DMC 2027 — Vision, Theme & Slogan¶

Status: Draft for team vote | Last updated: 14 March 2026

This is the single source of truth for DMC 2027's identity — why we exist, what we stand for, and how we express it.

The Vision¶

Core Purpose¶

Drupal Mountain Camp is where people passionate about the open web come together to connect, transform, and grow — on top of the world.

We are a community of givers. We give from one hand and receive from the other. We go to the mountain not to take something back, but to change — to become better builders, better collaborators, better humans.

Every challenge is a new mountain to climb. We need maps, equipment, guides, and training to reach the top — and to open the way for others to join us there. At the summit, we see further. The future opens up before us.

What Makes DMC Different¶

• Intimate by design — small enough that everyone matters, large enough to surprise you
• The mountain is not a backdrop — it shapes the conversations, the energy, the perspective
• Makers, not takers — we prioritise people who contribute to the open web, not just consume it
• Transformative, not informative — you don't come to Mountain Camp to collect slides; you come to change

The 2027 Moment¶

We are in a time where everyone has to learn something new and figure out again how everything works. AI has put the tools of creation in everyone's hands — which means the community of builders just got a lot bigger. DMC 2027 is where that expanded community gathers to figure out what open source means now, together.

The 10^th anniversary is not a celebration of where we've been. It's a launchpad for where we're going.

Strategic Direction¶

Quality over Quantity¶

Our goal is to attract interesting attendees rather than focusing solely on large numbers. We aim to maintain an intimate community feeling, prioritising depth of interaction over scaling to 300+ people.

Personal Invitation Model¶

Inspired by "The Art of Gathering", we treat Mountain Camp like a dinner party. - The Host's Role: Selecting guests who make the gathering interesting, rewarding, and fun. - Personal Outreach: One-to-one communication is our primary tool for high-value invites. - Targeted Messaging: We use automated tools for efficiency, but the core remains personal and intentional.

Branding Shift: #MountainCamp¶

We are shifting our marketing focus to #MountainCamp to reduce barriers for non-Drupal audiences (front-end, Symfony, AI communities) while maintaining our Drupal foundation. This makes the event more welcoming to anyone interested in collaboration and open source.

Core Goals¶

1. Spark Transformative Conversations — Create the space where connections lead to personal and professional change.
2. Bring Diverse "Makers" Together — Bridge the gap between different communities (Drupal, Symfony, AI, Government/Sovereignty, Apertus).
3. Equip Attendees — Ensure everyone leaves with new tools, maps, and a network of guides for their next project.
4. Focused Collaboration — Prefer a two-track structure that encourages conversation and deep dives over a fragmented many-track schedule.

Values¶

These are the principles that define who belongs at DMC and how we organise the event:

• Makers, not takers — contribution over extraction; giving is the default
• Diversity is our common trait — newcomers with experts, developers with decision-makers, Swiss with international
• Radical welcome — if you build things, or want to, you belong here
• Human connection over passive content — people first; sessions second
• Do it alone and you'll go far. Do it together and you'll go further.

Slogan¶

Leading Candidate¶

Elevating Builders on Top of the World¶

Heritage: Evolves "Open Source on Top of the World" (previous slogan) — keeping the mountain identity while opening the door wider.

"Elevating" — the camp lifts you up as a person and professional. A promise of transformation. Also: you are going up a mountain.

"Builders" — universally understood without knowing what Drupal is. With AI, everyone can be a builder today — developers, students, agency owners, government officials, newcomers. Broader than "makers" while sharing the same values intent.

"On Top of the World" — the mountain is literal and metaphorical. At the summit, you see further.

10^th Anniversary Frame¶

Elevating Builders on Top of the World 10 years of Drupal Mountain Camp — March 2–4, 2027, Davos

Theme (Programme Framing)¶

While the slogan is the public face, the programme is shaped by:

Humans with AI in the Loop

This framing guides:

• Session curation and CFP direction
• The Dries Buytaert interview topic
• The Swiss AI Weeks collaboration pitch
• The day-theming structure

It draws directly from Drupal's own 2026 AI roadmap positioning: AI as an amplifier of human expertise, not a replacement. Humans remain the point. The camp is where they figure out what that means in practice.

Theme Tracks (TBD — to be finalised later)¶

Final track structure to be confirmed. May adjust based on speaker availability and community interest.

Key Topics to Highlight¶

• AI and its impact on Drupal (multiple sessions)
• Data sovereignty and compliance (government focus)
• Open telemetry and emerging technologies
• Human connection in an AI-augmented world

Balancing AI with Breadth¶

Risk flagged in feedback: 2025 feedback noted "focus was very heavily on editors and AI" — need balance.

Approach: - At least one voice from outside the Drupal world (data sovereignty, AI ethics, open web policy) - Mix of beginner-accessible workshops and technical deep-dives - Non-AI topics still represented (site building, contributed modules, etc.)

Branding Decision (from planning weekend, March 2026)¶

Decision: Remove "Drupal" from the visual logo while keeping the full name in the URL (drupalmountaincamp.ch) and documentation.

Rationale: - Make the event more welcoming to front-end developers, Symfony community, and non-Drupal audiences interested in topics like data sovereignty and AI - Use #MountainCamp as the primary hashtag (instead of #DrupalMountainCamp) - Follows precedent set by Florida Camp and other US camps that dropped "Drupal" from marketing while retaining the community foundation

Risk to manage: Sponsors may have reduced clarity about what they're supporting. Mitigate by being explicit in the sponsorship prospectus that this is the Drupal community event in the Alps.

Scope: Marketing/positioning shift only — not a change to the event's Drupal identity or community foundation.

All Slogan Candidates (for team vote)¶

The following options were developed and evaluated during the planning weekend. Draft A is the leading candidate.

Draft A — Elevating Builders on Top of the World (leading candidate)¶

Directly evolves the previous slogan. "Builders" is broad and inclusive; "Elevating" carries the mountain metaphor and empowerment promise. Implies the AI democratisation thesis (everyone can build now) without making AI the hero.

Draft B — Humans with AI in the Loop¶

Strongest alignment with Dries interview, Swiss AI Weeks, and Drupal's own strategic framing. Most distinctive for 2027 specifically. Risk: may feel dated in 2–3 years, and could alienate community members who feel AI is overhyped.

Draft C — Come to Change¶

Draws from the Vision section above — the strongest emotional language: "We go to mountain camp to change, not to take something back." More powerful as a manifesto or opening keynote line than a marketing headline. Works best as supporting copy alongside Draft A or B.

Draft D — Learn, Exchange & Build — On Top of the World¶

Most descriptive and accessible for a cold audience. "Exchange" directly captures the #1 feedback theme (human connection). Maps to three audience segments. Slightly less poetic than the others.

How the Pieces Fit Together¶

These are not competing ideas — they work at different levels:

PUBLIC SLOGAN        →  Elevating Builders on Top of the World
PROGRAMME THEME      →  Humans with AI in the Loop
COMMUNITY MANIFESTO  →  Come to Change
AUDIENCE FRAME       →  Learn, Exchange & Build

Recommended usage: - Website hero / sponsor deck / poster / social media: Leading slogan (Draft A) - CFP, session tracks, Dries interview brief: Programme theme (Humans with AI in the Loop) - Opening keynote, About page, community communications: Manifesto language (Come to Change) - Newcomer and student outreach: Learn, Exchange & Build framing

Open for Team Decision¶

• Confirm the slogan — vote on A / B / C / D or propose a new synthesis
• Confirm "Humans with AI in the Loop" as the programme theme — or choose an alternative internal framing
• Update README, AGENTS.md, and social posts once slogan is confirmed
• Write the final vision statement — a single paragraph for the website About page, drawing on this document