Preparing DebConf26: Site Visit in Santa Fe
Summary of the DebConf Committee's visit to Argentina for the DebConf26 Site Visit.
The DebConf26 Local Team has been working for a long time on the key steps required to prepare the next DebConf26, which will take place in Santa Fe, Argentina.
After confirming that the venue for the event will be the FICH (Faculty of Engineering and Water Sciences), the next major milestone was the Site Visit—a crucial stage in the preparation of every DebConf.
During this visit, members of the DebConf Committee review the venue, evaluate the technical infrastructure (networking, audio and video), inspect lodging and transport options, and assess the capacity of the Local Team to host an event of this scale.
In August 2025, Stefano Rivera and Nattie Mayer-Hutchings visited Santa Fe to carry out this inspection. They toured the FICH facilities, checked technical aspects, and took the opportunity to meet with the DebConf Local Team.
Although the visit was meant to be a simple technical inspection, it evolved into something much more meaningful: an encounter among people and communities who share Debian’s values of collaboration, transparency, and collective building.
Alongside the Site Visit, several talks and activities were organized:
📍 Buenos Aires
First meeting with the DebConf Committee
Talks
- What is Debian? (Emmanuel Arias) – an introductory session covering the history of Debian and how a DebConf is organized.
- Free Software & Cooperativism (Osiux – gcoop) – experiences from a cooperative developing Debian-based solutions.
- Debian and DebConf (Stefano Rivera) – how DebConf is organized, the Committee’s role, and international collaboration.
📍 Santa Fe
Talks
- What is Debian? (Emmanuel Arias) – introduction to Debian and the DebConf process.
- Electronic Waste Recovery (RAEES Acutis) – how the program reuses outdated hardware and promotes technological sustainability.
- Debian and DebConf (Stefano Rivera / Nattie Mayer-Hutchings) – insights into DebConf’s organization and community involvement.
Meetings with local collaborators
- Tour of the FICH facilities with the DebConf Committee and local organizers.
- Meetings with FICH authorities and ATE Santa Fe representatives.
Sunset at the Santa Fe riverside
A summary of this visit and the related activities was also published on Debian Bits, the official Debian blog, highlighting the energy and commitment of the Argentine community on the road to DebConf26.
This milestone not only confirmed that Santa Fe meets the technical and logistical requirements for hosting DebConf26—it also strengthened the commitment and motivation of everyone involved and marked the beginning of many new connections within Debian Argentina.
Thank you to the DebConf Committee for their visit and support, and to everyone who participated in these activities.
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The road to Santa Fe continues,
and each step brings us closer to welcoming the global Debian community.