# ETH Kipu in Devconnect 🇹🇷 By [ethkipu.eth](https://paragraph.com/@ethkipu) · 2023-11-29 --- _Undoubtedly, traveling to Devconnect in Istanbul was one of the most rewarding experiences for the ETH Kipu team. In this article, we take a brief look back at our experiences from the grand event in the Ethereum community._ **#Istanbullish: Preparing for Devconnect** ------------------------------------------- Several members of our team arrived in the city during the night, between the 12th and 13th of November. The journey from the airport to our accommodations revealed a city of immense proportions, with an architectural richness we had never witnessed before. Being a transcontinental city gives it a unique touch in its organization and daily flow. Language was not a problem. It had been one of our major uncertainties before departing, but with English, gestures, and goodwill, we were able to communicate. In the worst-case scenario, a translation app on our phones immediately came to our aid. Something that caught our attention was the number of businesses open upon our arrival: from restaurants to herbal shops, barber shops, and even clothing stores, all remained open late into the night and even stayed open until the early morning. Several security-related aspects were questioned in the lead-up to the event, but the feeling we had was one of normalcy in the streets. If you've been in the ecosystem for a few years, you'll remember the Ethereum upgrade of 2019 that bore the name of this same city. According to [ethereum.org](http://ethereum.org), each $ETH was worth only US$151 back then. Reading these data and setting foot on Istanbul soil was like looking at a photo of the past and another of the present. And feeling joy for the development of the Ethereum ecosystem. ![Almost 4 years since Istambul Upgrade](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/7aa33ef5db158d7677dfb27af8d2b91b4b17cefbba6db2929b9d9944ee921ed0.jpg) Almost 4 years since Istambul Upgrade It's been almost four years since this update. While the price is just an indicator, it's interesting to consider it to begin understanding the context of that time. Today, many everyday topics in communities around the world revolve around account abstraction, zk, scalability, and rollup-as-a-service. For example, back then, the L2 solutions we know today were not developed as we know them now. Although there is still a long way to go in terms of improvements, we come from almost a decade of building and innovation. **L2Days: Kipu in the Impact Booth room** ----------------------------------------- L2 Days was one of the largest and most interesting events of the Devconnect week. And this is saying a lot, as the bar was set high in terms of organization, speaker quality, and presentations. Co-organized by L2 Beat and Scroll, dozens of speakers and hundreds of attendees were present on November 13th and 14th. You can watch the presentations [here](https://www.youtube.com/live/BsUC0jZzP8E?si=vgSHivNB9Ef3FBik). In addition to the conference rooms and the sponsor area, the event featured an "Impact Booth" room where various communities, public goods, and local platforms had space to showcase their work. One of our greatest joys was having our own booth, and this would not have been possible without Scroll, to whom we express our thanks once again. ![Some members of ETH Kipu with Sandy, Scroll co-founder](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/8e9419f8be29a43dcb505b407d73b3f38fb8ef7017136073e1972e5b599cf326.jpg) Some members of ETH Kipu with Sandy, Scroll co-founder One anecdote that stuck with us from this booth: there were three of us, all women, part of the general coordination of Kipu. Suddenly, a young woman approached us and asked if we were an organization of women in crypto. We laughed and said no, proceeding to talk about our educational and community work in Latin America. But later, we reflected on this point, the preconceptions of the space, and the places we occupy. Days later, we saw this tweet and were very pleased: [https://x.com/annawliang/status/1725601414984917062?s=20](https://x.com/annawliang/status/1725601414984917062?s=20) The number of women involved in the Turkish ecosystem was a pleasant surprise for us. The number of women from different nationalities was high too. We have made great strides, not only in numbers but also in the positions these women hold in terms of decision-making and leadership in influential Ethereum organizations. Sandy is just one more example of women in key decision-making roles. We want to highlight the closeness and willingness of Sandy and Ye, co-founders of Scroll. Even with their busy schedules, they took a moment to discuss with us the challenges of the region, the needs, and the possible solutions that can be built from technology by 2024\*\*.\*\* ![Talking with Ye, Scroll co-founder](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/35e49b0680d06aa7b40f8a5db4714cd66c9a31feb94623a6343c6c3ea7185554.jpg) Talking with Ye, Scroll co-founder > _If you are interested in learning or teaching about ZK in Latin America, please write to us_ [_here_](https://t.me/Cryptochica_arg)_._ **ETH Staker: Our Participation in Staking Gathering** ------------------------------------------------------ We want to express our gratitude to [Nixo](https://twitter.com/nixorokish), CEO of [ETH Staker](https://twitter.com/ethstaker), for giving us the opportunity to be speakers and share more about the challenges of staking in Latin America. You can watch all the talks from this event on the [ETH Stakers Youtube channel](https://youtube.com/@EthStaker?si=hCvS4KqDwD6dUMd_). Staking Gathering was an event of high quality but, above all, necessary. In the face of recent controversies regarding validator percentages, their ownership, network security post-merge, client diversity, and staking risks, this event provided a space to expose challenges and reflect on correcting the course for the coming year. On our part, we participated in the event with members of the #KipuStakers panel, providing numbers and percentages to gain a closer understanding of Latin America and other regions with a low percentage of validators. This is a significant challenge for the geographical decentralization of the network, and we must work together to improve current conditions. ![#KipuStakers: Andy (Costa Rica), Nico (Bolivia) and Isaac (Dominican Republic).](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/3126d475853d52db0c22f01ad3fcdff4eabbce6e9c2942bbd304c7634534e868.jpg) #KipuStakers: Andy (Costa Rica), Nico (Bolivia) and Isaac (Dominican Republic). You can watch the #KipuStakers presentation [here](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1lJCt45J2vjpYcryARuoEwylZutfoZUXomQzSzqu-640/edit?usp=sharing). In addition to our talk, we had the opportunity to meet the esteemed 0xArmagan, who spearheads the staking newsletter "Rhino Review." ETH Kipu releases a translated spanish version of the original content, and you can read it on this Mirror profile. The latest version with comments about this event is available at this [link](https://mirror.xyz/ethkipu.eth/PWY5-4UWHgrmRKqymm2sp_9jv7DBdQzV61Je89afGGs). ![Andy, Isaac and Armagan at Staking Gathering](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/d377b2a83d1f240aaea8511c8cb4a62f26649277a95acb3233bda33bd454cbd4.jpg) Andy, Isaac and Armagan at Staking Gathering A Small Special Mention: Thank you Cat McGee, DevRel of Aztec Network, for mentioned the opinion of one of our contributors: [https://x.com/CatMcGeeCode/status/1726551068698652950?s=20](https://x.com/CatMcGeeCode/status/1726551068698652950?s=20) **Getting to Know Other Builders from Around the World** -------------------------------------------------------- If Devcon served as a starting point for connecting with other Latin leaders (and consequently, organizing what we now understand as ETH Kipu), Devconnect served us in connecting with developers, community builders, and enthusiasts from Turkey and around the world. Understanding the everyday life of these communities and groups expanded our perspective. ### **The Turkish Community: Broad and Diverse** There are significant blockchain university clubs in Türkiye. The oldest and well-established one is [ITU Blockchain](https://twitter.com/ITUblockchain), founded five years ago and sustainably run by students and alumni. We had a brief chat with [Selim](https://twitter.com/selim_jpeg), the leader of education and content in the organization. ITU serves as a multiplier for builders and projects. They are currently driving student [training in Solidity](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLby2HXktGwN4Cof_6a8YwlMrboX8-hs73&si=Com2wKUcpoz4AsvN), hackathons, bootcamps, events, and have even ventured into governance. [Sum](https://twitter.com/0xsumeyraa) is the governance director of ITU, and they are doing an excellent job bringing a Turkish voice to the most important forums in the ecosystem. ![We visited the zkBazaar co-organized by Clave and zkSync and got this souvenir :)](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/8bef54a8fe93628b438bf3860009fe0e6ee106597b636e4b9b3b3b5807dc2e90.jpg) We visited the zkBazaar co-organized by Clave and zkSync and got this souvenir :) Another blockchain universities clubs from Türkiye: * [@odtublockchain](https://twitter.com/odtublockchain) * [@BlockchainYtu](https://twitter.com/BlockchainYtu) * [@cankayachain](https://twitter.com/cankayachain) * [@BAUBlocktech](https://twitter.com/BAUBlocktech) We also had the opportunity to meet [Ece Belgin](https://twitter.com/ecebellgin) from [ETH Istanbul](https://twitter.com/ETHIstanbul). "ETH Istanbul is for everyone who wishes to participate." If you are interested in the Turkish community, you can join on different platforms [here](https://linktr.ee/ethistanbul). ### **Discussion Corner: Talks with Community Builders from Emerging Countries** A great success of the Devconnect organization was the inclusion of ["Discussion Corners."](https://ef-events.notion.site/Devconnect-Cowork-Rooms-Booking-Guidelines-d0730ca40be040f6994bb63ecfe4cd56) These were rooms for public discussions, open to everyone to openly talk about educational, non-commercial, and Ethereum-related topics. More than 35 community leaders joined us from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, USA, France, Honduras, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, and Venezuela. We were able to introduce ourselves and discuss three topics: 1. How to build strong communities and the importance of culture and ethos. 2. How to promote innovation and collaboration with other entities. 3. How to think about the sustainability of communities over time. nft://undefined/undefined/undefined?showBuying=true&showMeta=true We want to highlight the words of [KSK](https://twitter.com/ksk8176012), coordinator of [ETHKL](https://twitter.com/ETHKL1) (Kuala Lumpur), who, after this meeting, wrote a thread summarizing the conversation and the feelings the encounter left him. Thank you, KSK! [https://x.com/ksk8176012/status/1725571611833807262?s=20](https://x.com/ksk8176012/status/1725571611833807262?s=20) ### [**Ethereum.org**](http://Ethereum.org)**: (in)finite games: A Playful Space to Share** The unexpected event that everyone needed. This event turned out to be one of the most enjoyable. Why? Wel… Massive events are great, but... * Most people working in web3 operate remotely, often having few in-person instances, and when they do occur, they tend to be overwhelming experiences. * In-person events bring together people from all over the world, and many take advantage of the opportunity to establish relationships, contacts, and even professional partnerships, so you try to maximize your time to chat with as many people as possible. * The Devconnect format required you to move if you wanted to attend other events or venues. Getting around by Uber, public transportation, or taxi, or even walking required extra energy and time to plan and execute. So, this event called on people to focus on a single task: playing. We played for the first time as friends and not as colleagues, and it was very refreshing. No screens, just friends eating sweets and playing for an hour without having to think about work—it was great. Thanks, [Isabella](https://twitter.com/britodeisabella), for organizing it. If you want to know more about [ethereum.org](http://ethereum.org), you can follow them on [X](https://twitter.com/ethdotorg) and join their Discord. [https://x.com/iamlolar/status/1725503710837542955?s=20](https://x.com/iamlolar/status/1725503710837542955?s=20) **Congratulations to Skylar, Natalia, and the entire Devconnect team for organizing an event that prioritized safety while not neglecting aspects like comfort, local essence, and the participation of everyone.** [https://x.com/EFDevconnect/status/1726271603393044702?s=20](https://x.com/EFDevconnect/status/1726271603393044702?s=20) **Bonus Track: ETH Kipu at DCxPrague 🇨🇿** ------------------------------------------- We were aware that many people in the ecosystem wouldn't be able to attend the Devconnect event due to security concerns arising from the recent conflict. So, some members of Kipu decided to fly to the Czech Republic post-Devconnect to attend the satellite event, [DCxPrague](https://t.me/DCxPrague). The event was small in terms of attendance, and that turned out to be a great advantage. The meeting point for the event from November 17th to 21st was the Lobkowicz Palace, built in the mid-16th century, with impressive paintings inside and beautiful views of the city of Prague. [https://x.com/cryptochica\_arg/status/1725851764899893301?s=20](https://x.com/cryptochica_arg/status/1725851764899893301?s=20) A calm atmosphere was palpable, allowing builders to have a relaxed space to exchange ideas. Even Aya Miyaguchi, the executive director of the Ethereum Foundation, and Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, were available for one-on-one conversations in the co-working space. ![Vitalik in DCxPrague](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/705276f8cde41cb20dd36bf958be19c4d93891e1cca6f2114fa0cda98a6165bc.jpg) Vitalik in DCxPrague ![Aya and Josef in a fireside chat](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/05888e9cd53f156eb83f024a863c7065b2031bc85ef357f30e9088083f52b91b.jpg) Aya and Josef in a fireside chat We listened to several interesting talks in DCxPrague. We highlight the presentations by [Micho](https://twitter.com/micho) from [Diva](https://twitter.com/divastaking) and [Artem](https://twitter.com/avee_eth) from [Octant](https://twitter.com/OctantApp), different talks but connected on "impact staking" narrative and its potential to finance public goods and communities without a business model. The links to watch these talks will be available soon. We will update this articles with the links as soon as posible :) ![Micho from Diva Staking](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/acd334af1a5fff20076fe1cf0c88ae919c8c85ec3dc6c29fc0743c9075d4d2ac.jpg) Micho from Diva Staking ![Artem from Octant](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/2f6fa9ed78d9d06464467e3715df74206a3ef82acd31aa2c0126b5b5e5f96ca6.jpg) Artem from Octant Congratulations to the organizers: [PWNDAO](https://twitter.com/PWNDAO) and [ETH Prague](https://twitter.com/ETHPrague) =) That's all for now. Thank you very much for reading us! [https://t.me/ETHKIPU](https://t.me/ETHKIPU) [https://discord.gg/SscnHCB5tE](https://discord.gg/SscnHCB5tE) [https://twitter.com/ETHKipu](https://twitter.com/ETHKipu) --- *Originally published on [ethkipu.eth](https://paragraph.com/@ethkipu/eth-kipu-in-devconnect)*