BeJS : A Look Back at 2022
Tags: javascript, webdev, react, community
Published: 2023-01-02 13:08:09

2022 is off, but in the minds of BeJS folks, it is still a shining year that has made some noticeable impact among the JavaScript community down here in the ❤️ of Europe! 
Let's have a look on how [BeJS](www.bejs.io) & 2022 have had some great harmony !!!

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/m1osg9uif7zmqphabysh.png)

**A Dev Community in Brussels!? Really!?**
No one has ever thought Brussels would be a destination for web developers to gather, exchange knowledge and generate awareness.
BeJS then decided to show up and put the light on what has long been seen as a place for every other thing but a hub of geeks! 

In this regards, the **Belgian JavaScript Community** has made it possible to bring together a wide range of JavaScripters and let them belong to a family that praises a common passion, where **diversity, sharing and caring** are what matters the most... 

**Why BeJS came to life?**
Beside gathering JS&Co. enthusiasts around the latest JS&Co. updates, tools, and new ways of coding..., BeJS was born with a set of other goals that are gently but surely being fulfilled: 

- Boost the **JavaScript & frontend** ecosystem
- Bring up the latest **JS insights and developments**
- Feature the local **dev talents** & generate **job opportunities**
- Connect **world communities** and create new encounters
- Support **OSS** projects and communities
- Promote **D&I** values in WebDev
- Bring some **fun in the lives of developers** 😊 


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/s4tfoblcq1o7tcl85qlj.png)

**2022 at BeJS was like ...**
Getting out from a 2 year crisis, everyone was looking forward to going back to normal, with even more enthusiasm and will to meet and greet again. So our year kicked off with an amazing family-like **meetup** (In-Person I highlight😉), then a second, then a third and so on ... We had the chance to be invited at our partners venues, (once a month - afterwork) where JS insights, encounters, 🍺&🥪 were all at the menu.

_Here are some of the sessions we had:_

- An Intro to Web Components -by- [Dwane Hemmings](https://twitter.com/lifelongdev?s=20)
- Your Code has Stories to Tell -by- [Karim Maaloul](https://twitter.com/yakudoo?s=20)
- Metaverse, OK but Why & How? -by- [Fabien Bénétou](https://twitter.com/utopiah?s=20)
- Scaling your Frontend with Kea JS -by- [Marius Andra](https://twitter.com/mariusandra?s=20&t=OKu-cD_sHJ80VmIa4HSO7A)
- Teaching JS; Problem Solving by Visualization -by- [Robin Van Roy](https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinvanroy/)
- A Full JavaScript Stack for Data Journalism -by- [Karim Douieb](https://twitter.com/karim_douieb?s=20)

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/dzpdw0rdscs39y6ysbdc.png)

2022 has also been the year of **BeJS first In-Person conference editions** (while keeping the Online access😉), where we could gather locals and internationals around hot JS topics, swag and fun...hence make of Brussels a new destination for the whole JS ecosystem:

**BeJSconf 2022 - The Belgian JavaScript Conference in Brussels & Online** 
For this 1st edition ever, We had the chance to have a stellar speaker line-up who set our stage on 🔥 and let our audience enjoy every single moment of it: [Tejas Kumar](https://twitter.com/TejasKumar_?s=20), [Debbie O'Brien](https://twitter.com/debs_obrien?s=20), [Michele Riva](https://twitter.com/MicheleRivaCode?s=20), [Ujjwal Sharma](https://twitter.com/ryzokuken?s=20), [Eleftheria Batsou](https://twitter.com/BatsouElef?s=20), and many more hyped us up with their technical know-how and let us fell in love with their personal beings outside of the webdev realm!

Through BeJSconf, we could also tie strong bonds with worldwide communities, making fruitful partnerships, embarking junior devs in volunteering and letting our large online audience grow more and more. 

BeJSconf was also our way to make a webdev conference accessible for all, by running a **D&I scholarship** programme to allow underrepresented folks to have their voices heard. Far more importantly, The Belgian JavaScript Conference was more than ever the opportunity for us to support **Open Source** by donating 10% of the conference benefits to some deserving projects.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/cn3mdb95hkk653m3fkvl.png) With only one track, three sponsors and dozens of attendees, BeJSconf was a blast as it offered a uniquely well-built up conf format that allows everyone to have access to everyone, speakers were more valued and could be easily approached, without talking about the high-tech venue that is one of the best in Brussels...

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/uxtkjqbpskqdp5758pdr.png)

**REACT BRUSSELS 2022 - Hybrid** 
With REACT BRUSSELS Conf, BeJS could easily position itself as one of the global webdev conf organisers, as it invested much energy and professionalism in making it an experience that lasts long beyond the simple conference. Devs from 17 countries attended IRL, live-streamed from more than 23 countries, 7 sponsors among which you find **Microsoft, Storyblok, Gaming 1, Hackages, OfferZen**, and as usual a speaker line-up to envy for 😲

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/vxs4hfrwity9xhhdee0c.png)    

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/3vqo5hwoei4ifws5mr71.png)
It should also be mentioned that, BeJS has been granted the **BRUSSELS EVENT AMBASSADOR** award by VISIT.BRUSSELS for being the first to bring a REACT conference _(2021 Full Online Edition of October 14th)_ with an international scope, to the land of 🍟,🍺&🍫. A recognition that made us feel proud and stirred our will to keep delivering experiences as such! 

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/qm2p6d9x21k0a3hwvd68.jpg)
**From where ... and ... to where**
2022, after all, has been the BeJS year. JavaScripters have been joining the vibe on a daily basis, **CFP applications** have been doubling, **memberships** have been growing, **partnerships** have been taking a new level of mutual exchange and new ideas are now being forged and implemented  ... all that to keep track of the evolution of **the JavaScript landscape and better respond to the growing needs of the market, JS developers and all WebDev stakeholders.** 

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/pu6osxleiuz5fc21nbi4.png) 
So if 2022 looked like that, we would simply expect 2023 to have more impact. The experiences learnt from the outgoing year have given the BeJS team new horizons to reach, with some new activities to be introduced, such as : Challenges, Hackathons, Interviews, and new Conference JS themes to tackle ... euuhhh 🤔 let you discover

For now, we can simply tell you : See you at [BeJSconf 2023](https://www.bejs.io/conf) & [React Brussels 2023](https://www.react.brussels)
 
_**JS Regards!**_
_______________

Big thanks to the one & only huge supporter [B2A SOLUTIONS](https://www.b2asolutions.com/), that has been behind the community since the start 🤗

**Find BeJS on :**
[Twitter](https://twitter.com/BeJS_), [LinkedIn](https://linkedin.com/showcase/bejs-js-community-in-brussels), [Meetup](https://www.meetup.com/bejs-js-community-in-brussels/), [Discord](https://discord.gg/rFCj5ecrPZ), [Newsletter](https://www.bejs.io/newsletter),