with Guido van Rossum, Łukasz Langa and Pablo Galindo Salgado who gave a very fun keynote session at the conference. We're so grateful for your contribution, Diego! 🐍 🐍 🐍 EP: How were you involved in EuroPython 2026? I was part of the Programme Team, managing the CfP, mentorship programme, speaker selection, waiting list and conference schedule. A big part of the work is keeping the programme balanced and free of gaps. EP: Was there something specific about the Python community that made you want to give something back through volunteering? I’ve used Python since 2006 and first attended EuroPython in Florence in 2011. I was struck by the community’s openness and welcoming spirit. Python conferences gave me a lot over the years, so in 2022 I decided to give something back by volunteering. Since then, I’ve worked with the Communications and Programme teams. EP: What does the "invisible" side of EuroPython look like - the stuff that has to go right for everyone else to have a good time? A lot of it is the schedule. We have several tracks and need to balance topics so people with different interests stay engaged. We receive far more proposals than we can fit, which lets us be selective but makes the choices difficult. EP: What's something you noticed about the conference because you were volunteering that you'd never have spotted as a regular attendee? How many last-minute cancellations happen, and how quickly the team has to reshuffle the schedule and sometimes find replacement speakers during the conference itself. EP: In what ways did volunteering shape or strengthen your ties to the community? Python is more than a programming language to me. It has shaped my career to the point that I now contribute to CPython as a Core Developer, and the community played a major part in choosing that path. EP: Is there a common myth about conference volunteering you'd like to set the record straight on? I waited before volunteering because I thought I did not have enough experience. I was completely wrong. The EuroPython community made it easy to get involved from the start. If you are willing to help and learn, you gain experience along the way. EP: What surprised you most about volunteering at EuroPython? What surprised me most is how much volunteering changes the way you experience the conference. You stop seeing EuroPython only as an event you attend and start seeing the people, effort and collaboration that make it possible. It gives you a much stronger sense of belonging to the community. EP: Thank you for your work, Diego!

Latest EuroPython newsletter arrived. We: - published all talk recordings... - ...and all official photos! - shared some interesting stats - and few highlights from this year's conference! Relieve EuroPython 2026 with us. Check your inboxes or the link in the comments.

🚨 Your #EuroPython2026 watchlist just got a LOT bigger cause all the talks are now available! 🐍🎥 From Python deep dives to community stories and everything in between, there’s plenty to watch. 🎬 https://lnkd.in/djF2_DRv Big cheers to our amazing speakers and volunteer reviewers! 👏🫶

Many thanks to everyone who joined us in Kraków in July to celebrate the 25th anniversary of EuroPython. What fun it was! EuroPython is a space for people to come together, share knowledge and experience, make new friends, and find new Python inspiration. We'd like to thank all of the organizing teams which came before, all on-site volunteers, speakers, tutorial & sprint leads, sponsors, and all attendees as well as folks who created the EuroPython Society to take care of us all. Here's to another quarter of a century together! 🐍

CPython is evolving fast: performance improvements 🚀, JIT compilation ⚡, free-threading 🧵, better tooling 🛠️, and much more. Hear directly from the core developers in the #EuroPython2026 CPython panel. https://lnkd.in/eEN7nRfr

Generative AI is changing cybersecurity, but the conversation goes far beyond code. 🤖🔐 Watch experts discuss the technical, strategic, and ethical challenges facing our industry in this #EuroPython2026 panel. https://lnkd.in/e6nSqWm4

🐍 Ever wondered who helps guide the future of Python? Meet the Python Steering Council: the committee responsible for maintaining the quality and stability of Python, shaping its evolution, and supporting the community ❤️ 🤗 https://lnkd.in/erfiQCKA

Python is having a moment. Software engineering is having a moment. But the real power behind both is us. 🐍💛 Watch Paul Everitt's #EuroPython2026 keynote on history, AI, and the future we're building together. https://lnkd.in/eYUPCZ7S