Al Gore is one of the keynote speakers at this year's Campus Party technology fair (Image courtesy: Center for American Progress Action Fund)

Campus Party started this morning at the Imigrantes Expo Center six days of presentations, roundtable debates, product launches and demos to urge and applaud technological innovation and entrepreneurism.

Internet and IT luminaries such as ex-US vice-president Al Gore and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak will address attendees, or campuseiros, at what some have called Brazil’s biggest geek convention. Other prominent speakers include Minister of Communications Paulo Bernardo and Wired UK editor Ben Hammersley. Various topics are slated for discussion, from music mash-ups and social networks to network security and modding (the practice of making unintended product modifications).

Campus Party was founded in Spain, home to principal patron Telefonica (NYSE: TEF), and occurs annually in Iberia as well as Brazil. The Sao Paulo state and municipal governments also support the fair. The event’s intention is to encourage creativity in a collaborative environment.

Campus Party runs through Saturday. The event is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. starting Tuesday. A shuttle from Metro Jabaraquara carries passengers to and from the expo center free of charge.

The 6,800 campuseiros, meanwhile, camp out in a tent village located on the premises.