YEREVAN.- About 500 IT specialists, engineers, developers, bloggers, online journalists and social media activists will gather on June 4-5 to participate at “BarCamp Yerevan 2011” unofficial conference. The participants will discuss the development of technologies and social media in the region and world.

The philosophy of BarCamp is the following: all presentations are given by participants themselves, with no formally invited guest speakers and without the formality of traditional conference. Most revealing, the schedule of events is “produced” by the participants of the conference and is formed only after the conference opens, as participants add the presentations they want to hold on a white board.

Sponsors and supporters of the “BarCamp Yerevan 2011” are Beeline, Internews in the framework of the “Alternative Resources in Media” program supported by USAID, Opera Software, Deem Communications and PanARMENIAN.Net.

«BarCamp movement rapidly gains popularity among the Armenian IT and new media experts, and it is no wonder - the format of this “unconference” puts on the same board both top managers and ordinary users, apprentice commenters and master bloggers. Original ideas are welcome here and there is no protocol homage to false authority. It is the free creative spirit of BarCamp, that is so valuable for Beeline. Being the flagship of the Internet development in Armenia, we are aware of this innovative social phenomenon’s extraordinary importance», says Anush Begloian, spokesperson for “ArmenTel” (Beeline).

“BarCamp Yerevan 2011” will host special guests from abroad, including VimpelCom’s Head of PR Department, CIS Artem Minaev and Brand Communications manager Ekaterina Turtseva, famous Russian blogger Dmitry Chernishev (mi3ch), Opera Software’s Charles McCathieNevile, technical and social developments specialist Adrianus Warmenhoven and BBC News World host and one of the authors of the BBC’s social media guide Pooneh Ghoddoosi.