From Mappers to Movement Builders: Strengthening Local Leadership through Open Mapping Gurus (sotm2025)

The Open Mapping Gurus are more than skilled mappers—they are changemakers rooted in their local contexts, driven by purpose, and committed to building resilient communities through open data. As mapping needs shift from short-term project engagement to long-term sustainability and impact, we need to equip these local champions not just with tools—but with vision, leadership, and strategy. This workshop explores how Open Mapping Gurus can play a central role in implementing and co-owning regional and national community-building strategies. Drawing from the Asia-Pacific Open Mapping Hub’s 2025–2030 Community Building Strategy, this session will present pathways for local leadership, inclusive participation, and cross-border collaboration. Participants will unpack the strategy’s key objectives—such as strengthening grassroots mapping, integrating community-centered monitoring and evaluation (MEL), and scaling open mapping through partnerships—and localize these goals through the lens of their own communities. Using interactive frameworks, reflection tools, and real-world examples, the workshop will help Gurus: 1) Identify their unique leadership role and local impact potential 2) Map opportunities for growing their local communities or projects 3) Align their ongoing work with regional strategy goals 4) Collaborate with other Gurus and partners to solve shared challenges By the end of this session, Gurus will leave with a clearer roadmap of how their grassroots work fits into a broader open mapping movement—where their contributions are seen, supported, and celebrated. This is not just a workshop; it's an invitation to step more confidently into your leadership role within the open mapping ecosystem. This interactive workshop is designed for Open Mapping Gurus and emerging local leaders who are ready to take their community mapping efforts to the next level. While many have contributed to mapping projects that support disaster response, health access, and development goals, sustaining this work—and the communities behind it—requires more than just mapping skills. It requires a strategic approach to community building, collaboration, and leadership. Drawing from the Asia-Pacific Open Mapping Hub’s 2025–2030 Community Building Strategy, this session aims to connect the dots between individual efforts and the larger open mapping movement across the region. Participants will learn how to align their local initiatives with regional objectives focused on grassroots leadership, inclusive participation, capacity strengthening, and cross-border collaboration. Using hands-on activities, small group work, and guided reflection, Gurus will identify their strengths, share their challenges, and create personal roadmaps that link their goals to regional priorities. The session will also spotlight successful community initiatives from across the Asia-Pacific region to inspire collaboration and knowledge exchange. This session is ideal for anyone who wants to grow from an individual contributor into a community leader, mentor, and changemaker within the open mapping movement. Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ about this event: https://2025.stateofthemap.org/sessions/TFURNU/