Nairobi, Kenya – September 6-8, 2024: The State of the Map 2024 (SotM 2024) conference, a global gathering of the OpenStreetMap (OSM) community, took place in Nairobi, Kenya, from September 6 to 8. Esri Inc. and Esri Eastern Africa (EA) actively participated, delivering presentations, lightning talks, and hands-on workshops, highlighting their support for the OSM community and their free GIS tools.

Day 1: Esri’s Lightning Talk Sparks Interest

The event began on Friday, September 6, with a series of presentations and workshops. Esri’s Matthew Pennells delivered a lightning talk titled “Discover OSM with Free GIS Tools in Africa GeoPortal.” This presentation focused on the range of free tools available in the Africa GeoPortal, showing how these resources can be used to unlock the potential of OSM data for impactful geospatial analysis. The talk resonated with attendees, demonstrating Esri’s commitment to accessible GIS solutions and its practical applications in the African context.

Day 2: Hands-On Workshop Engages Attendees

On Saturday, September 7, Esri continued its engagement by hosting a one-hour workshop, “Get Hands-On with Free OSM Data through Africa GeoPortal and ArcGIS.” The session provided participants with practical guidance on accessing and utilizing OSM data within the Africa GeoPortal and ArcGIS platforms. Attendees explored 2D and 3D Basemaps and learned to integrate OSM data into ArcGIS for advanced spatial analysis. The workshop was highly appreciated, offering hands-on skills that participants could apply to their own geospatial projects.

Day 3: Ongoing Contributions and Collaboration

While Esri’s main contributions took place over the first two days, their presence throughout the entire event underscored their commitment to the OSM community. The final day saw continued collaboration among participants, and Esri’s participation highlighted their role in providing free and accessible GIS resources.

Esri’s involvement in SotM 2024 demonstrated their dedication to supporting the global OSM community and their focus on equipping users with the tools they need for impactful geospatial work.

For more information, visit Esri and Esri Eastern Africa