Where you live should not prevent interaction nor education. This is the thinking behind Azure Community - a virtual monthly meetup breaking down geographical barriers by uniting online.
Three different Microsoft MVPs from three different parts of the world spearhead the new project.
Geert Van der Cruijsen (The Netherlands), Lars Klint (Australia), and Esteban Garcia (United States) have come together to host their first meetups in January. The platform looks to consolidate the global community of Azure users wherever they are, whoever they are.
Azure Community is the original idea of Geert, who soon connected with Lars and Esteban to further develop the project. It is this concept of live online meetups across different time zones which gives an edge to Azure Community, Geert says.
“We host events in different time zones depending on where the speaker is from. We also want to be an inclusive community which allows guru speakers and first timers to have a chance to share their knowledge about Azure.”
Esteban hosts virtual meetups for the Americas. The idea of recorded events gives people a better chance to catch content, he says. “This idea seemed like a great way to reach people anywhere, and provide a platform for new and experienced voices to be heard all over the world,” Esteban says.
Lars tackles the Asia Pacific contingent. Lars works remote - from the “middle-of-nowhere Australia” - and says online meetups offer something extra and different for people like him in far away places.
“Azure Community is for anyone that has an internet connection. We really are for the community, by the community.”
The virtual meetup covers anything and everything Azure. Guests range from first-time users to Azure pros, with content intended for skill levels anywhere in between.
Esteban, Geert and Lars each note how the project works as a natural evolution of being Microsoft MVPs. The Microsoft MVP program works to strengthen the community, and this is something Azure Community expands, Geert says.
“Being in the community opens doors, makes it easier to give feedback back to Microsoft and make new like-minded friends in the global community,” he says.
“The MVP program opens doors and starts conversations,” Lars says. “It is also a platform for sharing my love of technology and inspiring other geeks.”
So, what’s next for Azure Community? Growth, Esteban says.
“We will continue to provide people from all over the world with the ability to contribute. As we perfect our streaming, we may do some onsite recordings at conferences or MVP Summit.”
“We grow through community engagement, regular great events and social media posts,” Lars says. “We have seen incredible growth since the project was announced in December and plan on continuing this trend.”
Azure Community is looking for more speakers and participants - from wherever they may be. Check out their YouTube and Twitter to get in touch!