Arab Techies and Social Media Exchange (SMEX) have teamed up to host a meeting in Lebanon on 11-15 May 2010. The objective is for women techies to meet up, exchange skills and ideas, discuss collaborations, talk about tech from a gender perspective, and network. Our member Nadine Moawad met with Jessica Dheere from SMEX last week and proposed that our new Take Back the Tech / Arabia program which we launched at Nasawiya two weeks ago partner up with the organizers to support young women using technology for social change.

The agenda of the meeting is very flexible. Participants will be proposing different workshops they’d like to give / receive. And together, we can definitely make sure it’s a great empowering feminist meeting. You can read more here and email info@arabtechies.net to participate. The organizers are sponsoring 30 female participants from across the Arab world. Feel free to contact us too, if you have any questions or suggestions.

The main criteria are:

• Woman
• Techie (i.e. works with technology, not only internet technology but also communications, engineering, software, hardware, etc.)
• Arab
• Interested in the intersection of gender and tech
• Able to come to Lebanon from May 11 till May 15

Hurry up and apply. They’re on a rolling deadline – as soon as their openings are filled, they will close.

Please forward this to all of your friends who might be interested.

As part of our recently launched Take Back the Tech initiative, we’re holding a blogging workshop entitled “Why Blog? How to Blog? And Then?” on Saturday, 10 April 2010.

Run by software developer and blogger Liliane Assaf, the workshop will take place between 11:00 AM and 1:oo PM at our office in Mar Mikhael (call 01-447192 for directions).

Assaf, who’s been blogging since July 2006 at Independence ’05: Thoughts and Opinions from Beirut, will show participants how to set up a blog, explain the different forms of blogging, and will give tips on how to maintain and market a blog using social media.

The workshop is free of charge. Places are limited to 15. To register, please email farah[at]nasawiya.org with a little bit about you. Priority goes to young women and young activists of both or neither gender.