August 23, 2006
BlogCamp India 2006
I’ve been helping organize content at BlogCamp India 2006. It’s on September 9-10 in Chennai. Here’s what its all about:
Blogging is more than just a tool for online
communication. For bloggers and blog readers, it represents a way of
life where open communication, dialogue, feedback and collaboration
enrich content, helping us forge professional and personal
relationships. From encouraging government transparency, blogging about
children, discussions on economics, sharing poetry and literature,
ribtickling humour, online activism, movie reviews to Sunday musings,
the tool has changed lives for all those who use it and rely on it for
opinion, information, entertainment and business.
Because blogging has influenced each individual at so many
different levels, the theme of the BlogCamp in Chennai is going to be
“Living The Blog”
We hope to provide a forum where bloggers
can share their stories and be inspired by innovative and successful
blogging experiences. In the spirit of blogging and no barriers
interaction, the two-day event will be in an “unconference mode”.
Participants will have the choice of simultaneous workshops and
sessions that will be held in small groups and use relatively informal
ways of engaging each other, in conversations around the various
themes.
While Kiruba, Syed and their young team of Chennai bloggers have been doing a great job of getting the logistics out, creating a lot of buzz around the event, setting up the website and getting sponsors, Neha and I are working on the scheduling of sessions and content .. please do go over to this page and add/edit/modify things that make for a better event given the heterogeneity in the list of participants who are at different stages of blogging experience. Also, if there are topics you wish to cover, apart from the ones I am sharing below, do add them in here. It is really vital that every participant takes the onus of ensuring they get the opportunity to share and speak around their interest area — so I urge those interested, even if you are planning to participate remotely, do do do go on over and make BlogCamp yours.
Some of the themes around which sessions will be slotted that have emerged so far are:
* Blogging and Governance - how blogs are being used to provide
assistance during times of crisis, uncovering potential crimes,
activities, taking on the government, etc.
*
Blogging and Entrepreneurship - Many professionals are using blogs to
change their world. Here we talk about how blogging can work towards
career development and related areas.
Also, professional blogging, where people are beginning to actually experience that blogs can pay!
* Corporate Blogging - Many corporates have started blogging,
making them closer to customers. We ask you to share your stories on why you are incorporating blogs in your products and media
strategies.
*
Getting Geeky - the art and science of blogging - how to go about it,
tips and tricks of trade and taking blogging to the next level.
* Blogging and community - as a tool for action, collective or
distributed, as a binding force, as a way for individuals to
contribute, and to get back something.
* Blogging as New Media - as blogging goes mainstream, it complements journalism. Why traditional media should care about
blogging as a form of citizen journalism.
* Blogging as a Hobby - how blogs help you in showcasing your talents and skills, in sharing your deep thoughts.
Once the sessions are more or less frozen, we’ll set up a page there for volunteering to be Session Coordinators …
who will then take full responsibility for their session in terms of :
- who the speakers are
- how much time each one speaks
- coordinating with the speakers and scheduling the session
- how to engage others in the discussion
- tying back to the basic theme
- logistics and requirements
- assigning someone to whiteboard or blog or wikify all the discussions that ensued
Some folks have been pinging me for details on how to register, what it costs etc … so here are some clarifications and pointers to relevant pages on the wiki. There should be a page up soon for recommended accomodation for those travelling to Chennai for the event. To register, go here and add your name. The cost is Rs.300 for both days (less than 7 USD). More details on who’s attending, FAQs. A Flickr group has been set up too for BlogCamp06 - hope to see tons of photos from the event there!
Stuff that needs clarity and working on urgently:
- The wiki is a little messy and disorganised - we need a wiki gardener … Peter???
- Outstation participants need help in figuring out accomodation options
- How is the Rs.300 going to be collected? Will this be at the venue during registration?
- What’s the action on setting up a live audio stream or an IRC channel that will enable participation from those who can’t physically be there?