The Bahrain edition of Cisco Live 2011, the company’s flagship annual technical training, networking and educational event, will take place in April, the second time it is being held in the kingdom.

The event, at the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) from April 10-13, is being developed in collaboration with the Bahrain Government and will be held under the patronage of HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince of Bahrain.
Cisco Live Bahrain joins a dedicated portfolio of similar events that span the globe including those in the US, Spain, Mexico, Argentina and Australia.

Cisco Live Bahrain 2010 attracted more than 4,000 attendees and the company expects stronger participation next year, officials said.

“Reinforcing its ongoing commitment to the Middle East and Bahrain in terms of providing support for accelerated and sustained information and communications technology (ICT) growth throughout the region, Cisco returns to Bahrain in 2011 with an even bigger event, offering richer content,” they said.

 “Cisco Live will provide an essential platform for Cisco to engage with key players throughout the Middle East, Africa, Levant and beyond,” they said. The global theme for Cisco Live 2011 is “Knowledge is Power.”

Details of the event were provided at a press conference addressed by Sheikh Ahmed bin Atteyatallah Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Minister Responsible for Telecommunications, and Duncan Mitchell, senior vice president, Cisco emerging markets and executive sponsor for Cisco Live Bahrain 2011.

Also at the press conference were Tarek Ghoul, director and general manager, Cisco Gulf region, Mohamed Ali Al Qaed, Bahrain’s eGovernment Authority CEO, and Dale Millar, director, emerging markets, Cisco.

The Bahrain forum will offer four distinct programmes creating “the perfect mix of high-level visionary insights and deep-dive technical education.” It will be a three-day conference with the option to purchase an additional one-day technical seminar pass.

More than 20 countries are to be represented at the event including the UAE, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the states of the African Levant region.

Cisco CEO John Chambers will deliver a keynote address.

Programmes  include Meet the Executive, Meet the Engineer and Design Clinics plus the World of Solutions, Innovation Awards and VIP Partner Breakfast. More than 200 sessions are being designed on the basis of feedback from Networkers 2010.

“The success of Cisco Networkers 2010 was a testament to how the Government of Bahrain and Cisco collaborated to create an environment where technology can thrive via the progressive regulation policies,” said Sheikh Ahmed.

He said holding the event in Bahrain demonstrated the strong efforts by Bahrain’s government to help realise its goals in terms of strengthening the ICT sector in the kingdom and the region.

“The event plays an important role in strenghthening morale against employee populations in this region and provides us all with an opportunity to further Bahrain’s vision for 2030, which is to make the kingdom a major investment and economic hub,” added Sheikh Ahmed.

Mitchell said the 2010 Bahrain event exceeded everyone’s expectations at “just about every level” and that the 2011 event would have a greater impact.

“Our aspiration is that collectively we will be inspired, educated and motivated to build a collaborative and sustainable community which continues to harness the power of ICT to accelerate change across the region.”

Cisco Live events provide education and training to ICT professionals through compelling forums with in-depth technical demonstrations, networking opportunities and glimpses of current and future trends. The events offer ICT and networking opportunities that can enhance business growth, the organisers said.

“Bahrain has created an environment where technology can thrive via its progressive regulation policies. Cisco believes that events like Cisco Live will go a long way to demonstrate Cisco’s continued commitment to the Middle East as a region and to governments and key business leaders,” they added. –TradeArabia News Service