[FOSSGIS-Talk] [OSGeo-Announce] Happy Birthday OSGeo! Celebrating 20 years of Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial

Mi Feb 4 18:04:58 CET 2026

Hallo zusammen,

Astrid, danke für den Hinweis.

Die AG Kommunikation hatte vorbereitet, dass der FOSSGIS e.V. über 
Social Media gratuliert.

Dies hier sind die Posts auf den drei Plattformen, die wir bespielen:
Mastodon: https://mastodon.online/@FOSSGISeV/116012012122735123
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:share:7424769966949982208/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DUVWuuqiEQ1/

Dies darf gerne geteilt oder verstärkt werden.

Viele Grüße
Katja

-- 
...............
Katja Haferkorn
Koordinierungsstelle FOSSGIS e.V.

E-Mail: katja.haferkorn at fossgis.de
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Vertreten durch Jörg Thomsen, Pirmin Kalberer, David Arndt, Falk Zscheile
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Vereinstermine: https://fossgis.de/aktivit%C3%A4ten/termine/
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FOSSGIS-Konferenz  -  OSM-Event  -  25. - 28. März 2026 Göttingen
https://www.fossgis-konferenz.de - @FOSSGISeV at mastodon.online
.............................................................
> 
> 
> -------- Weitergeleitete Nachricht --------
> Betreff:     [FOSSGIS-Talk] Fwd: [OSGeo-Announce] Happy Birthday OSGeo! 
> Celebrating 20 years of Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial
> Datum:     Wed, 04 Feb 2026 12:29:01 +0000
> Von:     Astrid Emde (FOSSGIS e.V.) via FOSSGIS-Talk-Liste <fossgis- 
> talk-liste at fossgis.de>
> Antwort an:     astrid.emde at fossgis.de
> An:     Fossgis-talk Liste <fossgis-talk-liste at fossgis.de>
> 
> 
> 
> Happy Birthday OSGeo!
> 
> vor 20 Jahren wurde am 4.2.2026 die OSGeo gegründet.
> 
> 
> -------- Originalnachricht --------
> Betreff: [OSGeo-Announce] Happy Birthday OSGeo! Celebrating 20 years of 
> Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial
> Datum: 04.02.2026 10:22
> Von: Jorge Sanz via Announce <announce at lists.osgeo.org>
> An: announce at lists.osgeo.org
> Antwort an: Jorge Sanz <xurxosanz at gmail.com>
> 
> https://www.osgeo.org/foundation-news/happy-birthday-osgeo- 
> celebrating-20-years-of-free-and-open-source-software-for-geospatial/
> [1]
> 
> 2026-02-04 | CELEBRATE 20 YEARS OF OSGEO WITH US
> 
> In February 2026, the Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo) will
> celebrate its 20th anniversary. What began as a small group of
> individuals and projects with a shared vision for free and open-source
> software for geospatial applications (FOSS4G) has evolved into a global
> organisation with projects, local chapters, conferences and communities
> spanning all continents.
> 
> While looking back over the last 20 years is important, it is even more
> important to consider what OSGeo represents today and how the foundation
> continues to evolve.
> 
> OSGEO: THEN AND NOW
> 
> Founded in 2006, OSGeo provides a legal, organisational and community
> home for open-source geospatial software projects. From the outset, its
> purpose has been clear: to enable long-term sustainability for
> geospatial free and open-source software (FOSS) projects, and to support
> open collaboration across institutions, countries, and disciplines.
> 
> Twenty years later, OSGeo has grown into a foundation that includes the
> following:
> 
> *
> 
>> 50 officially recognised OSGeo projects (including desktop GIS, server
> software, spatial libraries, and educational initiatives);
> *
> 
>> 30 local chapters worldwide, representing active communities in
> Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America and Oceania:
> *
> 
> a global conference series (FOSS4G), with additional international and
> regional events held every year;
> *
> 
> strong partnerships across academia, public administration, NGOs, and
> industry.
> 
> PROJECTS: FROM THE FIRST INCUBATIONS TO A DIVERSE ECOSYSTEM
> 
> OSGeo has always been strengthened by its projects [2] and the people
> behind them.
> 
> Some projects have been part of OSGeo since its inception:
> 
> *
> 
> MapServer, one of the foundational projects that helped to define web
> mapping as we know it today;
> *
> 
> GDAL, which is critical for accessing raster and vector data across the
> entire geospatial ecosystem;
> *
> 
> GRASS GIS, one of the oldest open-source GIS projects with a long
> tradition of scientific rigour, active development and global code
> sprints;
> *
> 
> also GeoTools [3], Mapbender [4], MapBuilder [5], MapGuide [6] and OSSIM
> [7].
> 
> Other projects joined later and grew into some of the largest and most
> active communities in the geospatial world:
> 
> *
> 
> QGIS, one of the most widely used desktop GIS applications worldwide;
> *
> 
> PostGIS, which brings spatial capabilities to enterprise-grade databases
> *
> 
> and many, many more.
> 
> OSGeo’s incubation process has proven to be a reliable framework for
> project governance, openness and long-term sustainability – values
> that remain as relevant today as they were 20 years ago.
> 
> LOCAL CHAPTERS: OSGEO ON EVERY CONTINENT
> 
> Local chapters [8] are where OSGeo becomes a tangible presence at a
> regional level. They organise meetups, conferences, workshops and
> outreach activities, often in local languages and tailored to regional
> needs.
> 
> Over the years, local chapters have emerged across the globe, including
> long-established communities and newly formed chapters such as:
> 
> *
> 
> OSGeo Local Chapter Nepal (newly formed).
> *
> 
> OSGeo Local Chapter Romania
> *
> 
> OSGeo Local Chapter FOSSGIS e.V. (D-A-CH region)
> *
> 
> OSGeo Local Chapter Argentina.
> 
> Each local chapter reflects OSGeo’s diversity and shared commitment to
> open geospatial knowledge.
> 
> FOSS4G: MEETING IN PERSON, BUILDING COMMUNITY
> 
> Although much of OSGeo’s collaboration takes place online, through
> tickets, mailing lists, chats and video calls, the FOSS4G conferences
> [9] remain at the heart of the community.
> 
> By bringing together developers, users, researchers, students and
> decision-makers, FOSS4G events create spaces where ideas turn into
> collaborations and collaborations turn into long-lasting projects.
> 
> LOOKING AHEAD
> 
> Celebrating 20 years of OSGeo is not just about history. It is also
> about the future.
> 
> As geospatial technologies become ever more central to addressing global
> challenges, from climate change to land management and urban planning,
> OSGeo’s role as a neutral, open and community-driven foundation
> remains essential.
> 
> The coming years will continue to focus on:
> 
> *
> 
> strengthening the sustainability of the projects
> *
> 
> supporting new communities and local chapters
> *
> 
> expanding education and outreach
> *
> 
> ensuring that geospatial software remains free, open and accessible to
> all.
> 
> Happy birthday, OSGeo! Thank you to everyone who has been part of this
> endeavour over the last 20 years.
> 
> Links:
> ------
> [1] https://www.osgeo.org/foundation-news/happy-birthday-osgeo- 
> celebrating-20-years-of-free-and-open-source-software-for-geospatial/
> [2] https://www.osgeo.org/projects/
> [3] https://web.archive.org/web/20090209052731/http://www.geotools.org/
> [4] https://web.archive.org/web/20090209052731/http://www.mapbender.org/
> [5] https://web.archive.org/web/20090209052731/http:// 
> mapbuilder.sourceforge.net/
> [6] https://web.archive.org/web/20090209052731/http://mapguide.osgeo.org/
> [7] https://web.archive.org/web/20090209052731/http://www.ossim.org/
> [8] https://www.osgeo.org/local-chapters/
> [9] https://www.osgeo.org/initiatives/foss4g/
> 
> _______________________________________________
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> Announce at lists.osgeo.org
> https://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/announce
> 