Keynote Announcement: Dr. Richard Stallman
Wednesday, May 28th on the topic of: Free/Libre Software and Freedom in the Digital Society
This announcement is void, see The Keynote Will NOT Go Forward.
Original Text
On Wednesday, May 28th at 19:30, Dr. Richard Stallman will deliver a keynote on Free/Libre Software and Freedom in the Digital Society at Libre Graphics Meeting.
Admission/Tickets
Admission to the talk is free of charge at the registration desk when it opens on Wednesday, available on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no online registration for this; conference registrations remain separate. This ensures that general conference registrations remain available for those attending the full event.
Personal Note of the Organizer
I recognize that opinions on Richard Stallman’s presence vary, and I acknowledge the concerns some have expressed. Since announcing the keynote on the Libre Graphics Meeting mailing list and through previous direct consultations, a pattern of remarks voicing concern over this decision has emerged. I’m trying to answer these briefly:
Remark: Why did the announcement come so late?
My time is limited. Up until the ATypI Copenhagen conference I had a double load of work: my regular work and organizing the LGM. I’m now working on catching up up on LGM tasks.
Remark: Richard Stallman is controversial.
There have been attacks against him; in the meantime, stallmansupport.org has provided a defense. After reviewing the complaints and the defense, I concluded that the concerns lacked substantive weight.
Remark: Lack of relevance, especially for the “graphics” in Libre Graphics Meeting.
His work is relevant to me every day in Libre Graphics. I understand that this may not be universally shared, but I know others who see it similarly. Even if his contributions aren’t directly tied to the “graphics” in Libre Graphics Meeting, I hope we can at least use him as a lens on the past to inspire ideas for the future.
Concluding
I hope we can have a conference that is welcoming to everyone and that discussion and participation, rather than shunning and avoidance, will make our community grow together.
– Lasse