CFP Opens for Oredev, the Little Scandinavian Conference with a Big Heart

Oredev is set to take place November 7-11 in Malmo, Sweden. The CFP for Oredev started just a few days ago and will run until March 31.

Although I regularly speak at much larger conferences Oredev has a special place in my heart and this year I've joined the Java track of the program committee for Oredev. There are a few reasons for this. Along with Java2Days, Bulgaria and TDC, Brazil this conference was one of the first to invite me as an international speaker some years ago. Since then I have spoken there quite a few times and every time time it is simply an outstanding experience. In fact one of my most popular talks - Reactive Java EE, Let Me Count the Ways - was born there through brainstorming with an ordinary Oredev attendee with extraordinary ideas. The conference itself is very unique. Although it has roots in .NET, it tries very hard to appeal to a broad audience most certainly including Java developers (the content itself really spans all of IT today). It is one of the few conferences that relies heavily on inviting deserving speakers and paying expenses for all speakers (in Oredev tradition I will be shortly inviting a few folks in the Java community). As a result the conference inevitably curates some of the best speaking talent on the planet. The conference has a strong focus on diversity and social responsibility so you know you are supporting a good cause whether you are speaking or attending. Another very unique thing about the conference is that it is strongly supported by the town of Malmo itself - indeed the speaker dinner is hosted at the Malmo Town Hall with local (nontechnical) dignitaries attending.

The location of Oredev is actually unique too. Malmo sits right at the southern most corner of Sweden literally a channel across from Denmark. The city is small but very cosmopolitan with local tourist attractions and a vibrant nightlife. Very nearby (literally within an hour) you also have Copenhagen, Denmark as well as breathtaking viking artifacts littering a beautiful country side (look at the photos I took from my visit last year). To top all that off the conference itself has regularly organized tours of the city and a party that features a hot Swedish sauna and a naked dip in the freezing cold ocean waters for both speakers and attendees (the naked freezing cold water dip is completely optional of course).

Please do consider submitting to the CFP and joining us in Malmo in November.