{"id":3002,"date":"2026-09-02T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emdcon.org\/?page_id=3002"},"modified":"2026-09-02T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T00:00:00","slug":"about-history","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/emdcon.org\/conference\/europe\/about-history\/","title":{"rendered":"About & History"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
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About EMDC & Our History<\/h1>\n

What EMDC does, why it exists, and how a small gathering in Germany grew into a worldwide network for Scripture engagement.<\/p>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/header>\n\n

\n
\n A consultation built around real needs<\/span>\n

About EMDC<\/h2>\n

EMDC started as an annual multi-agency gathering where minority-language workers, Bible translators, literacy specialists, and language-development teams could sit down with media producers (radio, TV, internet, mobile), IT staff, recording engineers, graphic artists, and specialists in orality and the ethno-arts. Over the years it has grown to meet the needs of practitioners working in an increasingly complex media landscape.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

What EMDC covers<\/h3>\n

Follow-up & Scripture engagement · orality & storytelling · Scripture by mobile phone · Scripture apps and games · social media and networks · video and audio production · video animation · Discovery Scripture studies · Scripture, trauma healing, and recovery from substance abuse · ethno and local arts · culturally appropriate distribution · distance biblical education · digital publishing · DMM · minority-language translation, distribution, and literacy.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

\n

A regular attendee called EMDC a must for anyone working in language and media content or distribution, praising the range and quality of the workshops and the strength of the community.<\/p>\n Bernard Wagner, The Omega Audio Bible<\/cite>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n

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\n Through COVID and beyond<\/span>\n

Adapting to a changed world<\/h2>\n

The 2020 EMDC, expecting 900 people from 300 organizations, was cancelled because of the COVID-19 crisis. EMDC Online launched soon after, and by 2023 that platform had grown into what is now the EMDC Online Academy — home to hundreds of recorded seminars and workshops. Around the same time, the EMDC team launched emdc.info<\/a> as a single portal into the wider family of platforms, including emdc.blog, emdc.guide, and emdc.live.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

Our vision<\/h4>\n

EMDC exists to network and equip the Body of Christ to communicate the Gospel in culturally relevant ways that lead to transformed lives.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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Our ethos<\/h4>\n

No one else can do what you do, where God has placed you — our goal is to help you equip yourself for that task.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n

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\n How we do this<\/span>\n

Five things EMDC provides<\/h2>\n
\n
1<\/div>

Cutting-edge training<\/h3>

Practical training on the communication and media topics practitioners are facing right now.<\/p><\/div>\n

2<\/div>

Trusted connections<\/h3>

A network of people you can trust to share ideas and resources with.<\/p><\/div>\n

3<\/div>

Room for niche topics<\/h3>

Space to discuss specialized subjects and share your story through podcasts, blogs, and social platforms.<\/p><\/div>\n

4<\/div>

Long-term relationships<\/h3>

Networking that often grows into rich, lasting partnerships.<\/p><\/div>\n

5<\/div>

A true marketplace<\/h3>

Providers and users trading ideas on the devices, tools, and strategies that are needed or available.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n

\n
\n From one room in Germany<\/span>\n

EMDC History, Purpose & Name<\/h2>\n

EMDC began in 2010 as the Eurasia Media & Distribution Consultation, a multi-agency gathering that has met almost every year since, taking on a steadily more international character.<\/p>\n

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1st · Sept 2010, Germany<\/span>

130 people, 32 organizations. Just 3.5 days — no pre-EMDC training yet.<\/p><\/div>\n

2nd · Mar\/Apr 2012, Germany<\/span>

200 people, 70 organizations. First 3 pre-EMDC tracks (75 participants): Video, Audio, Web.<\/p><\/div>\n

3rd · Apr 2013, Thailand<\/span>

224 people, 81 organizations. First year in Asia; 9 pre-EMDC tracks (120 participants).<\/p><\/div>\n

4th · Apr 2014, Thailand<\/span>

320 people, 99 organizations. 11 tracks (194 participants); added Culturally Intelligent Media and Discovery Scripture Groups.<\/p><\/div>\n

5th · Apr 2015, Netherlands<\/span>

380 people, 130 organizations. 15 tracks (201 participants); added Online Trainer, Animation, Research Methods, Digital Engagement\/Archiving.<\/p><\/div>\n

6th · Apr 2016, Thailand<\/span>

450 people, 138 organizations. 14 tracks (270 participants); added Storyboarding, SE Games, SE & Trauma Healing.<\/p><\/div>\n

7th · Apr 2017, Netherlands<\/span>

420 people, 146 organizations (30+ denied visas). 15 tracks (270 participants); added Culture Meets Scripture, Film Dubbing.<\/p><\/div>\n

8th · Mar 2018, Thailand<\/span>

725 people, 193 organizations. 18 tracks (490 participants); added Bloom, eLearning Content, a Korean Workers’ Summit.<\/p><\/div>\n

9th · Apr 2019, Netherlands<\/span>

602 people, 210 organizations (55+ denied visas). 27 combined pre\/post tracks (400+ participants).<\/p><\/div>\n

10th · Mar 2020, Thailand<\/span>

Cancelled by COVID-19 — 900 people and 270 organizations, 36 tracks, had been expected.<\/p><\/div>\n

10th (rescheduled) · Jun 2022, Netherlands<\/span>

251 people, 94 organizations, 45 countries (100+ denied visas). A 4-day gathering, no training either side.<\/p><\/div>\n

EMDC Español 1st · Oct 2022, Mexico City<\/span>

178 people, 70 ministries, 15 countries, 40 indigenous communities, 30 languages.<\/p><\/div>\n

11th · May 2023, Thailand<\/span>

780 people, 227 organizations. 15 and 16 tracks before and after.<\/p><\/div>\n

EMDC Español 2nd · Nov 2023, Colombia<\/span>

151 people, 73 ministries, 20 countries, 42 indigenous communities.<\/p><\/div>\n

12th · May 2024, Thailand<\/span>

685 people, 187 organizations. 27 tracks combined.<\/p><\/div>\n

13th · 14–22 May 2025, Netherlands<\/span>

430 people, 175 organizations, 57 countries.<\/p><\/div>\n

EMDC Español 3rd · Aug 2025, Peru<\/span>

 <\/p><\/div>\n

14th · 13–26 May 2026, Chiang Mai, Thailand<\/span>

770 people, 260 organizations, 60 countries — 17 pre-EMDC tracks. Most recent<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n

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\n Why this meeting, and what it aims for<\/span>\n
\n
\n

Why a Eurasia-focused meeting?<\/h3>\n
    \n
  • We share needs the rest of the world doesn’t face in the same way<\/li>\n
  • We share access considerations many regions don’t have<\/li>\n
  • We share a common situation relative to majority beliefs<\/li>\n
  • We share similar linguistic challenges<\/li>\n
  • We can keep travel shorter than a worldwide conference would require<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n
    \n

    The four goals of EMDC<\/h3>\n
      \n
    • Give minority-language workers a place to meet media and communication specialists and shape media strategy<\/li>\n
    • Connect regional media organizations with language teams for real, doable partnerships<\/li>\n
    • Help teams finish media projects in hands-on workshops, or link them with someone who can<\/li>\n
    • Give workers a venue to voice their media needs and learn from one another<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n
      \n
      \n Why the name<\/span>\n

      Eurasia Media & Distribution Consultation<\/h2>\n
      \n

      Eurasia<\/h4>

      Our primary focus, meeting alternately in Asia and Europe, with Africa-focused and Europe-focused workers also welcome.<\/p><\/div>\n

      Media<\/h4>

      Not just typical formats — stories, music, and art all count as media in our understanding.<\/p><\/div>\n

      Distribution<\/h4>

      Scripture is our main distributed product, spread through study groups, trauma-healing teaching, games, and more.<\/p><\/div>\n

      Consultation<\/h4>

      Not one conference but many mini-consultations, organized as Affinity Groups around a shared goal.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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