FAQ

Our anticipated realisation of a re:publica Berlin in August 2020 (“As Summer As Possible”) will not be possible due to the most recent regulatory requirements of the authorities.

The next re:publica “IRL” will thus be happening “as soon as possible”: see you in mid May 2021 in Berlin! We will be updating you as soon as the date is set.

We’re not completely done with re:publica for 2020 yet, though! We’re planning to experiment with hybrid formats for the first time this September. Find out more about this in another update soon!

Helper registration will be available starting March 11th. Shifts will be open from March 18th.

Attention Please make sure you are logged in to 19.re-publica.com/user!

1) Now you can start filling out your helper profile. Make sure to fill out all required fields.

2) Choose a username. Please note: this username will be visible to all registered users. Choose a pseudonym (ex. “helper42”) if you prefer not to use your real name.

3) All other data (age, name, etc.) can only be viewed by our helper management team. Enter a valid email address. After submitting you'll be redirected back to our home page and receive an activation link via email. This could take up to 15 minutes. Remember to check your spam filter.

4) Follow the link and create a password. Go to “User Account” in the menu (black bar at the top of the page): here you can view your information, make changes or change your password.

5) In the menu you'll find “Dashboard → Helpers” featuring the following: “Shift Schedule”. Sign up for your shift here. (Please sign up for one shift only!)

6) “Work Areas”: here you'll find descriptions of all the different work areas at re:publica 19.

7) In your user dashboard you'll see: “My Shift Registrations”: here you can see what shift you have signed up for (in case you signed up for more than one shift, you can use this area remove yourself from those you won't be able to do).

8) If you have further questions: help (at) re-publica.com

ANSWER TEXT

The registration for volunteers will start in early March 2020. The shifts will be online mid March 2020.

We are looking for support in the areas of assembling and dismantling, accreditation, cloakroom, info point, stage helpers, technical support, and network.

In your volunteer account ("work areas") you'll find a more detailed explanation which areas are barrier-free or require special language skills, as well as the exact requirements and task profiles of the individual areas.

Contact us at: help (at) re-publica.com.

So far, we have not rejected anyone who has registered as a helper and signed up for a shift. Of course things can always change during the organisation process, such as having to reschedule shifts to fit the event programme or having to scratch a shift completely. However, this happens very infrequently and we strive to find a fitting solution in these rare cases. We will make the helper waiting list available for anyone who hasn't found a suitable shift or who was too late in registering.

If you are over 18 years old, and are keen to support re:publica 2020 in Berlin, then you may register yourself as a volunteer starting at the end of February/beginning of March.

You are invited to join our Helping Hands Facebook Group (optional).

We originally introduced Early Bird Tickets as “Blogger Tickets” and we still see them as such.

"Blogger Tickets" were intended as a “Thank You!” to our community that made re:publica what it is today. This is why we kindly ask companies and those who don’t necessarily ‘need’ to purchase tickets at reduced prices to choose regular priced tickets instead. Thank you!

Share: Tickets are personalised and can therefore not be shared with other people.

Transfer: Transferring tickets to a new name can be done once and until early May 2021 via the link in your order confirmation e-mail.

We do offer refunds on an individual basis but with regards to our financial situation want to kindly request from you to only make use of this option if absolutely necessary. Please send us a message to ticket (at) re-publica.com if you require a refund.
 
You may also transfer your ticket to a different person. Find out more on how to do that via “Can I share or transfer tickets?”.

You want to transfer your ticket to someone else or want to resell or give away your/a ticket?
No problem! You can comfortably edit the ticket details by yourself using the link from your order confirmation e-mail that you received from Xing Events when purchasing your ticket. Please note that this is only possible until early May 2021 and that there will be no transfer or refund of money when doing so.
If you don’t plan on giving your ticket away for free you should clarify payment details with the person you’re transferring the ticket to beforehand. If you run into problems or have further questions please send us a message to ticket@re-publica.com.

Easy! Please show your valid student ID or other official form of documentation (valid at the time of your ticket purchase) at our accreditation desks. The name on your student ID or other form of documentation should match the one on your ticket. If that is not the case please contact us in advance via ticket (at) re-publica.com.

• Students need a valid student ID with a photo or a current enrollment certificate and a photo ID
   
• Trainees (in German: "Auszubildene" and/or "Volontäre") need a written confirmation of their employer
   
• Recipients of "ALG II" need to present their “Berlinpass“ or a written and official notification of approval 
  (Please note: Recipients of "ALG I" are not entitled to purchase reduced tickets)
   
• Retirees (as well as people over 65 years of age) need to present a pension card or photo ID
   
• People with disabilities need to present their certificate of disability or a confirmation from re:publica (via ticket (at) re-publica.com)
  Please note: The degree of a disability is not relevant for re:publica
   
• Employees and members of NGOs and non-profit organizations please have a look at "Is there a special ticket rate for NGOs and non-profit organizations?"

Yes! Previously purchased tickets for re:publica 2020 will remain valid for the next re:publica Berlin in mid May 2021.

Yes! Your student ID (or certificate of registration) must have been valid between October 2019 and May 2021. For example, a student ID from 2019's winter term (2019/2020), summer term 2020 as well as winter term (2020/2021) is alright, but one from summer term 2019 or earlier cannot be accepted.

We do offer returns on an individual basis but with regards to our financial situation want to kindly request from you to only make use of this option if absolutely necessary. Please send us a message to ticket at re-publica.com.

You can resell your ticket and have it transferred to a different person free of charge. Find out more about this via “How can I transfer my ticket to another person?”.

Anyone and everyone with a good idea can take part in the CfP.

Yes.
The CfP form can be edited up until December 15, 2019. After the end of the deadline, your submission will be final and you should make changes to it only in consultation with the programme team (we are able to see when and by whom a submission was edited in our system).

The more precise and specific a submission, the better. Specificity requires a convincing initial idea as well as good research and planning. Moreover: a concise phrasing.

Example: “How surgeons train for difficult operations in virtual reality” is better than “Virtual reality as a training tool”.

Use your description to elaborate how you will approach the topic and which methods you will be using. The re:publica audience, the programme team and the programme committee are looking for engaging and well-founded content that takes on the challenges and potential solutions for challenges facing our digital society. They are not interested in marketing pitches disguised as informative sessions.

Take a look at a couple of examples from re:publica 2019 with the motto "tl;dr".

Each person has to first set up a speaker account (see FAQs). Only then can they create a session for which they will be solely responsible. If you won’t be participating yourself, then you will have to enter the speaker and contact information and forward them the password. A valid email address is necessary as we will be sending important information for the speakers to the listed email address via our system.

Yes, please. We look forward to your voluntary commitment, dedication and your curiosity! Please reach out to the programme team via programme[at]re-publica.com.

After the CfP deadline, we will contact you to tell you if your session has been accepted or not. Please be patient, we usually receive over 1,000 submissions.

The programme team curates the content from the community's proposals submitted via the Call for Participation (CfP), but also specifically invites speakers* and advises partners. It also cooperates with external co-curators. Since the programme team and the co-curators* have the greatest influence in this process and ultimately make the decision on acceptance and rejection, the CfP is a modified form of crowdsourcing.

The CfP is a good barometer to identify topics of interest to the re:publica community. At the same time, the CfP leads to bringing new ideas and surprises to the re:publica.

No.
Exceptions can be made at the discretion of the programme team for late submissions if these relate to important current events. The program team may also request these.

Submissions for the section "Off Stage Action" are accepted until 2020-02-28. 

re:publica offers different formats. You can select between the following in the CfP form:

• Talk (30 minutes or 1 hour)
  Well-prepared presentation on a topic. Possible as a talk, but also as a reading, interview or fireside chat. 1-2 people
• Discussion (1 hour)
  Balanced discussion on a specific topic. Possible as a panel debate or fishbowl conversation.
  Maximum of 3 speakers plus presenter => that's a total limit of 4 featured persons including the moderator. GENDER BALANCE applies to all formats. We strive to be 100 % diverse so a minimum of 50 % of speakers must be female.
• Workshop (1-2 hours, can be longer in exceptional cases)
  Intensive (practical) session in which knowledge on a specific topic is communicated or specific skills are mediated.
  1-2 workshop leaders
• Off Stage Action (varies)
  Flash mob, field research, installation, exhibition, concert, pop-up happening, DJ* set, activities with re:publica visitors and working with the results on-site—bring your ideas to re:publica!
  • Action: Flashmob, field research, performance, walking act...
  • Pop-Up: VR-space, happening, games...
  • Installation: Paintings, photographs, installations...
  • Music: Jam sessions, DJ*, bands...

Of course. The re:publica has a huge archive. You can find all the videos and audios with session descriptions on the re:publica websites. By using the keyword search or looking up the website of the respective year directly, you can either find the main themes.

For re:publica 2019 "tl;dr" visit http://19.re-publica.com, for re:publica 2018 "POP" visit https://18.re-publica.com/, for re:publica 2017 “Love Out Loud” you can head to: https://17.re-publica.com/, re:publica 2016 “TEN/NET” is over at: https://16.re-publica.com/, with re:publica 2015 “finding europe” at: https://15.re-publica.com/, and so on.

You can also find all the videos on the re:publica YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/republica2010/

Look up the re:publica image archive on flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/re-publica

Yes.
That's because they will be added to the respective sessions. Just like speakers, presenters/moderators and stage hosts will also be accredited at the entrance to the conference. Please note that presenters should only be added to a session after prior consultation and confirmed availability.

No, unfortunately not.

Tickets are not refundable in general. You may resell your ticket or gift it to someone. There will be more information available soon in our ticket FAQ.

The call for rp20 runs from Oct. 15 2019 until Dec. 15 2019 (23:59, CET )

The programme team and the programme committee will evaluate all proposals from Dec. 1 2019 until mid-February 2020.

We will be contacting all submitting parties beginning mid-February 2020, sending out confirmation of acceptance or notices of rejection.

Off Stage Actions will be evaluated until the end of March.

Video material from a conference or event you have already spoken at helps us a great deal in our assessment. It allows us to better understand, evaluate and categorize your submission, while also giving us an impression of your public speaking skills and your ability to communicate your topic. Don’t worry, these videos are not made public. You should, however, own the rights to use them.

Sessions at re:publica are generally open for anyone to attend but are segmented into three levels of difficulty in order to provide better guidance.

Our suggestions:

• "Beginner": for people with no or little previous knowledge of the topic
• "All": for anyone who has already dealt with the topic on a superficial level
• "Expert": for experts, meaning anyone who works in the field, does research or reports on it (but still open for erveryone)

Neither. We’re just as happy to see new faces as old acquaintances. The only difference is that we already know if you are good speakers if you have participated in the event before.

We use the same assessment standards for everyone. Someone who has already been at the re:publica has to meet the same criteria and go through the same formalities as a newbie. So don’t rest on your good name or connections!

The more action, the better! In order for you not to outshine each other we take care that each idea gets enough space. Since space is however limited, we have to carefully select from your submissions.

A session can last 30 or 60 minutes. Workshop sessions last 60 or 90 minutes. There should also be time left for Q&A at the end of sessions.

• 30-minute session = 20 minutes content + 10 minutes Q&A (will be lead by the stage host or moderator)
• 60-minute session = 45-50 minutes content + 10-15 minutes Q&A (will be lead by the stage host or moderator)
• 90-minute slots are meant for workshops only

The re:publica feeds off of creativity and a wealth of ideas. The big societal, political and technological challenges don’t change overnight. But don’t worry: we always leave a few slots open until April so that we are able to include current events in the programme.

Generally speaking, the sooner we select the sessions, the better we can bundle them together into topic tracks, consult with the speaker, fine-tune—and, last but not least, allow for visitors to start planning early.

Not necessarily, but it can help us better understand your submission. If your video doesn’t have to do with your topic, but can help convince us of your qualities as a speaker, then feel free to use it.

“Tracks” are general thematic fields which you can assign your submission to, for example “Politics”, “Work” or “Culture”.

“Topics” are key themes which help us set a specific focus.

All “Tracks” (categories) are already set when the Call for Participation (CfP) is launched. We have already defined the concept for some “Topics” for the CfP, others are added over the course of the CfP phase.

Read more about our #rp20 tracks and topics here:
Tracks and Topics

Yes. You will receive a 3-day ticket and yummy catering on the day of your talk.

A good Off Stage Action

• leaves a lasting impression
• is implementable within the means and space available
• values the privacy of participants and other visitors

As long as you can access your session from the dashboard while logged in, it is saved and submitted correctly. You don't need to do anything else. 

Your session will be published once it is accepted for the conference programme and we will inform you via email before we publish it.

All fields marked with a red star (*) must be filled out.

Download Session Form   |    Download Off Stage-Action Form

Yes.
The account allows you to register yourself as a speaker, manage your information and submit a proposal for the CfP. You can edit your proposal at any time—even after it's submitted but only until the deadline! Account registration and setup is free and only takes a few minutes. Just head over to https://20.re-publica.com/en/user/register.

“Tracks” are general categories which you can assign your submission to, for example “Politics”. This year’s selection consists of:

• Politics
• Education
• Journalism/Media
• Culture
• Technology
• Work
• City
• Lifestyles

Read more about our #rp20 tracks here:
Tracks and Topics

Yes. Co-speakers will also receive a 3-day ticket as well as catering on the day of your talk.

Obvious advertising and marketing pitches do not stand a chance in the Call for Particiation (CfP). The re:publica audience, the programme team and the programme committee wish to have inspiring and well-researched content that deals with the challenges facing our digital society and presents potential solutions. There is no interest in marketing pitches disguised as educational sessions.

This does not mean that the visitors of re:publica are not interested in the newest digital products or services. In case you want to present or pitch your innovation, please get in touch with our colleagues from Partner Management, who are happy to help out with more information of how to get involved: partner[at]re-publica.com

No.
We use your information from the form in order to assess and categorize your proposal. Should your proposal be accepted, we will then publish the submission. However, only information relevant to the visitors will be made public. Your contact details and similar information will not be published.

Yes.
If you've registered for re:publica after 2014, you can continue to use your account. Please log in on the website for your rp-event using your old login details and simply update your profile.

“Topics” are key themes for 2020 that help us set a specific focus. Some have become so important that they return every year, like the “Global Innovation Gathering (GIG)” or “re:learn” for all things concerning education and digitisation. Another example of a topic is “science:fiction”, which we integrated into the programme in 2017, with the aim of examining utopias for our future coexistence. Some “Topics” have already been formulated for the CfP, others are added over the course of the CfP phase and the programme planning. We assign your submissions to specific “Topics”.

You must select a “Track” (category) for your submission in the form. “Topics” are optional.

Read more about our #rp20 topics here:
Tracks and Topics

In general, you should submit an idea that you can execute yourself. That said, if you have a great idea that may require our help for its implementation, we suggest you get in contact with the programme team as soon as possible via programme[at]re-publica.de. We will then evaluate whether we will be able to help out or can find others to help you.

Although there will be meetups taking place on-site, these may no longer be proposed. Please follow our blog and social media channels in order to receive updates regarding the programme.

You can submit your proposal in German or English. Note: your submission must be written in the language in which you will be holding your session (talk, discussion, workshop, off stage action, etc.).

Please thoroughly check your username and password and make sure that you chose the right domain (use the rp20 website, not the global landingpage). If that doesn't solve the problem: Don’t worry. Our team is happy to help you with any technical problems (that you haven’t been able to solve yourself after several attempts) via info[at]re-publica.com.

The MEDIA CONVENTION Berlin (MCB) is one of Europe’s pioneering media congresses. It is organised by the Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg and the Medienanstalt Berlin-Brandenburg and will be taking place in cooperation with re:publica for the seventh time in 2020.

While the MCB is the most important and closest partner of re:publica, both the MCB and re:publica plan and curate their programmes independently. We keep each other informed of the program planning and exchange information. However, the MEDIA CONVENTION Berlin is an independent event and not a re:publica track.
If you are interested in submitting proposals for the MEDIA CONVENTION, please continue reading I want to participate in the MEDIA CONVENTION Berlin. Is that possible?

No.
You are responsible for your session. That said, should there be any urgent issues, we are happy to offer advice.

Please also read our how-to-page on this and the Session Guidelines.

Characters = all characters incl. spaces

• Your bio consists of 1,000 characters max.

Session:

• The Title consists of 100 characters max.

• The short thesis consists of 350 characters max.

• The session description consists of 2,000 characters max. (longer texts will not be reviewed / only reviewed to a length of 2,000 characters)

While it is possible to edit and submit multiple proposals, we will only be taking the most recent submission into account. Only in exceptional cases will we consider a second proposal. Quality over quantity!

Should you not have found any answers in our extensive FAQs (please, please, PLEASE read through them carefully and thoroughly) feel free to contact the programme team via programme[at]re-publica.com. 

Yes. Even though the MEDIA CONVENTION Berlin curatorial team plans its programme independently they are still happy to receive input from the re:publica community.

You can select “MEDIA CONVENTION” as a “Topic” in the CfP form if you would like to apply. The MCB team will then decide on the acceptance or rejection of your submission (and not the re:publica programme team).

Yes, of course. We want the re:publica to be colourful and exciting. It’s wonderful when everyone pitches in so that we can celebrate a great event each year. Unfortunately, we have quite a tight budget so please be resource-friendly in your planning. We’re only able to help out in exceptios and only to a limited degree. But don’t hold back, we’ve had lots of creative ideas for the realisation of great installations and activities in the past.

How: Login, click "Add content", select "Off Stage Action", enter your short thesis and description and select from one of the following formats: actions, pop-up, installation or music. At the end of the form you can add more performers.

In order to streamline our planning, we will already require some basic details for the implementation of your action.

Do you already have a tech rider? Then please submit it to us.

Yes, the planned speakers should all have at least been informed and invited. They should also be confirmed and added to the session by the time the Call for Participation (CfP) deadline expires (please note: each speaker needs their own speaker account, see FAQ "How do I add co-speakers?").

If you organize a panel it is your responsibility that all speakers add information to their profile and manage these themselves – see also: person responsible for session. Only propose a panel that can actually be realised in that constellation of participants.