Developing a Multi-Kingdom Event
- Jul 16
- 5 min read
Planning a multi-national event can feel like juggling flaming torches while walking a tightrope. I’ve been there, and it can be quite the adventure! From managing time zones to bridging cultural gaps, the hurdles can be tough. However, with the right approach, you can transform these challenges into chances for teamwork and creativity.
Time Zone Management
Time zone management presented its own set of challenges. Scheduling meetings across different time zones can feel like a game of Tetris. Not only do we have to work with four different time zones for the planning team, but we have 9+ likely time zones for students. Our team drafted a chart that shows many time zones with markers of when things will happen across each. This is the first draft, after which we were informed that during that time of year, NZ is actually +13 thanks to Daylight Savings.
Language Barriers
Language barriers can significantly complicate multi-national event planning. While all team members speak English, it is not the first language to some and there are regional variants to keep in mind for others. To overcome this, I began using clear and simple language in my communications. I also encouraged team members to ask questions if something was unclear. Establishing an open environment for clarification proved essential in bridging communication gaps. For the most part, language has been a non-issue as our European counterparts speak English almost fluently.
Diverse Team Dynamics
Working within a diverse team can be fulfilling but comes with specific challenges. Different perspectives can lead to innovative solutions but can also spark disagreements. Everyone has ideas on how things should be done, or how they have always done them. Working to compromise and meet everyone's needs is a difficult road.
Navigating three different University systems, three different teams, three different histories, all makes the dynamics that much more interesting. As the oldest and most robust system, the University of Atlantia has the infrastructure to handle just about anything. Working with teams that are just starting out (Lochac) and established (Drachenwald) means that we have a new system and existing system and each Kingdom has its own culture that goes along with their University event.
Inter-Kingdom Anthropology
This is the biggest and most obvious hurdle. Atlantia plans. Our system is built for planning. We have a structured set of dates that we work on for each sessions. There are deadlines that are advertised. Pre-registration happens. Students and teachers receive credit. There are badges for the number of classes attended and degrees obtained. We have a staff, and a pretty large one at that.
Drachenwald's system is a lot less formal. No credit, no class registration. You register attendance for the event to get the zoom link, that's it. Their schedule may change at the last minute with late classes coming in. They have more than three time zones, a bunch of languages, and multiple countries.
Atlantia has a few states, all in the same time zone, so everyone works around us if they're attending from out of Kingdom.
Lochac, meanwhile, is just starting out. They have not had a formal online University before. Their newly elected Chancellor is getting a handle on how to run things and develop their system. She has been working with some of the University of Atlantia team to get assistance where we are able. As another Kingdom with multiple time zones and two countries, they have additional logistics to take into consideration as well.
Logistics
Logistical decisions can feel daunting. We easily selected the University of Atlantia Pro Zoom account as our means of holding the event. It got trickier when we started talking about the website. The University of Atlantia site is robust. It allows class submission, track planning, attendance tracking, pre-registration, and more. Drachenwald uses a simpler format in Google form responses. Lochac is just getting started and does not have an infrastructure in place.
Where we started to have logistic questions was that DU does not do credit for their courses while UofA has a credit/degree system that is automatically counted by the system. We came to the decision that we would allow students to register for classes if they wanted credit and just sign in for the event if they did not want credit.
Looking Ahead
The response to our first efforts was strong. Shortly after the event, the messages starting coming asking when the next Tri-Kingdom would be. This was a looming question that fueled long discussions on what worked, what didn't work, what we would do differently should we decide to take this event on again.
We determined that we need a consolidated website, not just a portal that links to the schedule for each of the parts. That website needs to allow students to register for classes for credit at University of Atlantia and to publish transcripts for students who wish to apply credits to other SCA University systems that accept them. A tech team was assembled to make this happen.
Once the infrastructure is in place, unified branding becomes the next key to a successful second turn of this event. In our first year, we had a unified logo, which we used in marketing and on merchandise. We did not have a unified structure for our day of. This year, we will have one unified theme. No changing of room names and no opening or closing in the middle of the event when there is a switch over between Kingdoms. We will have transitions with opportunities for appropriate people to speak or give awards. Our branding will not change though and there will be a smooth transition flow between the coordinators of each session.
Working with the tech team, there will be one place to find the schedule, register for classes, and have all information that is needed. One of the most important parts of this is that the schedule will appear in everyone's local time zone.
Commendations and Awards
On May 20, 2026, notes from the most recent BoD meeting were published and the TKU staff received commendations from the Society MoAS. At Kingdom Arts & Sciences in Atlantia, all those who taught or assisted during the Atlantia session were awarded the Order of the Golden Lamp for extraordinary group contributions to the arts. Similarly, the University Staff was awarded the Order of the Golden Elephant for extraordinary group service to Atlantia. At Victory on the Vine I was awarded a Fountain for my Bingo card that I created for Tri-Kingdom.
Final Thoughts
By embracing cultural differences, managing logistics wisely, and fostering open communication, you can create events that resonate with everyone involved. Remember, challenges often disguise opportunities. With patience and a creative mindset, you can turn the complexities of multi-national event planning into celebrations of diversity and teamwork. The team learned a lot in this process and will now work towards applying the new knowledge to what we do next. Working with a diverse team outside of our own infrastructure is always a challenge, but with over 900 students and teachers participating across the world, it is more than worth it to build and grow.
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