EuroPython wouldn't exist without the wonderful volunteers who pour countless hours into organising it. From contracting the venue to selecting and confirming talks and workshops, hundreds of hours of loving work go into making each edition the best one yet.
Join us in celebrating one of the humans behind the keyboard. Today, we're delighted to share an interview with Daria Linhart Grudzień, our Communications Lead.
Thank you for being the voice of the EuroPython community, Daria!
EP: What first inspired you to volunteer for EuroPython? And which edition of the conference was it?
I got pulled into the team in 2025, tempted with a chance to work with a friend on organising an event for juniors in tech in Czechia, which became the Beginners Day Unconference. I appreciated that a major European conference offered a program for the local community.
EP: Did you make any lasting friendships or professional connections through volunteering?
Lots! The EuroPython team is full of kind and fun people who like to do interesting things in their free time. Being a member of the core organising team gave me a chance to get to know a lot of folks. For the first time I feel like I’m going to the conference to meet up with friends.
EP: What was your primary role as a volunteer, and what did a typical day of contributing look like for you?
After doing the Humans of EuroPython interviews during the winter, I got invited to lead the Communications Team for the 2026 edition. My days include a variety of tasks,which I love. From building a productive team, working on finding media partners, occasional web development, co-ordinating with other teams, building documentation for the next edition, to making sure folks in the team enjoy contributing - I do what’s needed to make sure EuroPython speaks to our community with a friendly, slightly quirky, but always inclusive voice.
EP: Was there a moment when you felt your contribution really made a difference?
There were a few. Some of the core Python developers reached out to me personally saying that the Communications Team is doing a great job. Seeing our social media posts engage and resonate with the community is another reminder that our work is making an impact.
EP: Would you volunteer again, and why?
Absolutely. Contributing to EuroPython, I feel empowered to bring ideas, experiment, and work on impactful initiatives which benefit the community. I’ve been able to take on roles and projects which allowed me to learn, get out of my comfort zone, and grow. I hope to do more of that in the future, and this is a fantastic group of people to do this with.
EP: If you could describe the volunteer experience in three words, what would they be?
Ownership. Impact. Collaboration.
EP: Did you have any unexpected or funny experiences at EuroPython?
I got invited to talk about the conference on the Real Python Podcast. This wasn’t on my bingo card for this year 🙂