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Technology is all around us, and it’s not something we can avoid, but we can’t deny how it’s continually changing our lives and for the most part, to the better. If you find yourself embracing the tech-revolution, then you’ve come to the right place! Because the Google Developers Group Manama (GDG Manama) has got you covered!

Google Developers Groups (GDGs) are a group of developers who are passionate in Google’s developer technology; ranging from Android, App Engine, and Google Chrome platforms, to product APIs such as the Maps API, Youtube API, and the Google Calendar API.

We’ve spoken to the brains behind the Google Developers Group Manama (GDG Manama), Lana Alattar, Founder of GDG Manama, and CEO Gudjuju, Ahmed Al-Kooheji, and Khalifa A. AlMannai, Founder and Managing Director of MannaiTech, to know more about what GDG Manama is all about!

Lana Alattar always admired the way Google ran their community programs, and with her combined experience with communities, technology, entrepreneurship, and teaching, her confidence in her capabilities drove her to establish Bahrain’s GDG group chapter.

According to Lana, the aim behind GDG Manama is to assist and catalyze Bahrain towards becoming a regional hub for technology. “Our mission is to focus on training talent on current technologies, turning professionals into experts while enabling the non- tech community with the Knowledge and skill sets to become a part of the community” – she added

GDG Manama was introduced during the Google Developers Roadshow MENA, a series of interactive and fun conferences, held throughout the year in the MENA region, showcasing the latest Google technology trends and open platform for tech lovers and developers.

Khalifa Al Mannai, told us more about GDG Roadshow MENA event, “It was a great event, we had a Google Keynote speaker and Google Developer Experts come on stage. We have managed to attract a very large number of attendees for the first roadshow which set our bar higher for the next one.” He believed that the event inspired attendees to think outside of the box.

(In case you want to know more about the GDG Roadshow MENA event in Bahrain, read on here).

Here’s why Ahmed thinks you should attend GDG Manama’s events:

  1. Open and welcoming to all – It doesn’t matter if you’re an expert, newbie or simply a fan of tech, GDG Manama’s events has everything for everyone.
  2. Amplify your skills set – Through code labs and workshops! Learn all about what Google technology has to offer. It doesn’t end there; events can also extend to other technologies not necessarily related to Google!
  3. Learn more about yourself – Attending GDG Manama events will help you discover what you’re passionate about, which can ultimately help you choose your career path.

If you love tech and have a passion for teaching others, then we’ve got even better news for you! Because you can become a GDG Manama Organizer! According to Lana, GDG Organizers can:

  1. Grow and network the community – Through community meetups, with like-minded individuals, whether you’re a developer in your field or a die-hard tech fan, community meetups will amp up your tech knowledge and expose you to countless of networking opportunities.
  2. Help speak, teach or host a variety of technical activities for developers – from just a few people getting together to watch Google’s latest videos to large gatherings with demos and tech talks, code labs to hackathons.

Anyone can become an organizer, simply get in touch on hello@gdgmanama.com and let them know about the topics you’d like to cover and organize.

In case you didn’t know, GDG Manama traveled all the way to California, the USA for the Google I/O event, a Google developer festival that brings together developers from around the world for talks, hands-on learning with Google experts, and an exclusive sneak peek at Google’s latest developer products.

Ahmed AlKooheji stated that Google I/O brought the GDG Manama up to speed with products that enable them to run workshops and code labs in Bahrain.

Here are the top takeaways from the Google I/O event according to Ahmed:

  • Representing Bahrain for the first time in Google I/O, the GDG MENA Summit and GDG Global Summit.
  • Networking with GDG members from across the world.
  • Enrolling in Code Labs to learn a multitude of new skills.
  • Attending Google I/O’s Sandbox areas to learn about the latest in technology.

“GDG Manama also had the honor of assisting the Google Developer Roadshow in the MENA region with digital marketing. We were acknowledged and thanked for this. We even had the opportunity to lead a session on Digital Marketing at the GDG MENA summit.” added Lana.

If you’re hyped and can’t wait to join the community, then here is the next GDG Manama code lab to keep an eye for; Android Things, register here. For more updates, make sure you follow GDG Manama on their Instagram, Facebook, Youtube and Twitter accounts.

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