It’s Europe Code Week: Coding for All!

Europe Code Week starts today, and there are hundreds of events taking place in Ireland and across the EU.

The aim of the week is to increase awareness of and build interest in computer programming and the message is that coding is for everyone, not just those whose job it is.  Coding is the new literacy, and everyone can benefit from understanding and participating in it.

Primary school children in their classrooms and pensioners in their active retirement groups from Donegal to Valentia Island have registered to take part. As a result CoderDojo, Scratch and Robotics events are happening in schools, community centres and computer clubs all over the country and it is estimated that at least 155,000 people will participate in Code Week events across Europe.

As the birthplace of Coderdojo, Ireland is highly regarded for its initiative in encouraging participation in coding.  And it’s clear from the map of events that the most concentrated cluster is on this island.

Europe Code Week is an initiative of the Young Advisors Group of Neelie Kroes, who is theVice President of the European Commission responsible for the Digital Agenda.  Here’s a video from Commisioner Kroes about it.

For more information or to see what’s happening in your neighbourhood this Europe Code Week, simply log on to www.codeweek.eu  or follow on Twitter @codeweekEU.

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