Building Community Through Laravel Live Denmark with Kasper Hartwich

# Building Community Through Laravel Live Denmark > Exploring the journey of Casper and the rise of Laravel Live events. Welcome to this week’s newsletter, where we dive into the inspiring journey of Casper, a key figure in the Laravel community in Denmark. ## From Programming Beginnings to Laravel Leadership Casper’s journey into programming began back in the 90s, starting with PHP. He recalls, > "I started programming PHP back in the 90s, doing like the classic just web pages with a small PHP backend." His passion for web development led him to discover Laravel around 2013, culminating in a significant project for a major energy supplier in Denmark. His journey truly blossomed when he attended Laracon EU in 2015, where he felt embraced by the Laravel community. > "The community just gave me a big hug. That was the way how I fell in love with the Laravel community." ## The Birth of Laravel Live Denmark The idea for Laravel Live Denmark sparked during a Laracon event in Lisbon. Casper envisioned bringing a similar event to Denmark. He meticulously gathered ideas, venue options, and budget plans, ultimately leading to the formation of a non-profit association dedicated to community-driven conferences. > "I’ve always been a non-profit guy and loved the non-profit association and volunteers. So I kind of tried to make an association here in Denmark to do it in a community way." ## A Unique Experience at Laravel Live Casper emphasizes that Laravel Live Denmark aims to provide a more intimate experience compared to larger conventions. > "We don’t want to be a Laracon. I think Laracon is a big business. We are between meetups and the Laracons." This approach allows for a blend of experienced speakers and newcomers, creating an atmosphere where everyone feels included. ## Bringing Big Names to the Stage One of Casper's notable achievements has been securing prominent speakers like Taylor Otwell and DHH for the conference. His connections in the community and a shared history with DHH paved the way for this success. > "I had this crazy idea to get you and Taylor to do just a tech talk about doing a framework. I think they have a lot of similar experience with starting this." ## Looking Ahead Casper’s vision for the future includes expanding Laravel Live to other countries, fostering a global community of developers. > "I wish to have more... I think Brazil should have a Laravel Live as well." As the Laravel community continues to grow, events like Laravel Live Denmark play a crucial role in connecting developers and sharing knowledge.