LONDON, November 22, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- The GSMA today announced that it is launching the "Mobile World Capital(TM)". The concept of the Mobile World Capital extends far beyond the industry-leading annual Mobile World Congress event to include a range of academic and business development opportunities, cultural festivals and programmes, and the creation of a permanent centre of the industry. The GSMA today also announced that the six finalist cities vying to host the Mobile World Congress from 2013 to 2017, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Cologne, Milan, Munich and Paris, are developing proposals to become the Mobile World Capital for the same time period.
"The Mobile World Capital will not only host the Mobile World Congress, but will enjoy new and innovative local and global opportunities that underscore its stature as the Mobile World Capital throughout the year," said John Hoffman, CEO, GSMA Ltd. "In partnership with the GSMA, the Mobile World Capital city will become the "home" of the mobile industry, synonymous with cutting-edge mobile technology that benefits not only citizens of the city, but also the world."
The GSMA's vision of the Mobile World Capital includes: -- The Mobile World Centre, which will be located in the heart of the city and will be the permanent flagship element of the Mobile World Capital. The Mobile World Centre will include technology exhibits, museum features, a retail area, a mobile cafe, office space and more. -- The Mobile World Festival, a range of festivities that will be targeted to the general public and will take place separate from the Mobile World Congress. Dispersed around the Mobile World Capital city, the Mobile World Festival will incorporate mobile-driven festivities including concerts, music and movie festivals, competitions and awards, and dialogues and debates, among others. -- The Mobile World Congress, which is widely considered the industry's "must-attend" event and is expected to draw more than 50,000 visitors at the 2011 Mobile World Congress. The four-day conference and exhibition attracts executives from the world's largest and most influential companies across the mobile industry and adjacent sectors, as well as government delegations.
"In addition to the significant economic impact in excess of 1.2B Euros over the past 5 years and the 6,000 part-time jobs the Mobile World Congress creates every year, the GSMA's vision of the Mobile World Capital will help to engender a strong and positive image for the city, an enduring legacy, and a virtuous circle of economic development that will positively impact its citizens," continued Hoffman.
The GSMA expects to identify a short list of finalist cities in January 2011 and to complete the evaluation process and to announce the Mobile World Capital in mid-2011.
For more information on the Mobile World Capital, please visit http://www.mobileworldcapital.com.
About the GSMA
The GSMA represents the interests of the worldwide mobile communications industry. Spanning 219 countries, the GSMA unites nearly 800 of the world's mobile operators, as well as more than 200 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset makers, software companies, equipment providers, Internet companies, and media and entertainment organisations. The GSMA is focused on innovating, incubating and creating new opportunities for its membership, all with the end goal of driving the growth of the mobile communications industry.
For more information, please visit Mobile World Live, the new online portal for the mobile communications industry, at http://www.mobileworldlive.com or the GSMA corporate website at http://www.gsmworld.com.
SOURCE: GSMA
CONTACT: Daniel Lowther, +44-7747-636-687, press@gsm.org
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