Last year, after a three-year-long pause, we emerged from the pandemic stronger than before and reunited in Bogotá for the largest and some would say, “best Devcon yet.” Since then, we were frequently asked “wen Devcon 7?” Well, today, we have some news! 😃 🎉

🥁 When is Devcon 7!? 🥁

We couldn't be more excited to announce that Devcon 7 will be coming to Southeast Asia in 2024! 🎊

Before you ask if we got our years right, we’ll let you know why we are scheduling Devcon 7 for 2024. We thought long and hard about this. Here’s why:

1) More Impact 🌏

One of the most powerful things about Devcon VI in Bogotá was the involvement of the flourishing Latin American Ethereum community. Given the three years, we had a lot of time to engage with the local communities, support and empower them, and to have the most impact possible on a regional Ethereum community.

We aim to create the same impact on the Road to Devcon 7 in Southeast Asia, providing more time for the burgeoning Ethereum community there to mature and develop further. We look forward to seeing new grassroots communities unfold. 🌱

2) Greater Significance 💥

Devcon VI in Bogotá set the bar high with how much community attended, the quality of content and updates, and the production itself. Scheduling Devcon 7 for 2024 gives us time and allows us to keep the level because of the following:

• Projects and the protocol will have time to advance and improve, so speakers will have something truly significant to share.
• With more time for production and ideation, we can make it a top-notch event again.
• A slower rhythm can make the event more accessible for those who want to participate but don’t want to (or can’t) travel to Devcon every year.
• The longer the wait, the higher the anticipation! 😁

3) Embracing Subtraction 🤲

This year there are more Ethereum events and communities surfacing than ever before all around the globe. As mentioned by Aya in her talk about the Ethereum Foundation’s Subtraction mindset, we want to subtract so that you can add. This is true also with community Ethereum events, and we want to give room for local community events to grow further. After all, the Ethereum ecosystem is stronger with more diverse participants.

There will be many amazing community-driven events this year that you can attend, speak at, or sponsor instead of Devcon. Check out this community list for just some of the events happening near you in 2023. Don’t see an event near you? Reach out, and let’s try to make it happen. If you are interested in organizing an event to strengthen your community's builder ecosystem, consider sending a sponsorship application to ESP!

In conclusion, we are positive that scheduling Devcon 7 for 2024 will be beneficial due to the increased total impact it will have on each attendee and the community as a whole.

Southeast Asia & Ethereum 🌏

As our principal event, Devcon focuses on reuniting everyone, bridging with outside communities, sharing important messages and updates, and welcoming newcomers to Ethereum.

Ethereum is global, and bringing Devcon to Southeast Asia is in line with our goal of reaching more local Ethereum communities, as well as increasing diversity within the overall Ethereum community. The Ethereum community is in many ways still western-dominated, despite the fact that crypto is more practically used in Southeast Asia. To illustrate that, four countries within Southeast Asia rank in the top 20 of the Global Crypto Adoption Index, with Vietnam and the Philippines at #1 and #2.

Southeast Asia has huge untapped and continuously growing opportunities, similar to those we saw in South America.

Thus, Devcon 7 in Southeast Asia offers the opportunity to give a large, new, active, and diverse community a platform on the world Ethereum stage.

👉 BTW, we are still evaluating specific locations within Southeast Asia, and the final decision will be based on a number of factors, some of which are as simple as venue availability. Some Southeast Asian communities have already submitted great proposals (which are still under consideration!), and we are re-opening the Forum to give some extra time for other Southeast Asian communities to propose their cities!

The deadline for suggestions is March 15, 2023!

We can’t wait to explore the diverse cultures of Southeast Asia and the different places in this region, from the bustling streets of Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur to the beautiful beaches of Bali and Phuket, the majestic mountains of Vietnam, and more.

Lastly, we want to thank all of those who submitted proposals for Devcon 7 location in the forum. They were very helpful, it was not an easy decision, and the suggestions will be useful for years to come, not just for Devcon but many Ethereum community events.

TL;DR & How to get involved ✨

After waiting patiently, it is finally time to mark your calendars and get started on the Road to Devcon 7 in Southeast Asia in 2024!

We invite everyone to be part of our journey and help us shape the future of Devcon by submitting Devcon Improvement Proposals (DIPs). Together, we can plan and prepare for an even better (yes we think it’s possible 😉) Devcon 7! Stay up-to-date with the latest announcements for Devcon by following Deva 🦄 on Twitter!

Oh... and there's going to be another opportunity for everyone to connect later this year, and we'll share more details about that in the upcoming weeks.

See you soon, EF Devcon team