Career Services

This is a **recurring weekly gathering** of open-minded people who want to understand geopolitics **without confirmation bias**. We are not here to repeat talking points, defend camps, or feel morally validated. We are here to **listen, compare perspectives, and learn** — especially from people who come from, live in, or are directly affected by the regions being discussed. Each week, we look at **current and long-term geopolitical issues**, including conflicts rarely covered or oversimplified by Western media. **Topics We Cover** Our discussions focus on **current and long-term geopolitical issues**, including conflicts rarely covered or oversimplified by Western media, sovereignty, and reality as it is, not as it is marketed. We approach geopolitics and society from a realist, sovereignty-first perspective, skeptical of globalist ideology and media **groupthink**. The aim is to understand interests, incentives, history, law, and consequences — not to rehearse fashionable outrage. **Examples of topics we regularly examine include:** **1\. Venezuela & Cuba** Sanctions, regime survival, sovereignty, and how U.S. policy, energy interests, and regional power dynamics shape outcomes in Latin America — beyond Cold War clichés. **2\. Ukraine\, Cyprus & European Borders** Frozen conflicts, divided territories, and how international law is selectively applied when sovereignty clashes with strategic interests. **3\. Iran\, Gaza\, Syria & Lebanon** The Middle East beyond slogans: proxy wars, regional balances, sectarian fault lines, sanctions, militias, state collapse, and why Western media framing often obscures long-term realities. **4\. Congo \(DRC\) & Resource Wars** How minerals, supply chains, and foreign interests fuel instability in Africa — and why some of the deadliest conflicts on earth barely make the news. **5\. Taiwan\, Greenland & Strategic Geography** Why islands, trade routes, chokepoints, and remote territories matter enormously in a multipolar world — and how geography shapes power more than ideology ever will. **What Makes This Different** – We prioritize **voices from affected regions**: Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe, Asia – We examine **what Western media doesn’t tell, doesn’t show, or doesn’t contextualize** – We welcome **new ideas, uncomfortable facts, and disagreement** – We focus on power, interests, culture, history, economics — not slogans **This is not a safe space for ideology.** **It *is* a safe space for honest thinking.** In Brussels, there are already debate initiatives that offer structured discussions. Too often, however, a small circle curates skewed propositions and narrows the range of acceptable conclusions, turning moderation into gatekeeping . There are also plenty of spaces dedicated to repeating anti-American slogans or reducing complex geopolitics to partisan outrage. This forum is not one of them. Our approach is different. **We welcome genuine diversity of opinion and lived experience.** No one here will be cancelled, banned, or shamed for challenging dominant narratives. Ideas are debated openly; personal attacks and defamation are not tolerated. **Motions & Proposals Welcome** We actively encourage participants to propose motions for debate. If you suggest a motion, please do so with substance: a clear claim, basic historical or legal grounding, and an understanding of the stakes involved. Motions designed to provoke thinking are welcome; motions designed to score points or repeat media talking points are not. **Languages** The language of discussion will depend on the participants present. Debates are typically held in English and French, but we are comfortable switching or accommodating other languages when the moderation team can support it. Languages we can currently handle include: – English – French – Dutch – Spanish – Italian – Russian – Farsi The goal is understanding, not linguistic purity. When needed, participants may clarify or translate key points to ensure everyone can follow the discussion. If you speak more than one language, that’s an asset here ### **What We Ask of Participants** – Come to understand, not to perform or “win” – Be genuinely open to **new ideas and perspectives**, especially those that challenge your own – Speak from **knowledge**, not slogans — history, law, and context matter – If you bring a topic, come prepared: facts, timelines, sources, and legal or historical grounding are encouraged – Argue **ideas**, never individuals – No censorship of viewpoints – No personal attacks – No defamation or accusations against individuals **Strong disagreement is not only accepted — it is expected.** **Intellectual laziness is not.** **This is not a dating meetup.** Not every social space exists for flirting, hitting on people, or testing romantic opportunities. Anyone who treats this forum as a dating pool, approaches others with unwanted advances, or assumes participation implies romantic availability is misunderstanding the purpose of this group. Conversation comes first. Ideas come first. Respect comes first. If you are here primarily to date, pursue, or pressure others, this is not the right space for you. Boundaries are enforced. Discomfort is taken seriously. **Those who ignore this will be immediately asked to leave.** **Location & RSVP** The event will take place in Ixelles, in a public bar. To keep the discussion safe, focused, and accountable, the exact venue will be shared only with confirmed RSVPs via our WhatsApp chat. Depending on the final size of the group, we have several appropriate and secure venue options in the area. This allows us to: – Adapt the venue to the group size – Avoid disruptive or bad-faith behavior common to fully open meetups – Prevent meetup creeps and repeat offenders – Ensure everyone present respects the rules of conduct 👉 To RSVP and receive the location: **https://chat.whatsapp.com/LX7UkWGZ3UdLQWLBvNdezN** The goal is not exclusivity, but accountability and quality of discussion. If this format doesn’t suit you, this event may not be the right fit.

🌟 Hello Yogis and Future Yogis! 🌟 NEW YEAR - New You ? :-) Maybe you've always wanted to try a Men-Only Yoga class but kept putting it off to January ? :) Well... January is here now - so no more reasons for you not to join our weekly Yoga Class **exclusively for men**. Gay, Bi, Trans, ally, curious, we don't really care... if you identify as male and have friendly vibes - come and join us ! Ladies, unfortunately you'll have to skip this one - but come and join us on Sunday mornings ! :) 🧘‍♀️🧘‍♂️ Class takes place every **Wednesday evening - from 18:30 to 19:45 :)** After class, we can hang around for a cup of tea and a chat, or go for a drink - depending on the energy. No need to worry if you've never tried Yoga before – everyone is welcome, beginners included! 🌈 Just bring yourself in some comfy clothes and let the magic happen :-). 🌿 **Class Details:** * Classes take place [Merci Wellness - Place Dillens 1, 1060 Saint-Gilles](https://www.merci-wellness.be/plan-acces.php). Very easy to get there, either by bike or metro (Hotel des Monnaies). * ⏰ 18:30 to 19:45 (doors will open at 18:15 - **class starts at 18:30 sharp** \- not possible to join after that **as the door will be closed**). 💸 **Cost:** * First class: 10 euros 🌟 * Single class: 15 euros 🧘‍♂️ * 5-class pass: 65 euros (valid for 3 months - a great deal for regular yogis! 🎉) You can pay your class on site either in CASH or through PAYCONIC. For more info - follow us on [Instagram.com/queeryogabrussels](http://www.instagram.com/queeryogabrussels) **Come and try it !** Spend a moment in a nice atmosphere and discover the benefits of Yoga, from increased flexibility, better posture, a stronger body to a calmer mind. See you on the mat! 🧘‍♀️✨ Edson P.S. We also have a "mixed gender" class on Sunday mornings from 11:00 to 12:15 - make sure to check it out on Meetup !

**Foundation of Success: What Leaders Do Differently** By Sharon Long and Jean-Paul Verheylewegen Brussels, 11 March 2026 Register here: https://www.imaginationclub.org/brussels/foundations_of_success.php You're busy. But are you truly productive? There's a difference between being permanently in firefighting mode and actually moving forward on what truly makes a difference. Most managers are running. Few are really progressing. Facilitated by Sharon and Jean-Paul, this interactive workshop gives you access to the Foundations of Success framework — a system used for over 60 years across thousands of organisations to develop more effective, more focused, more impactful leaders. This is not a lecture. It's a working session: expect to be challenged. You will leave with concrete tools and a personal action plan. **What's on the Agenda** * Clarify what truly matters — a goal-setting system that drives lasting results, not just a to-do list. * Apply the 80/20 principle — identify the 20% of actions that produce 80% of your results. * Escape crisis mode — understand why the urgent always crushes the important, and how to reverse that. * Communicate with more impact — recognise communication styles and adapt your approach. * Leave with a plan — not an intention, a real structured action plan. **About Sharon** Sharon is a transformational executive coach who empowers purpose-driven leaders to grow, align, and evolve. She is an LMI Master Licensee as well as a Professor of Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship. She is also the Managing Director of LMI Belux. **About Jean-Paul** Jean-Paul is an entrepreneur and ecosystem builder, translating engineering & technology into value for humans : private 5G, satcom, industrial automation, water quality and more. He is also a mentor and business coach. His experience includes more than 20 years in leading sales and marketing positions. **Practical Information** **When** Wednesday, 11 March 2026 from 18h45-21h00 **Where?** **Timesmore** Boulevard St Michel 47, 1040 Brussels **How much?** €15 to cover expenses including materials, drinks, snacks, etc. - payable at the door. Event web page https://www.imaginationclub.org/brussels/foundations_of_success.php **Please Share** If you feel your friends, family and/or colleagues may be interested in this workshop, please share it with them. The Imagination Club relies on new participants to cover our operational costs and maintain a diverse, perceptive and intelligent audience (in other words, people like you) for our events. Might you be interested to give a workshop at the Imagination Club? Whether you are a complete beginner or a seasoned professional, you are welcome to try out your workshop ideas at the club.

**⚡️ Bitcoin accepted** via [Swiss Bitcoin Pay](https://swiss-bitcoin-pay.ch/) **⚡️** Special guest this month: Rob from bitsaga.be ! No altcoins or shitcoins. No photos. Telegram: [https://t.me/BrusselsBitcoinMeetupGroup](https://t.me/BrusselsBitcoinMeetupGroup) NOSTR: [https://tinyurl.com/BRUSSELS-BITCOIN](https://tinyurl.com/BRUSSELS-BITCOIN) Every 2nd Wednesday of the month.

You can now join us for some friendly Badminton games on Wednesdays too! All levels welcome! IMPORTANT: in order to secure your place you’ll need to both book a spot on Meetup AND pay €8 by Sunday 18h00. This is to make sure we can cancel courts if demand isn’t there, and make sure we’re being fair to people on the waiting list. Refunds will only be possible after Monday AM if another player is definitely able to take your spot Always worth joining our Whatsapp group as well for faster, often better, updates: https://chat.whatsapp.com/FTipqtyIwcZLThbw8KpQtZ?mode=gi_t

EN (FR en bas): We're still accepting people in our classes. Join us!​ -step 1: Book here! -> [https://www.danceproject.be/reservations.html](https://www.danceproject.be/reservations.html) -step 2: Show up! Schedule: [Monday to Thursday](https://www.danceproject.be/classes.html#schedule) Fees : [All info on trials, packs, subscriptions here](https://www.danceproject.be/classes.html#fees) Locations: -Rue Brialmont 7, Brussels Metro/Tram: Botanique Salsa, Bachata, Lindy Hop, Forró Intro - 1: From base to the dancefloor! When you come for the first time we go over the base & rhythm with you. Then you are included in the group and everybody learns the same new steps for which you just need the base. Practice makes perfect: just relax and enjoy Salsa, Bachata, Lindy Hop and/or Forró! Our group is very welcoming and looking forward to meet new dancers! Salsa, Bachata, Lindy Hop, Forró Roots I - 2: Ready to go deeper on Salsa, Bachata, Lindy Hop &/or Forró? Let's go! [https://www.danceproject.be/classes.html#improvers](https://www.danceproject.be/classes.html#improvers) Salsa, Forró Roots II - 3: Looking for #SalsaChallenge? Already familiar with Forró Root? We've got your back! [https://www.danceproject.be/classes.html#intermediates](https://www.danceproject.be/classes.html#intermediates) More info: -Web: [https://www.danceproject.be](https://www.danceproject.be) -Whatsapp: +32 493 16 41 10 -Mail: brussels.salsa.project@gmail.com -[Facebook](https://facebook.com/brussels.salsa.project) -[Instagram](https://instagram.com/brussels.salsa.project) \-\-\-\-\- FR: Nous acceptons encore de nouvelles personnes dans nos cours. Rejoins-nous ! -1ère pas : Fait ta réservation ! -> [https://www.danceproject.be/reservation.html](https://www.danceproject.be/reservation.html) -2ème pas : Vient danser ! Horaire : [lundi à jeudi](https://www.danceproject.be/cours.html#horaire) Les prix : [Toutes les infos sur les essais, packs, abonnements ici](https://www.danceproject.be/cours.html#prix) Endroits : -Rue Brialmont 7, Bruxelles Metro/Tram: Botanique Salsa, Bachata, Lindy Hop, Forró Intro - 1 : De la base à la piste de danse ! Lorsque tu nous rejoins on voit la base et le rythme avec toi. Ensuite, tu es inclus dans le groupe et tout le monde apprend les mêmes pas pour lesquelles tu as juste besoin de la base. C'est en forgeant qu'on devient forgeron : détend-toi et profite la Salsa, de la Bachata, du Lindy Hop et/ou du Forró ! Notre groupe est très accueillant et a hâte de rencontrer de nouveaux danseurs ! Salsa, Bachata, Lindy Hop, Forró Roots I - 2 : Prêt à approfondir la Salsa, la Bachata, le Lindy Hop &/ou le Forró ? Allons-y! [https://www.danceproject.be/cours.html#inities](https://www.danceproject.be/cours.html#inities) Salsa, Forró Roots II - 3 : Tu cherches #DefiSalsa ? Tu connais déjà Forró Roots ? Nous sommes là pour toi ! [https://www.danceproject.be/cours.html#intermediaires](https://www.danceproject.be/cours.html#intermediaires) Plus d’info: -Web: [https://www.danceproject.be/fr.html](https://www.danceproject.be/fr.html) -Whatsapp: +32 493 16 41 10 -Mail: brussels.salsa.project@gmail.com -[Facebook](https://facebook.com/brussels.salsa.project) -[Instagram](https://instagram.com/brussels.salsa.project)

Making new friends in a new city doesn’t need to be a struggle at all.

**Vous souhaitez améliorer votre prise de parole en public et développer vos compétences en communication et en leadership ?** 🎤✨ Le **Club des Orateurs**, club francophone de Toastmasters à **Bruxelles**, vous invite à une soirée d’apprentissage dans une ambiance conviviale et bienveillante. **Prochaine réunion** : 📅 **Deuxième jeudi du mois** 🕢 **19h30 – 21h30** 📍 **Villa François Gay (salle au 1er étage)** 📍 **326 Rue François Gay, 1150 Bruxelles** 🏡 Le bâtiment est situé dans un petit parc. 🚀 **Pourquoi participer ?** ✔️ **Améliorez votre aisance à l’oral** grâce à des discours préparés et des interventions improvisées. ✔️ **Développez votre leadership** en prenant des rôles lors des réunions. ✔️ **Rejoignez une communauté dynamique** qui vous aidera à progresser à votre rythme. ✔️ **Une expérience immersive** avec des retours bienveillants pour évoluer rapidement. 🔹 **Déroulement d’une réunion Toastmasters** : Nos réunions incluent des discours préparés, des exercices d’improvisation et des évaluations constructives pour vous aider à progresser. 👥 **Qui peut participer ?** Tout le monde est bienvenu, que vous soyez débutant ou expérimenté ! **L’entrée est gratuite pour les invités.** 📩 **Intéressé•e ?** Inscrivez-vous dès maintenant sur Meetup et rejoignez-nous pour une soirée enrichissante !

**Ready to build a Java project — even if** you've never written a line of Java before? This special edition of our Java Bootcamp series brings together everything we've been building with you, and takes it one step further. Whether you're just starting out or already deep in your Java journey, this evening is packed with practical insight, live demos, and hands-on coding — all in one session. **What's happening on the night:** **🤖 Talk:** Building with AI Agents & MCP Discover how Model Context Protocol (MCP) and AI agents are changing the way developers build software. Learn how to leverage these tools to accelerate your own projects — even when you're still learning the language. **⚡ Live Demo: Zero to Java in 10 Minutes Watch a complete beginner build** a working Java project in under 10 minutes using vibe coding. No prior Java knowledge required — and yes, it's real. **📚 Bootcamp Update:** What We've Covered & Where We're Going A recap of what participants have been building in the Java Bootcamp, what's coming next, and how you can join the journey from beginner to production-grade Java developer. **💻 Mini Project:** Build Your Own Project Get hands-on! We'll set up a mini project so you can experience Java for yourself — in Java, guided by our mentors every step of the way. **Mentors will be on hand throughout the evening to guide you through the vibe coding process, answer questions, and help you get unstuck.** **To join the full Java Bootcamp, register here: [Java Bootcamp Form](https://forms.gle/kw7fgyvwzwxsZPFX7)** The bootcamp is self-paced, built on[ JetBrains Academy](https://academy.jetbrains.com/), and structured across Beginner and Advanced phases. Complete it and earn a certificate recognising your achievement. **Schedule — March 12th, 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM (London Time)** **•** Welcome & Networking (6:30 PM - 7:00 PM) • Talk: Building with AI Agents & MCP (7:00 PM - 7:15 PM) • Live Demo: Zero to Java in 10 Minutes (7:15 PM - 7:25 PM) • Bootcamp Update (7:25 PM - 7:40 PM) • Mini Project: Build Your Own (7:40 PM - 8:40 PM) • Closing & Networking (8:40 PM - 9:00 PM) *** **Host:** **🎙️ Speaker Adriana Zencke Zimmermann \| Senior Software Engineer \| [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/dricazenck/) \| [GitHub](https://github.com/dricazenck)** Founder & Director of Women Coding Community and Senior Software Engineer at Centric Software, with 15+ years specialising in backend systems, engineering leadership, and inclusion in tech. **🎙️ Speaker Sonali Goel \| Senior Software Engineer\, Tesco Tech \| [Website](https://sonaligoel.carrd.co/) \| [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonali-goel-tech/)** Women in Tech Award 2025 Winner, with 15+ years in large-scale e-commerce, cloud-native Java, and Agentic AI. A core leader at WCC passionate about mentorship and open source. **🎙️ Speaker Dr\. Ying Liu \| Senior Data Scientist\, Magic AI \| [Website](http://www.yingliu.site/) \| [Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/yingliu-data/)** Senior Data Scientist at Magic AI with a Ph.D. in Physics. Ying builds human pose estimation models from RGB and sensor data, specializing in real-time 3D pose estimation and end-to-end ML architectures. Outside work, she builds AI agents and tinkers with robotics. **👩🏽‍💻 About Women Coding Community** Our mission is to empower women in tech through education, mentorship, community, and career support. We run workshops and events, connect members with industry mentors, and champion more inclusive practices across the industry. **[Website](http://womencodingcommunity.com/) \| [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/103490940) \| [Slack](https://bit.ly/women_coding_community)** **👩🏽‍💻 Code of Conduct** All attendees are expected to follow our Code of Conduct: **[womencodingcommunity.com/code-of-conduct](https://womencodingcommunity.com/code-of-conduct)**

✨ **Meet new people in Brussels in a friendly, relaxed and international atmosphere.** The ambience is relatively quiet, calm and sober for easy-going casual conversation, with no chaos and loud party music in the background! 🍻 Large selection of **drinks and food** available 🌍 **Internationals, expats & locals** welcome 💪 Organized weekly **since early 2025** 👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 **Over 10,000 members** **overall in our multicultural and diverse Brussels community!** Many of our participants work in EU institutions, NGOs, tech and international organizations. The event was also covered in a recent article from Brussels Times: [https://www.brusselstimes.com/belgium/1949146/euromeet-the-real-life-brussels-social-network](https://www.brusselstimes.com/belgium/1949146/euromeet-the-real-life-brussels-social-network) 😀 Our events usually attract **30–40 attendees each week**, with an age average of around 35 years old (the event announcement is relayed across multiple social media, not just on this page). Many participants come with friends or colleagues, so feel free to bring someone along! 👩 Our events usually also attract a **balanced mix of men and women**, and many participants attend solo for the first time. The organizer and host of the event will help introduce you to other participants, in case you don't know anyone else yet when you first arrive at the event. Our events remain a relaxed international social meetup experience focused on friendship, conversation and community — **not a dating event.** 🩷 **Safe, respectful environment, and zero tolerance for any harassment!** The organizer is always present all evening in case of problems. You can also leave any anonymous feedback about the event here under this form: [https://gmogni.aidaform.com/brasserie-meetup-feedback-form](https://gmogni.aidaform.com/brasserie-meetup-feedback-form) **.** Looking to meet new people and expand your social circle in Brussels, as well as your network of professional contacts? Join us **every Friday evening anytime from 18:30** **and until at least 23h** **at** **the** **“Quartier Leopold”** **brasserie**, in the heart of the famous Place du Luxembourg in front of the European Parliament, for a fun, relaxed night of **drinks, food, spontaneous conversations, and great vibes**! 💛 . 📍 **Location**: “Quartier Leopold” brasserie, Pl. du Luxembourg 9, 1050 Ixelles 📌 **Google Maps**: [https://maps.app.goo.gl/oCvSP1AGZNX2ZV3C8](https://maps.app.goo.gl/oCvSP1AGZNX2ZV3C8) (don't worry if you see the bar marked as "closed" on Google Maps for the Friday nights, they will always be open for us!) **🌐 Website of the venue**: [https://www.quartier-leopold.be/en](https://www.quartier-leopold.be/en) 📸 **Pictures gallery from previous events:** [https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1LRbsinA1wEtUrDhlyw8K6Uz9YKeq0_dw?usp=sharing](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1LRbsinA1wEtUrDhlyw8K6Uz9YKeq0_dw?usp=sharing) . ✨ **Why you’ll love it**: ✅ **Everyone is welcome**, even if you don’t know anyone else yet—expats, locals, newcomers, solo adventurers, or groups! ✅ **Best time for newcomers:** 18:30–19:30, when it’s easier to meet people. ✅ Completely **free to attend**—just grab a drink and join the fun! Please ask the bartenders when you arrive if unsure where to find our meetup group and tables ✅ Possibility to make also useful **professional exchanges and networking** with other participants who work in similar domains, so remember to bring also your business card! ✅ Tons of **indoor and outdoor space available**—the square in front of the bar is quite pedestrian-friendly, and we have a private large room reserved entirely for the Meetup participants at the back of the bar! ✅ Possibility to have **dinner at the brasserie** during the meetup (until 22h), thanks to its comprehensive selection of dishes available in the menu: [https://www.quartier-leopold.be/web/content/1467?unique=b27f82e985f525417a92cbeaf0f1ac1c5e2fb4a0](https://www.quartier-leopold.be/web/content/1467?unique=b27f82e985f525417a92cbeaf0f1ac1c5e2fb4a0) ✅ **Want to keep the night going?** After the meetup, we often continue as a group to explore nightlife hotspots in the city center. . 💬 **Stay connected with our Community**: ▶️ Join our **Facebook/Messenger chat** to get updates and easily find the group on arrival:[ ](https://m.me/ch/Abaqvj9lxNT3_xh7/)[https://m.me/ch/AbaV86vk4SHop_eD/](https://m.me/ch/AbaV86vk4SHop_eD/) ▶️ Otherwise, if you prefer to use **WhatsApp**, please join this other group: [https://chat.whatsapp.com/FMjWrr9wCR7JYsudMD6XV0](https://chat.whatsapp.com/FMjWrr9wCR7JYsudMD6XV0) ▶️ We are also active on **Telegram**: [https://t.me/euromeet_meetup](https://t.me/euromeet_meetup) ▶️ And don’t forget to join our **EuroMeet Facebook group** for many more social events in Brussels: [https://www.facebook.com/groups/euromeet](https://www.facebook.com/groups/euromeet) ▶️ Finally, we also manage a **professional networking group on LinkedIn** as well, for more easily retrieving each other's LinkedIn profiles and identifying people who also work in similar domains: [https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13194613/](https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13194613/) . Come alone or bring a friend—either way, you’ll leave with **new friends, great memories, and maybe even some ideas on how to develop further your professional career!** See you this Friday! 🍻✨😀 . 📧 **Got questions or comments?** Reach out to the **organizer Gabriele**: gabriele.mogni@gmail.com . **Our community values respect and inclusiveness**. If you ever feel uncomfortable, the organizer is present all evening to help. . 👉 Please **RSVP on Meetup** if you would like to attend our next event, so that we can plan accordingly. . *** #BrusselsMeetup #EuroMeet #MeetupBrussels #BrusselsEvents #BrusselsSocial #FridayVibesBrussels #AfterworkBrussels #PlaceLuxembourg #PlaceLuxembourgBrussels #MeetNewPeople #MakeNewFriends #SocialInBrussels #BrusselsLife #InternationalBrussels #ExpatsInBrussels #ExpatLifeBrussels #BrusselsExpats #InternationalFriends #BrusselsAfterwork #FridayDrinksBrussels #BrusselsNetworking #BrusselsCommunity #ThingsToDoBrussels #BrusselsNightlife

The **Women Coding Community (WCC)** is wrapping up our Java Bootcamp with a high-energy, hands-on **Hack Hour** session. This isn't just a presentation—it's a community coding event where we build the future of our platform together. ***The Theme: "Building for the Community"*** We are focusing on practical Java projects that directly support the **Women Coding Community** mission. Whether you are a beginner focusing on core Java or an intermediate developer ready for Spring Boot, we have a path for you. **Choose your approach:** **\- The Architect:** Come with a specific Java project idea and your initial implementation. Use this time to pair program with mentors to solve bugs or add features. **\- The Catalyst:** Just bring an idea! Connect with other attendees, form a team on the spot, and spend the evening coding a prototype with us. ***AI Tools in Practice: Accelerate Your Java Development*** We'll explore how AI assistants can accelerate your Java learning and development. Live demos and discussion covering: • Using Claude, ChatGPT, and JetBrains AI for debugging and code generation. • Best practices for prompting AI when learning a new language • What to trust, what to verify, and when to push back on AI suggestions • Comparing tool strengths for different Java use case ***Project Inspiration*** All ideas are centered around enhancing the **WCC ecosystem**. Pick a level that challenges you: **Basic: Core Java & CLI Tools** * **WCC Member Directory:** Build a command-line tool to manage member profiles (name, skills, location) using Java Collections and File I/O. * **Event Attendance Tracker:** Create a system to track check-ins for our meetups using the Java Date/Time API. * **Coding Challenge Generator:** Develop a tool that randomly selects Java exercises for members to practice. **Intermediate: Spring Boot & APIs** * **WCC Job Board:** Create a REST API for members to post and filter tech opportunities. * **Community Blog Platform:** Build a backend that supports Markdown posts and author profiles for WCC contributors. * **Skill-Tracking Dashboard:** Develop a platform for members to track their learning journey and visualize progress. *Mentors will be on hand throughout the evening to guide you through the vibe coding process, answer questions, and help you get unstuck.* **To join register here: [Java Bootcamp Form](https://forms.gle/kw7fgyvwzwxsZPFX7)** **Schedule — March 13th, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM (London Time)** **•** **AI Tools Showcase:** Claude vs. ChatGPT vs. JetBrains AI. (6:00 PM - 6:30 PM) • **HACK HOUR:** Pair programming and feature building with mentors. (6:30PM - 8:40PM) • **Closing & Networking** (8:40 PM - 9:00 PM) **Host:** **🎙️ Speaker Adriana Zencke Zimmermann \| Senior Software Engineer \| [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/dricazenck/) \| [GitHub](https://github.com/dricazenck)** Founder & Director of Women Coding Community and Senior Software Engineer at Centric Software, with 15+ years specialising in backend systems, engineering leadership, and inclusion in tech. **🎙️ Speaker Sonali Goel \| Senior Software Engineer\, Tesco Tech \| [Website](https://sonaligoel.carrd.co/) \| [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonali-goel-tech/)** Women in Tech Award 2025 Winner, with 15+ years in large-scale e-commerce, cloud-native Java, and Agentic AI. A core leader at WCC passionate about mentorship and open source. **🎙️ Speaker Dr\. Ying Liu \| Senior Data Scientist\, Magic AI \| [Website](http://www.yingliu.site/) \| [Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/yingliu-data/)** Senior Data Scientist at Magic AI with a Ph.D. in Physics. Ying builds human pose estimation models from RGB and sensor data, specializing in real-time 3D pose estimation and end-to-end ML architectures. Outside work, she builds AI agents and tinkers with robotics. **👩🏽‍💻 About Women Coding Community** Our mission is to empower women in tech through education, mentorship, community, and career support. We run workshops and events, connect members with industry mentors, and champion more inclusive practices across the industry. **[Website](http://womencodingcommunity.com/) \| [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/103490940) \| [Slack](https://bit.ly/women_coding_community)** **👩🏽‍💻 Code of Conduct** All attendees are expected to follow our Code of Conduct: **[womencodingcommunity.com/code-of-conduct](https://womencodingcommunity.com/code-of-conduct)**

We are back!!! Let's meet again on the 12th March for our European Data Meet Up at Brussels! Our meet up event is the perfect opportunity to stay ahead of the latest technology trends in Data. Join us, grab a beer during our open bar & let's talk! **When**: Thursday 12th March From 19:00 to 22:00 **Where:** Au Bassin (Le Hall!) Quai aux Briques 54 1000 Bruxelles **Agenda:** \- How Carrefour Belgium orchestrates data flows using BigQuery\, Pub/Sub\, Cloud Run Functions and MongoDB Atlas presented by Olivier Orban \- Data Platform Team Lead & Guillaume Hellin \- Data Engineer \- LLMs Talk\. Knowledge Graphs Remember\. An intuitive look at how LLMs and knowledge graphs complement each other to build more reliable AI systems\. presented by Michael Tandecki\, AI Engineer at Collibra \- Team management x AI: the good\, the bad\, and the ugly\, presented by\- Thibault Martin & Olivier Colot\, co\-founders at Diapason AI

Want to meet new people and mingle in a cosy environment? Come along to our singles apero night this Saturday 14th of February at 7pm. For more details please below link: Full Circle - SOCIAL & WELLBEING events https://share.google/qs8gyMsIflGY9MnWq

Join the CONNECTED Westerville Mastermind Group for a dynamic afternoon of B2B networking! This event is perfect for professionals looking to expand their business connections, share insights, and foster collaboration within the community. Whether you are a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, this event offers a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas, build relationships, and grow your network in a supportive environment. Connect with like-minded individuals, explore potential partnerships, and discover new opportunities for professional growth. Don't miss out on this chance to enhance your business network and take your career to the next level with CONNECTED Westerville Mastermind Group! We meet the 4th Monday of every month from 11am-1pm. Welcome and general networking from 11am - 11:30am with core meeting 11;30 - 12:30 and a final round of networking from 12:30 - 1pm.

Builders, creators, architects, admins, consultants - come one, come all. This one's for you. We're bringing a little friendly competition to the Columbus ServiceNow community while highlighting the cool things people have built on the platform. Five presenters will take the stage to showcase something they've built, solved, designed, or imagined on the ServiceNow platform - and a panel of judges (plus YOU, our amazing audience) will score them live. So basically, America's Got Talent but make it ServiceNow's Got Talent. Bring a notepad if you'd like 'cause you'll definitely be learning something new. Each presenter gets 10 minutes max to wow the crowd with: • A demo • A real-world business solution • A bold idea • A UX transformation • Or a creative use of the platform Judging Criteria: 🏆 Business Value 🚀 Innovation ✨ User Experience This event is about celebrating ideas, sharing knowledge, and showing how ServiceNow can drive both business impact and meaningful user value. Come learn. Come support. Come get inspired. Refreshments and bites will be provided. And maybe next time… you’ll be on stage.

Discover Kiro, AWS’s innovative development environment that adapts to your workflow. Whether you prefer specification-driven development or a more intuitive, vibe-based approach, Kiro empowers you to build applications your way. In this session, speakers will explore Kiro’s core functionality and its evolution through re:Invent 2025, along with demonstrations of prompts used to create APIs, hooks, and steering documents. In the latter part of the session, watch as we build a complete example from scratch, showcasing Kiro’s agentic AI workflow in action for spec-driven development and vibe coding. What You'll Learn - Core Kiro concepts and development philosophy Feature evolution: pre and post re:Invent 2025 Practical examples: API creation, hooks, and steering docs Live coding demonstration with real-time problem solving Who Should Attend - Developers, solutions architects, and technical leaders interested in modern AWS development tools and AI-assisted coding workflows. **Speakers Bio:** Matthew Jorat: Matthew Jorat is a Customer Solutions Manager at AWS with nearly three decades of expertise in AI, cloud transformation, migration, modernization, IT, technology, and business. His career spans infrastructure engineer, solutions architect, security auditor, customer success director, support and services director, and operations officer. He was an early adopter of AWS services as a customer, and his current role at AWS uniquely blends his technical and business skills as he partners with executive teams to translate strategic priorities into measurable business outcomes through cloud adoption, AI implementation, and operational excellence. Matt leads end-to-end AI initiatives for enterprise customers, identifying high-impact use cases and maintaining relentless focus on measurable ROI. He holds eight AWS certifications and serves as Adjunct Professor at Franklin University teaching cloud computing and AWS architecture. His expertise encompasses GenAI, agentic AI systems, migration, modernization, and optimization strategies that drive transformation at scale. [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattjorat/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattjorat/) Girish Bhatia: Girish Bhatia is a seasoned technology delivery leader with deep expertise in cross-domain program management. He holds multiple AWS certifications, including AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate, AWS Certified Developer – Associate, and AWS Generative AI Practitioner, and is also an AWS Community Builder. Girish brings over two decades of experience in the information technology industry. Throughout his career, Girish has led major technology-driven business transformation from modernizing on-premises applications to driving large-scale cloud migrations. His work includes API-based integration platforms, data-center and mainframe modernization, and enterprise cloud adoption initiatives. Based in Columbus, Ohio, Girish works at a tech-forward fintech company. He is passionate about AWS serverless architectures, Generative AI and emerging cloud technologies. An avid learner and builder, he continues to explore and apply the latest innovations in AWS to help organizations accelerate their digital transformation. https://www.linkedin.com/in/girishbhatia/[https://www.linkedin.com/in/girishbhatia/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/girishbhatia/) **THANK YOU** *Franklin University* for hosting our meetup! To learn more about *Franklin University*, please visit their website: https://www.franklin.edu/ **DIRECTIONS** Franklin University Fisher Hall 300 E. Main St, Columbus, OH 43215 Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/jxjBA2hUmS5qrvhq8 Parking is FREE! Please park in Lot C in front of Fisher Hall. See attached map. NOTE: Map the address only. When mapping with Google Maps it may use the Fisher Hall at OSU, which is NOT correct. **Want to sponsor the pizza and/or bar tab?** Please contact me if you would like to sponsor this meetup's pizza and/or bar tab: angelo@mandato.com

Have a small business? Ever wish you could just ask some questions around how to grow your business, get more customers or just know what the freak you are doing with sales? Now is your chance!! Every month we are hosting the "Ask an Expert" at the Columbus Metro Library, Main campus. I will be there to answer your Sales related questions. Drop-in for sales coaching designed to help small business owners, entrepreneurs, and sales professionals sharpen their sales approach. Whether you have questions on how to refine your pitch, are looking to close deals more quickly, or are working on building better client relationships, Smashing Your Sales Goals Coaches are here to help. Drop-in to get expert insights, actionable strategies and real-time solutions to grow your business and generate higher profits. Drop-In Sales Coaching is FREE + OPEN to the public. No appointment needed. First come, first served. EPIC Learning created. Accelerate Columbus supported.

WQC has weekly Thursday night social nights at the Westerville Java Central. Come and grab a coffee and connect with the community: low stakes, chill environment, and tasty drinks. No registration is required; come as you are.

One of the most valuable parts of this community is the opportunity to think out loud with other product professionals. This session is built for exactly that. As we wrap up the quarter, it’s a great time to pause and reflect. What’s on track? What needs adjustment? Where could a small shift create bigger impact? Join fellow product professionals for a focused, interactive conversation designed to help you recalibrate for the next quarter. You’ll have the opportunity to share where you are, hear how others are thinking through similar challenges, and gain fresh perspective you can bring back to your team and organization. We’ll gather at 8:00AM, with discussion starting promptly at 8:15AM. 📍 First Watch - 7227 N High St Located in: The Shops at Worthington Ample parking is available. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Start your morning with clarity and connection — we hope to see you there! ☀️

Bring your business cards and network in person with other business professionals! Gold Star Referral Clubs is one of the most established professional networking organizations in the country, with multiple groups in central Ohio. Join us!