37C3: current status
TL;DR: We will probably know in October whether and how the Congress will take place in Leipzig this year.
Dear Community.
This year so far has been a very chaotic one for most of us. The future, as we saw in March, can change faster than we would like to imagine. There is still half a year until the usual congress date, but because of our current situation and in order to prevent rumours, we want to be transparent this year, so that you can adapt to different situations.
The initial planning for a 37C3 has begun. After initial talks it became clear that Leipzig Trade Fair is the only reasonable option for us this year. This means that the 37C3 will take place in Leipzig – if it does as a physical event.
At the moment we cannot assess whether the 37C3 is feasible at all. Even if it should become legally possible, we know about the special responsibility towards our participants. In order to fulfil this responsibility, our CERT is involved in the evaluation of the situation.
We expect the situation to be clear enough by October at the latest to make a reasonable decision for this event. This explicitly means that we must keep all options open – including pushing back 37C3 to 2021. As soon as there is a final decision, it will be published on this blog as usual.
Stay healthy, everybody!