--- title: "Events & Talks | Mhamad El Itawi" url: https://mhamadelitawi.com/events description: "Talks, panels and workshops by Mhamad El Itawi, AWS Community Builder and speaker across Lebanon, on scalable systems, cloud and AI." --- Speaking · Archive # Talks, panels & workshops. I speak often at AWS Community Days, GDG DevFests, universities and meetups across Lebanon, on scalable systems, the cloud, and how large AI models actually work. **28 sessions since 2022**. ### Cloud cost optimization: A roadmap, not a cleanup 26 Sep 2026 · Talk · AWS Community Day Lebanon 2026 · Beirut Digital District BDD 1280 Organized by AWS UG Lebanon Links: [Meetup](https://www.meetup.com/aws-ug-lb/events/315764768), [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/aws-ug-lb_were-excited-to-welcome-one-of-our-speakers-activity-7505247627555487745-oMoe) ### How ChatGPT Was Made: Behind the Scenes of a Large Language Model 17 Jul 2026 · Talk · Build with AI Meetup: Industry Insights · Beirut Digital District BDD 1075 Organized by GDG Coast Lebanon Links: [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/gdg-coast-lebanon_gdg-coast-lebanon-invites-you-to-build-with-activity-7481384328560766976-vW5b/) ### Building Highly Scalable Applications on AWS 29 Apr 2026 · Talk · Collaboration with BAU · Beirut Arab University – BAU Main Campus Organized by Beirut Arab University Links: [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mhamadelitawi_yesterday-i-had-the-chance-to-speak-at-beirut-activity-7455696002855989249-6A7h) ### Discussion and Insights 23 Feb 2026 · Panel · BAU ACM Student Chapter Launch Event · Beirut Arab University – BAU Main Campus Organized by BAU ACM Student Chapter Links: [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/DU73cEBiI8d) ### How ChatGPT Was Made: Behind the Scenes of a Large Language Model 20 Dec 2025 · Talk · GDG DevFest North Lebanon 2025 · Beirut Arab University – BAU Tripoli Organized by GDG North Lebanon Links: [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/DSN_-XsDOKo) ### Under the Hood: How ChatGPT-Scale Systems Are Made 18 Dec 2025 · Talk · Collaboration with Al Maaref University · Al Maaref University – Beirut Organized by Codi Tech | Al Maaref University Links: [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/DSR9m_vjIYS) ### Under the Hood: How ChatGPT-Scale Systems Are Made 4 Dec 2025 · Talk · Collaboration with 42 Beirut · Beirut Digital District BDD 1499 – 42 Beirut Organized by 42 Beirut Links: [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mhamadelitawi_different-education-42beirut-activity-7411871016726986752-iY5J/) ### How Would You Build YouTube: A Live System-Design Workshop 29 Nov 2025 · Workshop · SYPLC 2025: Technology with a Purpose · Beirut Arab University – BAU Tripoli Organized by IEEE Young Professionals Lebanon Links: [IEEE](https://yp.ieee.org/event/syplc-2025-technology-with-a-purpose/), [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/young-professionals-lebanon_introducing-our-speaker-for-syplc25-activity-7398404975644717056-asIG) ### Refactoring Legacy Code Without Breaking Everything 31 Oct 2025 · Talk · Collaboration with Concat Tech · UNRWA Digital Hub – Beirut Organized by Concat Tech Links: [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mhamadelitawi_throwback-to-a-private-workshop-with-concat-activity-7403498633234554880-jHkO) ### Under the Hood: How ChatGPT-Scale Systems Are Made 25 Oct 2025 · Talk · GDG DevFest Beirut 2025 · Lebanese American University – LAU Beirut Organized by GDG Coast Lebanon Links: [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/gdg-coast-lebanon_devfestbeirut-gdgcoastlebanon-buildforeveryone-activity-7386471279165460480-vzhw) ### Introduction to AWS: Building Scalable Applications on AWS 11 Oct 2025 · Talk · Collaboration with Antonine University Students · Teachers’ Gathering Center – Haret Hreik Organized by Cultural UA Links: [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/DPb8QARgqdC/) ### The Anatomy of a Serverless Architecture 13 Sep 2025 · Talk · AWS Community Day Lebanon 2025 · Beirut Digital District BDD 1280 Organized by AWS User Group Lebanon Links: [Meetup](https://www.meetup.com/aws-ug-lb/events/309029282/), [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/aws-ug-lb_announcing-our-first-speaker-for-aws-community-activity-7362890185648365568-IXi4) ### Learning How to Learn 29 Aug 2025 · Q&A · Collaboration with Antonine University Students · Teachers’ Gathering Center – Haret Hreik Organized by Cultural UA Links: [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/DN07QHaQN2i/) ### Building Scalable Applications on AWS 2 Aug 2025 · Talk · Summer of Tech · Beirut Digital District BDD 1280 Organized by DeveLeb | AWS User Group Lebanon Links: [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/develeb_learn-how-to-scale-the-right-way-our-activity-7355571878100447233-mqqz/) ### From Junior to Senior: How to Level Up as a Technologist 19 Jul 2025 · Panel · The Healthy Commit · Arab Open University – AOU Beirut Organized by Techlarious Hub | AOU Tech Fusion Club | MongoDB User Group Links: [Luma](https://lu.ma/2kowvx0v), [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/techlarious-hub_join-us-for-%F0%9D%90%93%F0%9D%90%A1%F0%9D%90%9E-%F0%9D%90%87%F0%9D%90%9E%F0%9D%90%9A%F0%9D%90%A5%F0%9D%90%AD%F0%9D%90%A1%F0%9D%90%B2-%F0%9D%90%82%F0%9D%90%A8%F0%9D%90%A6%F0%9D%90%A6%F0%9D%90%A2%F0%9D%90%AD-activity-7348266724976164865-cJ0F) ### SDLC Unplugged: From Code to Delivery 19 Jul 2025 · Demo · The Healthy Commit · Arab Open University – AOU Beirut Organized by Techlarious Hub | AOU Tech Fusion Club | MongoDB User Group Links: [Luma](https://lu.ma/2kowvx0v), [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/techlarious-hub_join-us-for-%F0%9D%90%93%F0%9D%90%A1%F0%9D%90%9E-%F0%9D%90%87%F0%9D%90%9E%F0%9D%90%9A%F0%9D%90%A5%F0%9D%90%AD%F0%9D%90%A1%F0%9D%90%B2-%F0%9D%90%82%F0%9D%90%A8%F0%9D%90%A6%F0%9D%90%A6%F0%9D%90%A2%F0%9D%90%AD-activity-7348266724976164865-cJ0F) ### Refactoring Legacy Code Without Breaking Everything 15 Jul 2025 · Talk · Beirut .NET Meetup · Beirut Digital District BDD 1280 Organized by .NET Developer Community in Lebanon Links: [Meetup](https://www.meetup.com/dotnetlebanon/events/309156676/), [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7346553408650149888/) ### Emerging Agentic Workflows in Today’s AI 12 Apr 2025 · Panel · GDG Build with AI · American University of Beirut – AUB Organized by GDG Coast Lebanon Links: [GDG Community](https://gdg.community.dev/events/details/google-gdg-coast-lebanon-presents-build-with-ai-2025/cohost-gdg-coast-lebanon/) ### Logging Reimagined: Best Practices and AI-Driven Evolution 12 Apr 2025 · Talk · GDG Build with AI · American University of Beirut – AUB Organized by GDG Coast Lebanon Links: [GDG Community](https://gdg.community.dev/events/details/google-gdg-coast-lebanon-presents-build-with-ai-2025/cohost-gdg-coast-lebanon/) ### Getting Started with AWS Serverless 24 Mar 2025 · Talk · Cloudy With a Chance of Servers · Online Organized by AWS User Group Lebanon | LAU Beirut CS Club Links: [Meetup](https://www.meetup.com/aws-ug-lb/events/306833027/) ### Logging Reimagined: Best Practices and AI-Driven Evolution 1 Feb 2025 · Talk · AWS re:Invent re:Cap Lebanon · Beirut Digital District BDD 1280 Organized by AWS User Group Lebanon Links: [Meetup](https://www.meetup.com/aws-ug-lb/events/305683422/) ### Building Highly Scalable Applications on AWS 21 Jan 2025 · Talk · Collaboration with Lebanese University · Lebanese University – Hadath Organized by LU Computer Science Club Links: [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jaber-mohammad_the-computer-science-and-statistics-department-activity-7287109217583308801-k24G/) ### Chat With All AWS Community Builders 21 Dec 2024 · Panel · AWS Community Day Lebanon 2024 · Beirut Digital District BDD 1280 Organized by AWS User Group Beirut Links: [Meetup](https://www.meetup.com/aws-ug-lb/events/305113798/) ### Tabash El Server 17 Aug 2024 · Panel · Summer of Tech · Beirut Digital District BDD 1280 Organized by DeveLeb Links: [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/develeb_were-back-and-bigger-than-ever-were-activity-7226531365314285568-VxD4) ### Building Highly Scalable Applications on Cloud 9 Dec 2023 · Talk · GDG DevFest North Lebanon 2023 · Beirut Arab University – BAU Tripoli Organized by GDG North Lebanon Links: [GDG Community](https://gdg.community.dev/events/details/google-gdg-north-lebanon-presents-devfest-north-lebanon-2023/) ### Building Highly Scalable Applications on AWS 7 Oct 2023 · Talk · GDG DevFest Beirut 2023 · Lebanese American University – LAU Beirut Organized by GDG Coast Lebanon Links: [GDG Community](https://gdg.community.dev/events/details/google-gdg-coast-lebanon-presents-devfest-beirut-2023-1/) ### Building Highly Scalable Applications on AWS 20 Oct 2022 · Talk · Oktober Cloudfest · Beirut Digital District BDD 1280 Organized by AWS User Group Beirut Links: [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/events/680289783152412) ### Break It Into Microservices 9 Oct 2022 · Talk · GDG DevFest North Lebanon 2022 · University of Balamand – UOB Koura Organized by GDG North Lebanon Links: [GDG Community](https://gdg.community.dev/events/details/google-gdg-north-lebanon-presents-devfest-north-lebanon-2022/)