First quarter 2016 – Open data calendar

A new year has just begun and the international open data community has to face new challenges regarding open data culture and the reuse of public sector information. The solutions to those defiances will be addressed in the different events organized during this year. At Aporta Iniciative we are committed to inform you about each of them.

In the first quarter of 2016, the ePSI Platform is hosting a free webinar on 21^st January 2016 (16:00–18:00 CET) to introduce the new European Data Portal (EDP). The online conference showcases the main features and subjacent cutting-edge technologies of the portal, which went live on 16^th November during the European Data Forum .

During the webinar, the EDP project team will present the potential the portal offers to member states and the society in general. Attendees will be able to interact with the experts regarding technical aspects, as well as share best practices in the field of publishing and re-using open data. If you need further information, the agenda in available on the ePSI Platform website where stakeholders can register for free fulfilling an online form.

The next Open Data Leaders Network will be held in London from 22nd to 26th February, the meeting of an international group formed by leaders of government open data initiatives supported by the OD4D network and the European Commission. This network is a space for discussing solutions for global open data challenges and learning from peers’ know-how and experiences.

The network offered up to new eight places for government leaders who has been selected on the basis of their responsibility for implementation their national open data initiatives, their innovative ideas and contribution to the international open data community.

Successful applicants were notified on 12^th of January 2016 and they will be awarded during the next meeting in London, when they will join the current cohort formed by 14 members from countries including UK, Argentina, New Zealand and Malasya.

These two events are a good warming-up for the Open Data Day which will take place on Saturday, 6^th March. To celebrate the Day, an international hackathon will be organized to support and encourage the local, regional and national governments to adopt open data policies. The global hackathon consists of several local hackathons where citizens can participate and hack on anything that involves open data (visualization, app, standards…). Each local hackathon should share its proposal with the members of a hackathon in at least one other city; making it work despite of the geographical, cultural or linguistics barriers.

Where will the local hackathons happen? For details of the future events check the wiki created by the organizators. Attendees will have the opportunity to broaden their PSI knowledge, know the latest policies and interact with open data experts. Stay tuned for more updates about Open Data Day via the community mailing list.