This year, on November 14th, GIS professionals, citizens, educators, and students around the world will celebrate the 20th annual GIS Day since it was first initiated in 1999. This coincides, of course, with Geography Awareness Week, or GeoWeek, which takes place this year from November 11th to 17th. GIS Day plays a vital role in GeoWeek, inspiring events and activities that educate children and adults in more than 80 countries about geographic information systems, and how it can be used to improve our understanding of geospatial issues, and enable us to make more effective decisions. At the time of writing, there are 440 registered GIS Day / GeoWeek related events, which are displayed in the map presented on the gisday.com website.

Over 100 of these registered events are taking place across Canada, and of course many of these are being organized at schools that are part of the Esri Canada GIS Centres of Excellence. For a quick tour that highlights the events taking place at ECCE schools, have a look at this storymap:

Take a tour of GIS Day / GeoWeek events planned at ECCEs across Canada.

If you have the opportunity to attend one of these events, be sure to register if the event requires it. It will be worthwhile to get involved and to learn the great things that GIS is being used for in industry, government, and academic research. Many of these events will provide refreshments along with the presentations and activities, and if you’re lucky, maybe you can get a piece of GIS Day Cake!

If you will be planning an event of your own, consider registering at GISDay.com, and visit the Esri Canada GIS Day event webpage for ideas and resources.