2009 Esri Middle East and North Africa User Conference

The 2009 Esri Middle East and North Africa User Conference (MEAUC) took place November 10–12 in Manama, Bahrain, at the Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel. MEAUC is a resource for Esri users in the Middle East and North Africa, serving as a forum to learn about and discuss GIS updates and projects. It's also a place for attendees to build relationships with other members of the international Esri user community. The MEAUC was held under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister for the Government of Bahrain.

More than 450 professionals from different industries and with varying levels of GIS experience gathered last fall to get their questions answered, address today's trends, and see how to achieve more GIS-driven results in their organizations and communities. Attendees heard from Esri president Jack Dangermond, saw the latest GIS tools and applications, heard about time-saving tips and tricks that further GIS investments, met with Esri staff and business partners, and more. Al Khalifa deputized His Excellency Sheikh Ahmed Ateyatalla Al Khalifa, Minister of Cabinet Affairs for the Kingdom of Bahrain, to attend the conference in his stead.

During the Plenary Session, Dangermond discussed his vision for GIS and its impact on our world. He explained that GIS is being more widely recognized as an indispensable tool for analysis and decision making.

From executives and managers to GIS end users, attendees were able to extend their GIS knowledge and skills. Technical workshops led by Esri product managers, and paper sessions on successful GIS applications, provided ways to get solutions to technical issues and cost-saving ideas for specific markets. The conference featured GIS best practices from a broad range of communities across the region and industries spanning the public and private sectors.

"GIS is slowly transforming into a pervasive technology," said Dr. Ghulum Bakiri from MicroCenter, Esri's distributor in Bahrain, "and many countries in the region are embarking on a national NSDI [National Spatial Data Infrastructure] initiative to act as the platform of choice for integrating diverse islands of information that exist in various departments and government organizations." More information about future conferences is available at www.esri.com/menauc.

2010 Esri Europe, Middle East, and Africa User Conference

The 2010 Esri Europe, Middle East, and North Africa User Conference (EMEA) will take place October 26–28 in Rome, Italy, at the Ergife Palace Hotel. The EMEA is being hosted by Esri Italia, Esri's distributor in Italy. This union of the European User Conference and Middle East and North Africa User Conference gives users from these regions the chance to connect with an even greater Esri community. There will be paper sessions, technical workshops, and other activities and events that will explore how to apply geography and technology to solve problems, increase return on investment, and help create better businesses and communities. More information about the 2010 conference will be available online soon at www.esri.com/emea.

2010 Esri Latin America User Conference

The Esri Latin America User Conference (LAUC) is in its 17th year and is being hosted by SIGSA, Esri's distributor in Mexico. The 2010 LAUC will be held September 22–24 in Mexico City at the Sheraton Maria Isabel Hotel and Towers, located on Paseo de la Reforma and overlooking the famous Angel of Independence monument. Between 800 and 1,000 professionals are expected to attend the conference.

LAUC is the premier event for GIS users throughout Latin America. Participants are able to create valuable relationships with their peers, meet with key contacts—from Esri staff and business partners to the region's industry leaders—and find out everything they need to know to launch and grow successful GIS projects. Learn more at www.sigsa.info/lauc2010.

More Information

For a complete listing of Esri events worldwide, visit www.esri.com/events.