Constraints breed innovation—and that is the mindset of the creative geniuses behind RootsTech Connect—the world’s largest family history discovery event that is at RootsTech.org (25-27 February 2021, 4:00 a.m. GMT, 9:00 p.m. MST). For the first time ever, it’s completely virtual and free. Find out more at RootsTech.org.

The global pandemic served as an accelerant for the popular annual conference (usually hosted in Salt Lake City and London) to go virtual. The challenge was how to create an online platform that would deliver RootsTech’s signature in-person, highly sociable and interactive experience in a free, all-virtual online model, in 11 languages, simultaneously across all time zones, 24 hours a day for 3 days. The RootsTech Connect team believes they’ve done it. More than 500,000 people from 237 countries and territories have already registered for the free buffet of celebrity keynote speakers, the thousands of sessions, and dynamic chat opportunities that celebrate family connections and help make family history discoveries fun.

RootsTech is an annual international event that has drawn people worldwide who are seeking to make family connections. For the past 10 years, research experts, companies, and attendees gather to provide tech solutions, share genealogical expertise, and offer discovery tips and hacks to tens of thousands of ardent and curious ancestral roots seekers.

The innovative new RootsTech website introduces an exciting platform that enables attendees to interact in dynamic chat forums in 11 languages and create playlists from more than 1,000 video sessions and hundreds of additional video digital assets that they can watch on-demand following the event. Attendees can watch content “live” on the main stage, interact with vendors virtually in the Expo Hall, see if they are related to any of the hundreds of thousands of attendees globally, get one-on-one family history help, or experiment with fun, new tech ideas in the Innovators Portal. And it’s amazingly all free—no ads, no strings attached.

“The pandemic, with its restraints against gathering physically, gave us an incredible opportunity to find a way to do what we aspire to do—but totally online. And that is to inspire so many more people worldwide through personal family discovery experiences,” said Steve Rockwood, FamilySearch CEO, the hosting organization of RootsTech.

Rockwood said RootsTech Connect 2021 creates opportunities for people to learn from specialists, get answers to their family history questions, and make meaningful family connections.

Highlights of the New RootsTech Connect 2021 All-Virtual Platform

Main Stage. RootsTech Connect will feature uplifting messages from celebrity keynote speakers and industry experts from around the world. It will be broadcast 24 hours a day for 3 days in 11 languages.

My Playlist. The RootsTech session schedule is now live. With nearly 2,000 sessions and other video assets, you won’t be able to watch everything you want in the 3 days of RootsTech—even if you are an insomniac. The Playlist feature (somewhat like Netflix) allows you to easily add content of interest to you into your personalized playlist on the site. You will have until the next RootsTech event to enjoy your selections.

Explore Sessions. Content is compiled with a variety of tags or categories, so you can quickly find content that pertains to your needs or interests. You can search by language; geographic region; speaker; Finding Living Family; Ancestors; DNA; Researching Places and Records; Memories—Stories, Photos, and Video; Traditions and Heritage; Websites, Tech Tools and Apps; and Entertainment and Events.

Relatives at RootsTech (Connect). The essence of RootsTech is making fun, inspiring family connections. Who better to connect with than your own relatives worldwide? RootsTech attendees, if they choose, will be able to discover and start connecting with relatives attending RootsTech. With hundreds of thousands of registrants, the possibilities of making a connection are high.

Expo Hall. Companies with family history-related products and services from around the world will help you discover your unique story. Explore new product demonstrations, receive personal assistance, and take advantage of exclusive opportunities.

Innovators Portal. If you like to know the latest innovative technology in the family history and genealogy product segment, this feature is for you. Watch emerging product demos and be among the first to “test drive” some of them.

Guide Me. Not sure where to start? The Guide Me feature conveniently compiles popular sessions on various topics for you, for example, Getting Started, Discovery, or Archivist.

RootsTech Connect 2021 is a free 3-day virtual event. Visit RootsTech.org to participate in the many experiences and view on-demand content.

RootsTech Connect 2021 will be hosting Family Discovery Day virtually and  Our Quest for Connection, a RootsTech experience designed for youth and young adults to connect with each other, relatives, friends, and ancestors.