[OSGeo Oceania] Sponsorship of FOSS4G 2025 by Esri

[Alex Leith]

To the Open Geospatial Community

The Local Organising Committee (LOC) for FOSS4G 2025 has decided not to
accept a sponsorship offer from Esri.

This decision was reached after careful consideration and open discussion
among the LOC. While some members supported accepting the offer, the
majority felt it would be best not to proceed. In line with our established
sponsorship process, the matter was referred to the OSGeo Oceania Board for
guidance. The Board endorsed the majority view and advised the LOC not to
accept the sponsorship for this event.

This outcome reflects feedback and perspectives expressed within parts of
the open geospatial community, including concerns about alignment between
our community values and Esri’s corporate approach. The decision is
specific to this year’s event and should not be taken as a judgment of any
individual or organisation.

We recognise and value the many individuals at Esri who contribute
meaningfully to the open-source ecosystem, and we appreciate Esri’s past
and ongoing support for open-source projects such as GDAL and their
involvement in OSM. We are grateful for their offer to support our Auckland
conference and for their continued engagement with the broader geospatial
community.

Kind regards,
Alex and Simon
FOSS4G 2025 Conference Co-Chairs
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