Some moments stay with you long after the event is over.
I still remember the closing ceremony at WordCamp Asia 2025 in Manila. There was a quiet excitement in the air—one of those moments where something big is about to happen, yet no one openly says it.
Behind the scenes, a lot had already been set in motion—evaluations, discussions, onboarding of the next host city. All of it happening months before the event. And yet on the surface, it all felt like a surprise.
Then the announcement began.
A video started from Manila… familiar scenes, familiar energy. Slowly, it transitioned into visuals of life and experiences in India. At that point, most of us had a feeling—one of the Indian cities would be next.
And then it appeared.
Mumbai.
The crowd cheered. Everyone was genuinely happy.
Because the Indian WordPress community has always been strong—consistently sharing knowledge, supporting open source, and organizing meetups and WordCamps.
At the same time, as someone from Pakistan, I knew attending a WordCamp in India would be difficult. And as we got closer to the event, the geo-political situation only made it more uncertain.
But being part of this community was never just about physical presence.
Having contributed to previous editions of WordCamp Asia, I still wanted to stay involved—locally as an organizer of WordCamp Islamabad (WordPress Islamabad – Rawalpindi), and globally as part of the WordCamp Asia organizing team.
So I joined the Communications team—the voice of WordCamp Asia.
From earlier editions, I had brief interactions with Meher Bala and Regan Khadgi. During onboarding, I connected with Aditya Kane—still owe him a proper sit-down over a cup of tea someday.
Then came the team.
I already knew #Sunita and Mainul Kabir Aion, which made the start easier. Then I got to know Arundhati P Kane—full of energy, always thinking ahead and ready to execute. You know she is the creator of Wapuulika (The official mascot for WordCamp Asia 2026). In the following meetings, I met #Ritu, #Nikita, and #Shruti. Our New Year call had its share of good conversations and light moments. Shruti is especially creative—she even writes poetry. Later, #Priyanka joined us, and it was a much-needed addition given how much responsibility the Communications team carries.
Because the work is spread across everything—social media, website updates, emails, newsletters, interviews. A lot happens behind the scenes.
As I write this, the final day of WordCamp Asia is about to begin in a few hours.
The scale, the energy, the participation—especially on Contributor Day—has been incredible. It’s clearly one of the largest WordCamps so far.
But the work doesn’t end here.
There’s closure, retrospectives, follow-ups—and eventually handing things over to the next team.
I do hope that one day WordCamp Asia comes to Pakistan.
Until then, we keep building. Trying our best, alongside other organizers, to strengthen the community here through regular meetups and WordCamps.
Because in the end, it’s not just about location.
It’s about showing up, contributing, and being part of something bigger.
Looking forward to collaobrate with other organizers and volunteers from Pakistan to have more WordCamps in more cities. like WordCamp Lahore, WordCamp Karachi, WordPress Muzaffarabad, WordPress FSD,
#WCAsia #WCAsia2026 #WordCampAsia #WordPressCommunity #OpenSource #Community