Over the past few weeks, we have been closely monitoring the security situation in Istanbul. We have particularly focused on the impact that events in Israel and the Gaza Strip could have on the safety of participants.
We try to assess the risks every time we organize an event. In the case of Devconnect Istanbul, we consulted with our event partners, local community members, and monitored government warnings that affect our community or the region. We recently took the next step by working with external risk consulting services to determine where and how we might need to make changes to reflect regional conditions.
Before further updates, we want to share two key points:
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While the current threat specifically targeting the Devconnect event is low, there is a significant risk of large-scale protests, targeted violence, or disruption in various neighborhoods of Istanbul. These risks may increase in the coming weeks, if the conflict in Israel and Gaza escalates.
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There is a serious risk to Israelis, Israeli nationals and people of Jewish faith or origin. Israel has issued a notice warning all Israelis in the country to leave Turkey immediately..
Therefore, we strongly advise high-risk groups to take these warnings seriously and reconsider their travel plans, while we continue to evaluate recommendations for others and work to clarify the status of EF-hosted Devconnect events.
We understand that this may make some people uncomfortable, but we have made the decision to prioritize the safety of our community members and feel responsible to share what we have learned as soon as possible.
The past few weeks have been marked by complex and emotional decisions for many members of our community, with differing opinions. In addition to the risks discussed, we also recognize the physical distance between Istanbul and the heart of this conflict, and that a thriving local community has been active and supportive every step of the way. Throughout this process, we have heard from those who would be personally impacted, from team members in conflict zones, from organizing teams, and from others who have spent their year working on these events.
We will continue to update you as regional conditions become clearer. Thank you for your patience during this challenging time.
