Update 2 - Preparing for Devconnect Events

Last week, we posted an advisory update on recent events and potential travel considerations related to Devconnect.

Safety is our first and primary consideration now, and we are closely monitoring the situation, including working closely with local security providers, law enforcement, and external risk advisory partners to understand and anticipate risks to Devconnect. We have also conducted an internal review of our security arrangements and crisis response plans, to make sure they are appropriate.

Further, we will share advisories and updates in public channels if anything changes, in addition to other information on how guests can make sure that events are safe and secure.

The Israel government has also released a notice warning any Israelis in the country to leave Turkey immediately.

With that said, we wanted to share important details necessary for those attending the event week, including city and event information for events that have planned to move forward.

🛠️ Craft your decentralized Devconnect experience

Devconnect is a week-long Ethereum gathering to make progress, organized by the community. Independent teams host different events in distinct venues. The Coworking Spaces in the Istanbul Congress Center ties everything together, it’s the place where we come together after being spread out to different events.

While the event hosts set the stage, you decide which acts to be part of. You are in the driving seat. You are creating your own schedule and Devconnect experience. Here’s how:

1. Dive into the array of deep-dive events listed on the Devconnect schedule, and for side events and social gatherings, check the multiple community-run calendars.

2. Secure your spot! Many events require an application, as the goal is to gather experts and people very interested in the respective Ethereum topics. Remember, the sessions on the schedule are intense deep dives; prioritize and choose the ones that resonate with you. If you missed out on securing your desired tickets, keep a lookout on the Community Hub on Telegram (read below in “quick info” how to join), where we’ll try to post updates about events that still have available spaces. This chat is also a great resource for coordinating with others to attend events together.

3. Share your personal schedule with fellow enthusiasts and sync up for some inspiring discussions.

🛫 Istanbul travel tips

A few essential things to keep in mind when embarking on your trip:

• 🏠 Where to stay: We highly recommend staying within walking distance to the ICC or close to Metro lines M2 and F1 for ease of moving around in the city (ICC is connected to Taksim and Osmanbey station). Check the neighborhoods we recommend in the city guide.

• 📡 Wifi: It’s always nice to be connected while on-the-go or have a backup in case of poor connectivity: We recommend purchasing a local SIM card or a large package of an e-SIM. We have secured discounts from two different e-SIM providers for you! a) Airalo offers a discount for all Devconnect Cowork attendees to receive 20% off their chosen data package with the code “DEVCONNECT” up until 30th November, 2023. b) The local provider Roamless offers you 2GB for free and another 5 USD free credit if you add 20 USD or more into your Roamless wallet. Use the code "DEVCONNECT".

• 🌦️ Weather whispers: Istanbul in autumn is a mix of crisp air with occasional rain showers. Pack those cozy layers and don't forget your rain jacket.

• 🥾 The city of seven hills: Pack sturdy shoes because Istanbul can get hilly.

• 🚃 Transportation: We recommend traveling by Metro and tram, as traffic can get busy. During rush hours, 7-10AM, 4-7PM, it can be very hard to find an empty taxi. You can tap and pay in most public transports with your phone and credit card. If you need a taxi, use ride-hailing services like Uber or the local equivalent BiTaksi and always verify the license plate matches what's shown in the app. Check the “tips from a local” section in the city guide for more advice around taxis and other essential local information.

• 💵 Crypto payments: Crypto Payments for goods or services are illegal in Turkey. It is legal to own crypto and trade crypto, but we should keep in mind to avoid using it for payments.

The ICC Cowork venue is located right in the heart of Istanbul, in a very modern area. You can find many hotels and local restaurants nearby. For more tips and recommendations, check out the City-Guide.

⚡ Quick info

• 🎫 Cowork tickets: The Devconnect Cowork is open all week from 9am to 8pm and will be the place to work with your team, and meet the Ethereum community. Secure your ticket here before they sell out.

• 😎 Swag: We have a specially designed Devconnect Turkish towel for you! 🧖‍♀️ You have the opportunity to purchase it together with the Cowork ticket, and they will be ready for you to collect at the Cowork registration.

• 💬Community Hub: Once you've claimed your ZK ticket for the Cowork or another ZK-ticketed Devconnect event, we invite you to become a part of the Devconnect Community Hub! To join this group, each person must prove that they have a Zupass ticket to a Devconnect event. You'll find instructions on how to join the chat in the email dispatched to you this week (search for the subject line “Devconnect Cowork your order.”) Inside the Telegram Community Hub, we’ll share important Devconnect updates and build community along the way.

• 👪 Meeting rooms and discussion corners: The Cowork will include meeting rooms for short and private meetings, and “discussion corners” for public dialogue, open to everyone. Please find the guidelines and booking information for these two types of meeting spaces here.

• 📰 Press & Podcast RSVP: Ask for a media pass here. We’ll have a podcast recording room available for those with an approved Devconnect Cowork media pass.

• 📺 Watch online: Live-streaming of workshops and talks increases the inclusivity for community members around the world for those who aren’t able to attend. With the help of Streameth we are live-streaming multiple Devconnect events, happening at the ICC venue. Watch the live streams and recordings here.

• 🎊 Side events: Our official Devconnect calendar only lists full-day, educational, Ethereum-focused events. Check the several community-run side event schedules that are making the rounds.

🦄 Updates from the community

• 🇨🇿 DCxPrague is a community-organized satellite Devconnect that thoughtfully came together in addition to the events planned for Istanbul to welcome the doers who aren’t attending in Istanbul, but who want to come together to make some progress. The community in Prague is putting this together and tickets and speaker applications are open right now!

• 🇹🇷 ETH Günü is the one-day Ethereum event all in Turkish is for students, developers, researchers, finance professionals, and anyone curious to learn more about Ethereum. It’s taking place on the first day of Devconnect and you can get tickets here.

• 💁 The local student club ITU blockchain has put together a tourist guide and a food and drink guide for Istanbul.

• 🧑‍💻 Fe Lang hackathon: Do you want to hack and win prizes? Check out Fe Day — it's a beginner-friendly workshop on the Fe Language, topped off with a hackathon, and they still have free spots!

📅 Events with open ticket sales and applications

This table includes all events that opened up ticket sales or applications at the time of writing. We’ll keep our schedule updated over at Devconnect.org, as further additions to the Devconnect schedule come together.

❓FAQ

• Need a visa invitation letter? If you’ve purchased a cowork ticket, you can request a visa invitation letter here.

• Media inquiries? Please note, we don't share media lists and are not looking for partnerships, but press pass applications are open here.

• What do I need to know about safety? Your safety is our utmost priority now. We are actively monitoring the situation, working closely with local security providers, law enforcement, and external risk advisory partners to understand and anticipate risks to Devconnect. We've reviewed our security arrangements and crisis response plans to ensure they're appropriate. Read our safety advisories in the city guide and for updates, keep an eye on our public channels on Telegram and Twitter/X. Please also be aware of the recent warning issued by the Israeli government for Israelis in the country to leave Turkey immediately.

📡 Stay connected

Stay updated and engage with the community on:

• Lens
• Farcaster
• Twitter/X
• Telegram

Sincerely yours, Devconnect team 🦄