Who gets counted, and who gets left out?

Join us at #SkollWF2026 for 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙐𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙, a conversation on how data can drive more inclusive, real-world systems change.

📅 April 22 | 2:30–4:00 PM BST
📍 The Story Museum, Oxford, UK

🔗 Register: bit.ly/4vtFaw5

HOT is heading to the Skoll World Forum 2026 in Oxford.

We’ll be joining global social innovators to share how open geospatial data and community-led mapping drive real-world change.

📍 April 21–24

Follow along for updates.
#SkollWF2026

Join us tomorrow for this month’s HOT Tech & Innovation Working Group.

As usual, we host two sessions and the agenda is always open for community updates and open discussion!

📅 Tuesday, April 14
⏰ Sessions at 10:00 & 18:00 UTC (guest presentation at 18:00)

🔗 Register now: bit.ly/3MoZCfK

the logos of HOT and CoMaps, with the text "HOT open tech. Join: Tuesday, 14th of April - 18:00 UTC

CoMaps will join tomorrow's edition of @hotosm.org's monthly "Open Technology & Innovation" call, to chat a bit about what CoMaps is, our history and also how recent features like the custom map hosting might be relevant for humanitarian use.

Register here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

As part of the #WorldCleanupDay Mapping Challenge, young people across Africa and the Caribbean used ChatMap to map waste and take action in their communities.

5,000+ waste points mapped. 114,000+ kg of waste collected.

🔗 Read the full story → bit.ly/48an6Nx

HOT is attending The Next Geo Summit by Geoawesome!
The summit brings together experts, innovators, and practitioners to explore how geospatial technologies are shaping real-world impact.

📅 April 20–24, 2026

🔗 Register here: bit.ly/4mf65Ht

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁: 𝗞𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗮 𝗣𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗼 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗲

Meet Karla, whose work at HOT sits at the intersection of strategy, learning, and impact, supporting community-led mapping across Latin America.

🔗 Read her full story: bit.ly/47NW1iX

HOT is featured in Crisis Response Journal (Volume 20, Issue 4), exploring how geospatial data and community-led mapping are supporting humanitarian response across Africa, Asia Pacific, and Latin America.

📖 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

🔗 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲: tinyurl.com/nhk3zw5v

𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆 ⏳

Join the HOT Training Working Group for a webinar on 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗰 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗠𝗮𝗽.

Learn how to identify land use types, choose the right categories, and map effectively using multipolygons.

🗓 11 April 2026
🕒 10:00 UTC
🔗 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿: bit.ly/40yXW70

Highlights from Geo Connect Asia 2026, Singapore! 🗺️🌏

During the Ocean Connect Asia session, Bernard Heng, joined panelists from academia and government in calling for greater Public-Private-People Partnerships (PPPP) to forge thriving oceans.

📷 Photo: Leen D’hondt

In this interview blog, Belen Soria, HOT’s Corporate Engagement Manager, shares how partnerships, open geospatial data, and a global community of mappers are driving real-world impact.

Read the GEO Business blog: bit.ly/3PyyWKS

📍 Meet us at GEO Business, June 3–4 at Excel London

Starting in 20 minutes ⏳

Join Rebecca Firth at the AI for Social Impact Webcast hosted by Accenture. The session explores how to identify risks and strengthen responsible AI practices across the humanitarian space.

🗓 Today, 1 April
🕒 16:00–17:00 CET

🔗 Register and join live: bit.ly/4dCZR1Q

We are at Geo Connect Asia 2026 and Ocean Connect Asia, Singapore!

Our team, Bernard Heng and Leen D'hondt, are diving into the latest discussion on geospatial technology and solutions across Asia.

If you are interested in locally-led open-mapping and geospatial data come say hi!

We're hiring a Green Skills Coordinator for Lesotho!

This a is hands-on, community-facing work. You'll be connecting young people to tools and networks that extend well beyond the classroom.

📍On-site in Lesotho | 2–3 months | Deadline: 6 April 2026

Apply here: bit.ly/3NBHikh

HOT is mentioned in a Financial Times feature on how maps shape our understanding of global challenges.

The article touches on volunteer mapping in disaster response, including HOT’s work in Mozambique.

We recommend giving it a read: bit.ly/4lXi5xq

What does responsible AI look like in practice?

Join Rebecca Firth, Executive Director of HOT, at Accenture’s 𝘼𝙄 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙎𝙤𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙄𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙩 𝙒𝙚𝙗𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙩 as she shares insights on building safer AI systems for social impact.

🗓 Wednesday, 1 April
🕒 16:00–17:00 CET

🔍 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱: bit.ly/4dCZR1Q

We’re heading to Singapore next week for the Geo Connect Asia 2026!

Representing HOT are Bernard Heng and Leen D'hondt.

📅 March 31, 2026
🕒 1:55 – 2:30 PM (GMT+8 Singapore Time)
📍 Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Singapore

Register here: bit.ly/4sYtteG

HOT is collaborating with Code for Good Berkeley on two open-source projects.

HOT tech team will work alongside student developers to build tools that improve how geospatial data is created and shared.

🔍 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀:
• OSM Tagger: bit.ly/4uPEGA0
• OAM Uploader: bit.ly/4bME3i1

We’re grateful to Olivier Cottray for mentioning HOT in this thoughtful piece on the shift from top-down systems to more locally driven approaches.

The blog offers valuable insights into how collaborative, networked models are shaping geospatial work.

Read more: bit.ly/4rH2BP2

Today is the last day to submit nominations for the 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

Celebrate women leading mapping, strengthening data ecosystems, and supporting communities

Know someone making an impact? Nominate now!

🔗 bit.ly/3NJuFDn

Corporate volunteering is a critical way for companies to create lasting impact.

HOT’s partnership with Hogan Lovells – HL BaSE shows this in action, combining pro bono expertise with real-world solutions.

𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱
📩 partnerships@hotosm.org

Strategic partnerships between companies and social impact organizations are shifting toward long-term, integrated models.

HOT and Hogan Lovells reflect this, combining corporate volunteering and pro bono expertise to address real-world challenges.

Read more: bit.ly/4uBQgP0%E2%8...

Join the 𝗛𝗢𝗧 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 on 𝟭𝟭 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 at 10:00 UTC for a webinar on 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗰 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝗲 & 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗠𝗮𝗽.

Learn common humanitarian mapping cases and how to map them using multipolygons.

𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿: bit.ly/40yXW70

Only a few days left to nominate for the 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲.

Women around the world are leading mapping projects, mentoring communities, and advancing inclusive open mapping.

Know someone making an impact? Nominate them today.

🗓 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟮𝟭, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
🔗 𝗡𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: bit.ly/3NJuFD

HOT is participating in #FOSSHack2026, a global open-source hackathon.

Developers can contribute to:
• fAIr — in-browser AI prediction for mapping
• HOT Tasking Manager

Interested in open-source, AI, and geospatial tech?

Learn more:
• bit.ly/InbrowserAIp...
• fossunited.org/fosshack/2026