Responding to a desire for cooperation among Latin American high-technology leaders, Tabor Communications Inc. (TCI) hosted the first GRIDtoday VIP Summit on Grid Computing, Latin America, which took place Feb. 21-22 in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Explained host Thomas Tabor, CEO of TCI and publisher of GRIDtoday, "As in many other regions, the nations of Latin America have limited technology-development resources (although this may change quickly with foreign investment). The answers for Latin America are ... Connectedness. Association. Collaboration. Using Grid computing infrastructure for collaborative technology development, Latin America can leapfrog other technology centers and become, in reality as well as in concept, the ‘Latin American Grid-Computing Community.'"

Co-host of the event Costa Rican Minister of Science and Technology Fernando Gutierrez earlier extended an invitation to his ministerial counterparts throughout the region. He observed, "Each of our countries stands to gain new resources and a competitive advantage by using Grid computing technologies. At the summit, we are discussing how we can work together to build, finance, and use grid-computing technologies throughout Latin America, joining our peers in Europe, Asia and the United States."
 
At the invitation-only event, participants are hearing from key figures in the Grid computing movement, including speakers from sponsors Sun Microsystems and Intel Corp.; executives in key industries using the Grid; researchers at leading educational institutions who are training future scientists and engineers in the use of the Grid; and investment experts with experience in funding infrastructure development.
 
The summit promotes informal exchange among participants with common needs and aspirations. Limited to 170 participants, the event is supported by a wide array of leading business and technology organizations. Most of Latin America's 26 nations are represented by the event's ministerial, industry, and research participants.
 
The event follows the First Meeting of Ministers and High Authorities of Science and Technology within the Framework of CIDI (Lima, Peru, November 2004) and the more recent visit of President Bush to Latin America earlier this year.
 
Additional TCI-organized VIP Summits on Grid Computing are scheduled for this year in the Europe/Middle East/Africa (in May, in the United Kingdom), North America and Asia-Pacific regions. Participants in each will be connected with all via TCI, which has as one of its missions to connect the Grid computing community on a worldwide basis.
 
 
About Tabor Communications Inc. (www.tgc.com/)
 
Located in San Diego, Tabor Communications Inc. (TCI) is the recognized leader in Internet-delivered news and information for the high-performance computing industry. Its online journals include HPCwire, GRIDtoday and DSstar, each a leader in its field. TCI also publishes technology books and holds community-building events including the international VIP Summits on Grid Computing and the GRIDtoday biennial conference.
 
 
About  GRIDtoday (www.gridtoday.com/gridtoday.html)

Published by TCI, GRIDtoday is the journal of record for the Grid community. Its publishing model uses vanguard technologies that reach the broadest Grid-related audience-policy makers, business executives, researchers, the press, and other opinion-leaders-fostering connections and building the Grid community. Its paradigm for electronic/Internet delivery of high technology publications is unique, featuring highly interactive methods of distribution and reader feedback.