Badge description

• Title: Sprouting Strategy
• Description: Awarded to those who gathered in Brussels on January 31st, 2026 to plant the seeds of Fedora's future over dinner. You ate your greens and discussed the scenes.

How is the badge earned?

This badge is manually awarded to attendees of the exclusive "Fedora & CentOS Contributor Appreciation Dinner" held on the sidelines of FOSDEM and CentOS Connect 2026. It is granted to the 36 contributors who participated in the social event in support of the Fedora 2028 Strategy and @jspaleta's vision to share there.

Who earns the badge?

A select group of Fedora Council members, Team Leads, and strategic contributors (Engineering, Community, and Design) who gathered in Brussels to align on the future of Fedora and Free Software.

Why do they do this?

To move the project from "Maintenance Mode" to "Strategic Architecture." These contributors dedicated their evening to debating the community strategy and planting the seeds for the next decade of Fedora Linux and Enterprise Linux.

When do they do it?

During the "Event Season" kick-off in Brussels, specifically on the Saturday evening between FOSDEM and CentOS Connect (January 31st, 2026).

How do they do it?

By enduring intense strategic debates, surviving the chaos of FOSDEM, and—most importantly—eating their Brussels sprouts. :new_moon_with_face: They engaged in face-to-face consensus building that cannot happen over a video call. :raised_hands:

Artwork concepts?

Here is a visual concept:

• Character: The Panda (specifically a modification of the "Paranoid/Serious Panda" to look deep in thought).
• Prop: The Panda is holding a fork with a single, bright green Brussels Sprout on it, examining it like a diamond.
• Why it works: It captures the location (Brussels), the "growth" aspect of the strategy conversations, and is undeniably cheesy.