This page is an effort to document experience of organizing minidebconfs/debutsavs to help new people interested to organize such events.

  1. Find a host institute and fix dates for the event
  2. Decide the name and content
    • If there is an active Free Software community in the host institute you may want to give them a chance to present their work, you can call it debutsav
    • If the majority of talks are debian focused, call it minidebconf
  3. Create a wiki page under DebianIndia with details about the event (look for previous event pages for inspiration)

  4. Create a mailing list or matrix/xmpp group for the organizing team
  5. Make an initial announcement in https://lists.debian.org/debian-dug-in/ and invite volunteers to organize. (Sample email https://lists.debian.org/debian-dug-in/2022/09/msg00002.html)

  6. Create a logo
  7. Complete website (Request for a mini.debconf.org sub domain in #debconf-team irc channel for mini debconf and in #debian-in for debutsav)
  8. Create a sponsorship brochure (Example brochure: https://in2022.mini.debconf.org/media/pages_files/brochure-mdc22.pdf) and look for sponsors

  9. Plan for accommodation, most colleges would be able to offer guest rooms or hostels
  10. Open registrations, send call for talk/workshop/event proposals to debian-devel-announe, debconf-discuss (sample mail https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-announce/2022/10/msg00000.html) and contact publicity team to post on micronews (sample post https://in2022.mini.debconf.org/about/org/)

  11. Get permission for foreign guests from Ministry of External Affairs if planning for foreign participants.
  12. Get budget approved from DPL once number of speakers is known. Usually the budget covers travel and accommodation for Debian contributors. Ideally we should have some local sponsors to cover part of the expenses.
  13. Design T Shirts, Stickers etc
  14. Print goodies
  15. After the event, submit expense report to reimburse the expenses.