What if your favorite shortcut, bike path, or local café only exists on the map because someone like you added it? OpenStreetMap is a living, breathing map of the planet created by millions of contributors, and it grows every time someone decides that the world deserves better data.

In this session, we will explore how OpenStreetMap is used behind the scenes in humanitarian missions, environmental projects, research, and everyday apps. We will look at how open-source tools make it possible to map neighborhoods, forests, and cities using simple editors and satellite imagery, turning curiosity into real-world impact.

We will also unpack what makes OpenStreetMap different from commercial mapping platforms, not just in who owns the data, but in how communities can adapt it, reuse it, and build on it freely. Finally, the talk will show how mapping can evolve from a hobby into a valuable skill set, leading to work in fields such as geospatial analysis, civic technology, education, and data services.

By the end of the session, you will see that mapping is not only about roads and buildings. It is about visibility, participation, and shaping the digital version of the world we all rely on. Also, you may never look at a roundabout the same way again.