PIDfest 2026 will take place in Leiden, the Netherlands, from October 27-29, 2026. It is intended to be a global meeting place for everyone who cares about keeping knowledge connected – across people, systems, disciplines, borders, and time. Our goal is to grow a broader, more diverse, more global Persistent Identifier community, from first-timers to infrastructure leaders.

Our theme this year is Keeping Knowledge Connected, and the Call for Proposals is open now through March 22. We welcome proposals from all PID enthusiasts, wherever you are on your PID journey – and in a range of session formats, including short talks, panels, workshops, “birds of a feather” sessions, interactive presentations, lightning talks, and posters. Please note that you must be able to deliver your presentation in person.

If you have an idea that doesn’t fit neatly into one of these formats, we’d still love to hear about it. We may even be able to connect you with other interested groups with whom you share a synergy and potential for a successful session.

Please see our brief writing guide for proposals for ideas on how to pitch your session. When you’re ready you can submit your proposal here (please note that you will need to set up an account on the SURF platform where the proposal form is hosted – you will then be able to access and edit your proposal any time before the deadline).

The Call for Proposals will remain open through March 22. All submissions will be anonymised and reviewed by the Programme Committee, who aim to contact everyone about their decisions by April 30.