Social Media Week is a multi-city real-time conference that aims to take the global social networking conversation to the next level. As Martin Bryant explains, it’s an international celebration of the way online social tools are transforming the world we live in. #SMW allows people around the world to participate in a live conversation about how social shifts impact our lives and are reshaping our society. 2012 is the first year a theme is marking the week throughout the globe: Empowering Change through Collaboration. The video below was put together to promote #smw12.
Set up in 2009 by a guy called Toby Daniels in New York, Social Media Week has since spread across the world. It now runs for two weeks a year – once in February and once in September – each involving 12 different cities. Between 13-17 February 2012 online social conferences and events are scheduled in Hamburg, Hong Kong, London, Miami, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, Singapore, Tokyo, Toronto, and Washington DC.
According to The Next Web, Daniels said:
“We wanted to build a conference from the ground up and address many of the failings of traditional industry events, especially those that focused on emerging media and technology. We also wanted to elevate the conversation and explore social media’s role as a catalyst in driving economic, cultural and social change.”
London’s Social Media Week, also known as #smwldn on twitter, includes events for both social networking gurus and those less experienced among us. The full schedule was up-datable until last Thursday and is available on socialmediaweek.org.
City interhacktives are planning to cover data, communities, journalism and media related events. From Police-Community Relations, Social Media Solutions and Sex, Love and Social Media to the infamous Twittermentary, we’ve put together a calendar with the events that we are heading to. Will you join us?