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The second edition of the European symposium on Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial, which took place on July 15-17 in Como (Italy), was a great occasion for GEM to relate with experts and leading organizations in the field of open data, but also to show progress in the development of its tools. The OpenQuake Platform and the Integrated Risk Toolkit were presented to a diverse and curious audience, impressed by the performance and scalability of the tools. Questions raised were mostly about the value of open data and the importance of communicating open licenses, as often the concept of licensing is associated with commercial activities rather than as a way to release resources to the public.

The attendance was excellent, with more than 400 people – the maximum capacity of Aula magna and the presence of distinguished experts in geospatial data (Patrick Hogan from NASA, presenting a project developed in collaboration with the Politecnico di Milano and Georg Gartner, a master in server and operating systems among the others), and for GEM it was a good chance to meet new organizations and potential stakeholders. In the run up to FOSS4G Seoul, which will take place in September 2015, GEM is planning to strengthen the communication of its products and encourage the application of its resources worldwide.