This week we’d love to spotlight Diego Russo, a member of the Programme Team, and his contributions to EuroPython 2026.In addition to helping ensure an interesting and varied conference programme, Diego was our liaison with Guido van Rossum, Łukasz Langa and Pablo Galindo Salgado who gave a very fun keynote session at the conference.We&aposre so grateful for your contribution, Diego!EP: How were you involved in EuroPython 2026?I was part of the Programme Team, managing the CfP, mentorship programme, speaker selection, waiting list and conference schedule. A big part of the work is keeping the programme balanced and free of gaps.EP: Was there something specific about the Python community that made you want to give something back through volunteering?I’ve used Python since 2006 and first attended EuroPython in Florence in 2011. I was struck by the community’s openness and welcoming spirit. Python conferences gave me a lot over the years, so in 2022 I decided to give something back by volunteering. Since then, I’ve worked with the Communications and Programme teams.EP: What does the "invisible" side of EuroPython look like - the stuff that has to go right for everyone else to have a good time?A lot of it is the schedule. We have several tracks and need to balance topics so people with different interests stay engaged. We receive far more proposals than we can fit, which lets us be selective but makes the choices difficult.EP: What&aposs something you noticed about the conference because you were volunteering that you&aposd never have spotted as a regular attendee?How many last-minute cancellations happen, and how quickly the team has to reshuffle the schedule and sometimes find replacement speakers during the conference itself.EP: In what ways did volunteering shape or strengthen your ties to the community?Python is more than a programming language to me. It has shaped my career to the point that I now contribute to CPython as a Core Developer, and the community played a major part in choosing that path.EP: Is there a common myth about conference volunteering you&aposd like to set the record straight on?I waited before volunteering because I thought I did not have enough experience. I was completely wrong. The EuroPython community made it easy to get involved from the start. If you are willing to help and learn, you gain experience along the way.EP: What surprised you most about volunteering at EuroPython?What surprised me most is how much volunteering changes the way you experience the conference. You stop seeing EuroPython only as an event you attend and start seeing the people, effort and collaboration that make it possible. It gives you a much stronger sense of belonging to the community.EP: Thank you for your work, Diego!