BarCamp Kathmandu

Nepal will be seeing its first BarCamp, Barcamp Kathmandu 2009 (bcktm09) on August 8, 2009 at Yala Maya Kendra, Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur. BarCamps have been held in over 350 cities around the world in he last four years developing into an international network of ‘unconferences’ – casual gatherings created and run by the people attending live. The official wiki, barcamp.org, defines BarCamp as “an ad-hoc gathering born from the desire for people to share and learn in an open environment.” Put simply, it is an informal, user-generated, social gathering where attendees are encouraged to get involved either by hosting a session or joining in on discussions. The event is comprised of discussions, demos and interaction from participants.

BarCamp primarily operates as a platform where raw, innovative ideas and concepts get nurtured. A person or group of people from any discipline with a novel idea is welcome to share it at BarCamp. Through interaction with participants, raw ideas get analyzed, refined and advanced. There is also opportunity for collaboration among participants who can and are willing to contribute towards development of the idea. For those attending, networking is not limited to exchanging business cards but also exchanging ideas with a potential for collaboration. As such, BarCamp is the perfect hunting ground for Venture Capitalists looking to fund the next big idea or for entreprenuers in search of talent to help grow their businesses.

Besides serving as a launching pad for new ideas and concepts, BarCamp also provides opportunity for people from all backgrounds and all skill levels to share knowledge. For instance a tech enthusiast could talk about tools which could be useful to people across various fields such as finance, marketing, development etc. Such dissemination of knowledge could not only help people develop new skills but also lead to further innovation. Besides knowledge sharing, people are also invited to share their experiences such as important issues they have come across by successfully completing a project or through a failure they have experienced.

Having said all that, bcktm09 is also a place where you (BarCampers) can hang out and have fun. You don’t have to have the next big idea to participate. All sorts of ideas and concepts are welcome. If you can make a wickedly delicious achar for Mo:Mo – share it at BarCamp. If you are into fitness, want to start a cycling club and are looking for people to join in or help out – share it at BarCamp. People from all walks of life are encouraged to participate. However, BarCampers are expected to refrain from doing, saying or engaging in any activity that might offend others present at bcktm09. Essentially, do your thing but be considerate.

While unconferences rarely have a preset agenda, a broad theme that can accommodate ideas from various disciplines is ususal. The theme for bcktm09 is “Innovation for the Development of Nepal.” If you are planning on attending bcktm09, think about the general theme and any associated topics that interest you beforehand. Here is list of things you are suggested to bring.

• Laptop: If you want to live blog or live tweet. Remember your charger!
• Power strip: If you can, bring a power strip to plug into the much-coveted few outlets. It’ll allow more people to benefit from power during the day.
• Business cards: Bring yours and collect others’.
• Notebook & pen: Taking notes with a word processor might note be easy for all.
• Video/photo camera: Take as many pictures and video recordings. Upload it and tag it with one or more of these: #bcktm, #bcktm09, #BarCampKTM2009
• Money: The event is free but lunch and tea is going to cost you Rs. 200 only.
• Your demo/presentation/materials: Bring your presentation on a USB stick/CD/DVD. Don’t forget to bring any other material you plan on using for your session.

Most importantly come with an open mind. Participate and contribute to a session on a topic you are familiar with then join another session on a topic you know nothing about. If you plan on hosting a session, it is not essential that you present using a PowerPoint presentation and a laser pointer in a suit. While suits are not recommended, creative presentations that inform and entertain are encouraged. Sessions can last anywhere between 20 minutes to an hour. It is advisable that you don’t present a research paper but share your ideas and experiences, ask others to pitch in with feedback and lead a useful conversation. Your goal should be to get fellow BarCampers excited and involved. Finally, there are no fixed time slots. The first one to arrive on the day of BarCamp gets to pick the slot of his or her choice.

Everyone is invited to BarCamp to participate, present, mingle and enjoy themselves. Lastly, BarCamp Kathmandu could not have been possible without the generosity of our sponsors. A big thank you goes out to ChangeFusion Nepal, Diyaalo Enterprises, IDOREGAN Holdings, Janaki Technology Private Limite, MaxBlogPress, Nepal Aid and Young Innovations Private Limited.