The annual Global Azure event, where Microsoft Azure communities worldwide gather to learn about Azure and AI, was held again this year as Global Azure 2024 on April 20. Microsoft MVPs, Regional Directors, Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors, and community leaders came together, organizing events in 105 cities across 101 communities, creating a new chapter in Global Azure history.
This blog post showcases some local events as well as features reflections from the Global Azure Admin Team, who contributed to the event's success.
Global Azure Skopje 2024 in Skopje, Macedonia
In Skopje, Macedonia's capital, two local communities, the Macedonian .Net Community and the Macedonian IT Pro User Group, collaborated to host Global Azure Skopje 2024. Held at the InnoX Innovation Center of Skopje, run by International Balkan University, this event saw 170 participants gather to learn about the latest technology.
Details about the sessions, speakers, and the enthusiastic atmosphere are available in the event report by media partner ITuziast, titled "Global Azure Skopje 2024: A Pivotal Event for Tech Enthusiasts and Professionals." Additionally, you can find numerous event photos on the Global Azure website. Check out the link to experience the event's vibe: Global Azure Macedonia - Global Azure 2024
Global Azure Local Event in Amsterdam, Netherlands
In Amsterdam, the dotnet.Amsterdam community (LinkedIn / meetup.com) hosted a local Global Azure event. Three speakers presented sessions on Microsoft Entra External ID, Microsoft Semantic Kernel Agents, and Azure Data API Builder, providing a unique learning opportunity for all attendees.
Information on the sessions, archive videos, speaker details, and event photos can be found on the Global Azure page dotnet.Amsterdam - Global Azure 2024 and the community's YouTube channel dotnet.amsterdam: tech community event recordings - YouTube.
Global Azure Spain in Madrid, Barcelona, and Zaragoza
Global Azure Spain was held in three cities: Barcelona on April 17, and Madrid and Zaragoza on April 20, attracting over 400 participants, more than double the previous year's attendance.
The opening session featured Alberto Granados, President of Microsoft Spain, and Scott Hanselman, Developer Community VP at Microsoft Corporation, who kicked off the event. Over 50 experts shared the latest technological insights and experiences across more than 40 sessions. Detailed event reports and participant interactions can be viewed through the links below. Stay updated with the latest information on Global Azure Spain's social channels:
Global Azure Spain - Global Azure 2024
Global Azure Spain: Overview | LinkedIn
Global Azure Spain (@GlobalAzureES) / X
Global Azure 2024 in Tokyo, Japan
The Japan Azure User Group (JAZUG) hosted the Tokyo edition of Global Azure 2024 at the Microsoft Japan office. Continuing as a hybrid event, over 80 participants attended in person, deepening their knowledge of the latest in Azure and AI through a two-track agenda.
An Azure MVP who organized the event, Yui Ashikaga, reflected on its significance: "The best part was creating an offline space for people who use Azure to communicate. Hearing stories of people who were thrilled to meet in person, having only interacted on social media, made me feel glad we hosted the event."
Discussing differences from last year, Yui noted, "With more offline events being held recently, communication started at other events, leading to new speakers at Global Azure. This year, we had many new heroes." He also highlighted the broader Azure community in Japan, "This year, we hosted Global Azure events in multiple cities like Hokkaido and f*ckuoka, showcasing the growing enthusiasm for Microsoft Azure in Japan."
Insights on Global Azure 2024 from the Global Azure Admin Team
Magnus Martensson (Azure MVP/RD) from the Global Azure Admin Team reflected on the event, saying, "Global Azure 2024 was a fun, happening, and successful event again this year. Lots of community hero-initiatives around the globe."
After Global Azure 2024, organizers from various locations praised the event and the strong connections formed across local communities. Magnus says, "And then they enthusiastically proceed to tell the story about their event, what they did, who spoke, if they did a lab, who sponsored, what their venue was like, and what they ate. It is wonderful to see and hear these stories. I cannot give thanks enough, and never seize to be deeply impressed with the community spirit of the leadership in the local communities."
When asked about the future evolution of Global Azure, Magnus emphasized updates to the website to foster organizer collaboration and a larger mission: "We want to empower every prospective community leader out there to do more!" He shared this vision of expanding his leadership experience to the next generation of community leaders, "There are technical enthusiasts everywhere, and a work-life including community companionship is so rich and rewarding that we want everyone to know about this. The evolution of Global Azure includes guides, advice, and support for how to establish and grow communities anywhere! We are also adamant at spreading the word about community to young professionals. Why is community valuable to invest time in? We know. We live it. As a young professional it is not for certain that you have heard about this. Anything we can do to include the next generation of budding technical specialists, we will! This is a large part of our mission."
Magnus concluded with a message for tech communities worldwide, encouraging continuous engagement with technology: "Keep adding value to the world of technology and enjoy getting down and geeky together with peers who think the same way and are excited about the same geeky tech. Learning together is the greatest force in work life and it brings the biggest rewards too! Anyone should feel free to reach out to us if they have questions or want to know about community life and get some advice on their own situation."
Rik Hepworth, another Azure MVP/RD who co-led the event's planning and management, shared his reflection, "We were very pleased with how some things went this year – whilst overall the number of events was the same as last year it was great to see more in the USA and Canada; there was a high level of interest from potential sponsors, and we had some great benefits for our attendees as a result. There continues to be wonderful variety in the types of events (from evening user groups to one day conferences, to the three-day hybrid juggernaut that David and his colleagues run in Spain), the content (IT/Ops, Dev, Data + AI, etc) and, importantly, diversity of organisers and contributors."
Rik continues, “MVPs and RDs across the world continue to provide strong support and we thank them for that, but it is important to remember that this is not an MVP-exclusive event and there are many, many members of the community that give their time and energy to organising and speaking and we hope that our efforts help our community inspire the MVPs of the future.”
Rik and the Global Azure Admin Team is working for wrapping up of this year’s event and insights about the next one, “As a team we are now reviewing this years’ event as we begin to put together our whitepaper, as well as looking forward to 2025!”
The Community Ecosystem Shining at Global Azure
A Community Program Manager in Japan and an event sponsor in Tokyo, Rie Moriguchi (it’s me), noticed more diverse attendees compared to last year and a significant change in the participants, speakers, and staff. Participants who learned from the event last year became speakers and staff this year, showcasing a healthy cycle of learning and sharing knowledge within the community. One of the former participants even returned as a Microsoft MVP speaker, sharing his insights.
Events like Global Azure provide opportunities to learn new knowledge and become new community heroes. We look forward to seeing many new community leaders emerge from participants worldwide and eventually welcome them as Microsoft MVPs in the future.
In closing, we extend gratitude and praise to the Global Azure Admin Team, event organizers, speakers, and everyone involved in this opportunity who helped make this year's Global Azure a success including participants who joined the events. Thank you for contributing to the growth and success of the global tech community!
