Media Statement
September 21, 2009
Immediate Release
Conference brings programming language of the year to NZ
What do Google, YouTube, Weta Digital and the New Zealand Government share in common? They all rely on the 2009
Programming Language of the Year - Python, for their daily operations. To promote Python's use in New Zealand the NZ
Python User Group (NZPUG) is holding the first Kiwi PyCon conference in Christchurch at the Canterbury Innovation
Incubator on November 7th and 8th.
The event will include talks highlighting how Python has been used in web and desktop applications, in the field of
science and maths, in gaming and animation, and in various other fields. The programme will also include interactive
sessions with the audience and opportunities for delegates to give short presentations regarding ways they have
benefited from Python.
Python is used in New Zealand by reputable companies such as Weta Digital, the company behind Lord of the Rings and King
Kong, and is also used extensively by the New Zealand Government, by academic institutions throughout the country and
many other commercial organisations.
“We've got a great lineup of talks prepared and we've also arranged for a couple of very talented and engaging keynote
speakers for the conference” said Tim Knapp, the Director of the event, “so we really do encourage all members of the IT
community in New Zealand to come along, including management, to find out how Python can be used in their
organisations”.
The event is supported by reputable organisations Canonical, Catalyst IT, Weta Digital, the Python Software Foundation,
Unfold Limited and Tait Electronics. Other supporting organisations include Encode Limited, powerHouse, PretaWeb,
VortexDNA and the Plone Foundation.
150 delegates are expected from across New Zealand and Australia and registration for the conference is now open with
limited numbers. For more information visit nz.pycon.org.
ENDS