CERN, Geneva, Switzerland

In March 1989 Tim Berners-Lee, a computer scientist working at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, wrote "Information Management: A Proposal," the original proposal for the World Wide Web and thus began invention that has changed our lives and our world in such profound ways.

On 13 March 2009, there will be a celebration of 20 years of the Web at it's birthplace at CERN. Panel discussions and a keynote talk by Tim Berners-Lee will explore the history of the Web as well as its future.

Please note this is an invitation-only event as the space at the Globe building is unfortunately very limited. The proceedings of the day, will however, be made available as a webcast and we are exploring mechanisms by which people might be able send messages or participate virtually.

Watch the celebration live

The celebration will be webcast (streamed both by CERN and the French newschannel lci.fr from 14:00 CET).
For broadcasters: Eurovision will broadcast the event at 19:00 CET: details.

Schedule

13 March 2009

Morning: optional CERN visits

8:30
Guests who register for the tours of CERN should arrive, check in and get their badges
Registration building (#33)
Welcome Coffee and tour information (optional)
Globe of Science and Innovation building (#80)

9:15
shuttles for the tours, film and access to the ATLAS building leave the Globe building (optional)

9:30
CERN Labs and Museum visits (optional)

12:00
** Buffet lunch ** (optional)

Celebration @ Globe building

14:00
Welcome by Professor Rolf Heuer, Director General of CERN

14:05
Panel on history of the Web
speakers: Ben Segal, Jean-Francois Groff and Robert Cailliau

15:00
possible Demo of the NeXT computer on which Tim Berners-Lee developed the Web and which was also the first Web server

15:15
** Break **

16:00
Keynote: Tim Berners Lee

16:30
Panel: Future of the Web
speakers: Chris Bizer, Stephane Boyera, Dan Brickley and Tom Scott

17:30
** Closing cocktail reception **

19:00
End of conference

Speakers

Tim Berners-Lee, Inventor of the Web
Ben Segal, mentor and CERN computer scientist
Robert Cailliau, the first Web convert and co-conspirator
Chris Bizer, Free University Berlin
Stephane Boyera, World Wide Web Foundation
Dan Brickley, RDF community builder and FOAF co-instigator
Tom Scott, BBC digital media