Add GraphQL Day manifesto

graphql-day/booth.md

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ---
 title: Booth staff
-sidebar_position: 3
+sidebar_position: 4
 ---
 
 The booth is a place for the community to gather and, most importantly, to reach
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ You do not need to be an [ambassador](/ambassadors) to be a booth
 representative. If you are an ambassador, staffing a booth counts as one of your
 ambassador tasks.
 
+People who staff the booth abide to the [GraphQL Day manifesto](./manifesto).
+
 ## Staffing the booth
 
 - Wear the pink t-shirt

graphql-day/emcee.md

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ---
 title: Emceeing
-sidebar_position: 4
+sidebar_position: 5
 ---
 
 The emcee welcomes attendees in the track and introduces speakers.

graphql-day/event-coordinator.md

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ---
 title: Event coordinator
-sidebar_position: 2
+sidebar_position: 3
 ---
 
 The event coordinator makes sure everything goes smoothly. They don't need to do

graphql-day/index.md

@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ opportunity to raise awareness outside the GraphQL bubble.
 In 2026, GraphQL Days happened in partnership with
 [FOST](https://www.joinfost.io/) but other venues are also possible.
 
+Read the [manifesto](./manifesto.md) to learn what GraphQL Days stand for.
+
 This guide is a list of resources and checklists for:
 
 - [Event coordinators](./event-coordinator.md)

graphql-day/manifesto.md

@@ -0,0 +1,165 @@
+---
+title: Manifesto
+sidebar_position: 2
+---
+
+# GraphQL Day manifesto
+
+GraphQL Day is a series of community events, organized by the community, under
+the auspices of the GraphQL Foundation.
+
+The GraphQL Foundation does not run GraphQL Day but provides help and support in
+the shape of mentorship, reimbursement for expenses and promotion.
+
+GraphQL Day events typically happen as part of larger events, such as
+[FOST](https://joinfost.io/). Sharing the venue makes it possible to reach a
+larger audience and work with other communities to increase the network effect.
+
+GraphQL Day events typically consist of half a day of GraphQL content and a
+GraphQL booth.
+
+# What we stand for
+
+**GraphQL first.** The events exist to grow the GraphQL ecosystem — by educating
+developers, solving real problems together, and accelerating adoption of a
+technology we believe in.  
+Participation in GraphQL can help your business but business development is a
+side product of helping the technology. GraphQL Day is “GraphQL first, business
+second”.  
+Note that GraphQL Day is not “GraphQL first, business never”. GraphQL needs
+funding to be sustainable and we hope GraphQL Day helps more people work on
+improving the language and the technology.  
+When in doubt, ask yourself: does this serve the technology and the people
+building with it? That question is our compass.
+
+**Vendor neutrality.** GraphQL Day events are vendor neutral and non-profit.
+Mentioning commercial solutions can be useful to showcase GraphQL features, but
+no vendor should dominate the discussion. Focus on the features, not the
+product.  
+Vendors are encouraged to promote their solutions by sponsoring the host event
+and have their own space and booth.
+
+**Collective governance.** Decisions are made by the GraphQL Day team. The
+GraphQL Day team is a group of GraphQL enthusiasts that meet regularly online or
+in person. Anyone who wants to help shape the event and is a GraphQL enthusiast
+is welcome to join the team. Decisions are made collectively and transparently.
+The current GraphQL Day team is visible at
+[https\://graphql.org/community/team/](https://graphql.org/community/team/).
+Discussions can be joined on [Discord](http://discord.graphql.org/), channel
+`#graphqlday`.
+
+**Radiate intent.** While we are strong believers in alignment and shared
+governance, we also acknowledge the need to move fast and reduce friction.  
+We believe it’s possible to have both shared ownership and fast execution by
+[radiating intent](https://leebyron.com/til/intent/). By making your intention
+clear you allow others to give feedback and/or help without needing to wait for
+formal consensus. If you have feedback to give, give it promptly.
+
+**Have Fun.** The best communities are the ones people actually want to be part
+of. Bring energy, bring curiosity, bring your whole self. A great GraphQL Day
+should leave people inspired, and already looking forward to the next one.
+
+# Etiquette
+
+What we stand for defines what GraphQL Day is. The reality of organizing events
+is complex and our core values may sometimes be hard to translate operationally.
+The etiquette provides concrete examples of how to exemplify what we stand for.
+
+This is etiquette, not policing. The etiquette is not set in stone and we expect
+it to be updated as we answer more questions on the field.
+
+By joining the GraphQL Day team, you agree to observing the following:
+
+**Be visibly part of the ecosystem, not exclusive to it**
+
+Show what the technology can do. Show the concept. Demos are compelling and
+genuinely convert people to GraphQL; but frame them around GraphQL as the
+enabler, not as something exclusive to one product.
+
+It is fine to tell people which company you work for and that you collaborate
+with the others. Do not talk _only_ about your own company, and never speak ill
+of another.
+
+✅ "This isn't the only software in the ecosystem that does this, it's just the
+one I'm most familiar with."
+
+🚫 "Our product is X% faster than \[VendorB\] product.”
+
+**No active selling**
+
+The booth is a place for collaboration, not competition. Vendors are encouraged
+to have their own booth and discuss their products outside the GraphQL booth.
+
+✅ Answering a question, even if it touches your product.
+
+🚫 "Let me show you a demo of \[Product\]" delivered as a sales pitch.
+
+**Point people to the best fit, whoever makes it**
+
+Answering someone's question is the job, even if the best answer is not yours.
+
+✅ “I don’t know about \[feature\] but \[person\] knows”
+
+🚫 “I don’t know about \[feature\] but let me show you what I do”
+
+**Communication**  
+We encourage everyone (volunteers, attendees, speakers and vendors alike) to
+share and promote the event to help us reach a wider audience.  
+As a general rule, frame the communication around excitement for the technology
+and/or helping the community and the ecosystem.
+
+Care should be taken to ensure GraphQL Day is promoted as an event organized by
+the community.
+
+Vendors are welcome to communicate around the help and support they provide for
+the event. But that help doesn’t grant any specific organizer status or decision
+making rights.
+
+The reward for helping with GraphQL Day is in the connections being made, the
+opportunity to showcase GraphQL expertise, the fun and the learning
+opportunities.
+
+✅ “GraphQL Day is coming to \[Location\] on \[Date\], and \[Vendor\] is proud
+to have \[Team member\] as one of the organizers\!”
+
+🚫 “GraphQL Day is coming to \[Location\] on \[Date\], and \[Vendor\] is proud
+to be one of the organizers\!”
+
+✅ “GraphQL Day is coming to \[Location\] on \[Date\], and \[Vendor\] is proud
+to help\!”
+
+🚫 “\[Vendor\] is bringing GraphQL Day to \[Location\] on \[Date\]\!”
+
+✅ Reposting/sharing the GraphQL foundation posts.
+
+🚫 Paying ad money to redirect to \[Vendor\] properties instead of the GraphQL
+Foundation resources.
+
+**Marketing material**
+
+No vendor signage on the community booth. This respects the host event's paying
+sponsors. Stickers from across the ecosystem are accepted as they show the
+diversity of the GraphQL ecosystem.
+
+✅ Stickers, especially fun stickers.
+
+🚫"\[Vendor\] workshop tonight" or "\[Vendor\] dinner/happy-hour" signs.
+
+**Attire**
+
+At the booth, we encourage you to wear GraphQL attire. The pink GraphQL t-shirt
+makes the technology stand out and make it clear that GraphQL is the main focus
+of the booth; the ambassador hoodies and GraphQLConf t-shirts are also good
+options.
+
+Please refrain from wearing the pink GraphQL t-shirt on other booths as that
+makes the GraphQL booth less identifiable.
+
+On stage and walking around the conference, wear what makes you most
+comfortable. Representing your employer is fine, especially if they supported
+your speaking/travel.
+
+# Getting help
+
+For any questions about this document or GraphQL Day, ask in the
+[GraphQL Discord](https://discord.graphql.org), channel `#graphqlday`