GSMA and Mobile World Capital Barcelona introduce Youth Mobile Festival at Mobile World Congress 2017

• 20,000 Students From Catalonia and Spain to Attend Spain’s Largest STEAM Event

September 15, 2016

The GSMA and the Mobile World Capital Barcelona today announced that they are launching the first Youth Mobile Festival Barcelona (YoMo Barcelona) at Mobile World Congress 2017. YoMo Barcelona has been created to inspire young people to pursue education and careers in science, technology, engineering, art/design, and math (STEAM) disciplines. YoMo Barcelona will be held 27 February – 2 March 2017 at the Montjuïc venue of Fira de Barcelona.

“We are very excited to be launching the Youth Mobile Festival at Mobile World Congress Barcelona,” said John Hoffman, CEO, GSMA Ltd. “YoMo will bring classroom learning to life for thousands of school children by showing the exciting and rewarding opportunities that are available in the mobile and STEAM ecosystems. This initiative builds on the great work already underway here through the Mobile World Capital’s mSchools programme and will provide an important foundation for Catalan and Spanish students as they map out their future study and career paths.”

“With our continued commitment to enhance our students’ digital skills, we are pleased to be part of this project together with the GSMA and Mobile World Capital Barcelona. YoMo is the ideal setting for students and teachers in Catalonia to experience first-hand the opportunities technology brings to meet the challenges of digital transformation,” said Meritxell Ruiz, Catalán Ministry of Education.

More than 20,000 students from across Catalonia and Spain will come to Barcelona to participate in this engaging four-day showcase of science and technology, which is set to become the largest STEAM event in Spain. Designed for students from 10 to 16 years old, YoMo Barcelona will feature educational exhibits, live theatre shows, interactive workshops, and a wide range of hands-on activities. For educators and administrators, YoMo Barcelona offers the Educational Resources Zone, which includes resources by specific education publishers and online toolkit providers and numerous lesson plans from activity providers. YoMo will also include educator-focused workshops and lectures sharing best practice in STEAM-related professional development, produced in conjunction with the European Schoolnet and mSchools.

YoMo complements and builds on the mSchools programme developed by Mobile World Capital Barcelona in partnership with the Generalitat of Catalonia, Barcelona City Hall and the GSMA. Launched in 2012, mSchools supports students and teachers, effectively integrating mobile technologies into the classroom. During the last school year, more than 24,000 Catalan students participated in the mSchools programme, opening up new ways of teaching and learning that improve achievement and employability in today’s connected world.

YoMo is supported by local, regional, national and European stakeholders, including the Catalan Ministry of Education, STEAM industry organisations, professional institutions, R&D laboratories, not-for-profit charities, universities and other specialist education institutions.

How to Participate in YoMo

YoMo is open to all students and education professionals in Catalonia and Spain and is free to attend. Registration for YoMo will open in October, but potential attendees can indicate interest in advance. More information on YoMo, including how to register interest in attending and to participate in other ways, is available at www.yomobcn.com.

Get Involved at Mobile World Congress 2017

For more information on Mobile World Congress 2017, including how to attend, exhibit or sponsor, visit www.mobileworldcongress.com. Follow developments and updates on Mobile World Congress on Twitter @GSMA using #MWC17, on our LinkedIn Mobile World Congress page https://www.linkedin.com/company/gsma-mobile-world-congress or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mobileworldcongress/. For additional information on GSMA social channels, visit www.mobileworldcongress.com/about/contact/social-media/.

The Mobile World Congress is the cornerstone of the Mobile World Capital, which will be hosted in Barcelona through 2023. The Mobile World Capital encompasses programmes and activities that span the entire year and will benefit not only the citizens of Barcelona, Catalonia and Spain, but also the worldwide mobile industry. For more information on the Mobile World Capital, visit www.mobileworldcapital.com.

About the GSMA

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting nearly 800 operators with almost 300 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies, as well as organisations in adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress, Mobile World Congress Shanghai and the Mobile 360 Series conferences.

For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com. Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA.

About Mobile World Capital Barcelona

Mobile World Capital Barcelona (MWCapital) is an initiative driving the mobile and digital transformation of society while helping improve people’s lives globally. With support of the public and private sector throughout Barcelona, Catalonia and Spain, MWCapital focuses on three areas: the digital empowerment of new generations, professionals and citizens; the digital transformation of industries; and the acceleration of digital innovation through entrepreneurship.

Collectively, our mSchools, Digital Transformation and mVenturesBcn programmes are positively transforming the education system, the industry and the economy. MWCapital also hosts the Mobile World Congress and delivers 4 Years From Now (4YFN), a business platform for the startup community.