NEW: Information Society: Voices from the South -an online discussion forum at Digital Opportunity Channel--- If you're concerned about issues surrounding the emerging information society, and the process of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), then this is your chance to speak up! Visit the forum at: http://www.digitalopportunity.org/discussion/wsis/ and have your say now. **************************************** News http://www.digitalopportunity.org/news/ **************************************** Thai hill tribe goes Net savvy to preserve its culture http://www.ipsnews.net/interna.asp?idnews=19235 Members of Lahu, a native tribe in Thailand, are actively using cyber technology to preserve various aspects of their daily lives. Efforts include setting up of a virtual museum, which will showcase Lahu culture, ceremonies and clothing. The physical counterpart of this museum, to be opened soon, will be linked by the Internet. Kenya, Tanzania lag behind in rural ICT access, say experts http://www.cto.int/frame.php?dir=07&sd=11&id=1071 Kenya and Tanzania have made rapid progress in the field of ICT. But access to ICTs in rural areas remains woefully low with short-term planning and inadequate infrastructure hindering progress. Intel loses case, victory for free speech supporters http://www.corpwatch.org/issues/PID.jsp?articleid=7628 Computer giant Intel has lost a lawsuit filed against former employee Kourosh (Ken) Hamidi, who had sent thousands of protest e-mails to all previous and current employees of the corporation after being fired. Experts count this as a major victory for workers' rights and their freedom of speech and expression. New education software to cut tutoring cost http://www.comminit.com/pdskdv52003/sld-7766.html Project SetUp is an initiative that uses new software technology to educate class 6 to class 12 students across different schools in America. It integrates human tutorials with artificial intelligence-based software to reduce the cost of tutoring. Indian IT spending high, infrastructure issues to be addressed http://infochangeindia.org/ItanddItop.jsp?section_idv=9#2345 A Gartner estimate has rated India as the fourth largest IT spender for 2002. A slowdown in the economy has not stopped a dozen Indian states from establishing active IT and e-governance programmes. But despite these encouraging trends, infrastructure issues of power, bandwidth, connectivity etc still need to be addressed. Closure of community TV station in Venezuela sparks debate http://www.ipsnews.net/interna.asp?idnews=19274 Mayor of Venezuela's Caracas city has come under fire for ordering the closure of Catia TV, a local community television station. Though officials deny the allegations, media and human rights activists insist that the act is an impingement on the freedom of speech and expression of Venezuela's citizens. Participation at the WSIS a must, says African Union http://allafrica.com/stories/200307150001.html The African Union has passed a resolution calling upon all world leaders to participate in the forthcoming World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). To be held in two phases, the WSIS aims at putting technology at the service of human development. Conference throws light on benefits of WiFi http://www.cto.int/frame.php?dir=07&sd=11&id=1070 While ICT adoption is at an all-time high in the North, problems of cost, access and speed continue to plague the developing nations. The Wireless Internet Institute recently held a conference on the benefits of Wi-Fi for developing countries. Belgian NGO releases guide on community radio http://www.comminit.com/ma2003/sld-8109.html A Belgian NGO, doing research on community radio in West Africa, has come up with a guide for CSOs and funding agencies. The guide will help organisations understand and analyse the communication potential of development projects taken up by community radio stations. New draft of WSIS declaration released, civil society unhappy http://www.crisinfo.org/live/index.php?section=2&subsection=3 The secretariat of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) has released the new draft of the summit declaration, which incorporates the rough consensuses reached during the first two days of the Intersessional Meeting in Paris. Civil society groups report (http://www.worldsummit2003.de/en/web/402.htm) that though there has been some progress in the meeting, the main conflict areas remain contested. Also read the communication rights statement (http://www.crisinfo.org/live/index.php?section=2&subsection=3&id=39) presented by the CRIS campaign (Communication Rights in the Information Society) to the governments and a <a href="http://www.crisinfo.org/live/index.php?section=2&subsection=3&id=41";>f ull report on the meeting. WSIS declaration being given final touches http://portal.unesco.org/ci/ev.php?URL_ID=11928&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION= 201&reload=1058339845 Participants at the current Intersessional meeting of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) are giving final touches to the drafts of the WSIS Declaration of Principles and of the Plan of Action. To be adopted at the WSIS, the declaration promotes the adoption of ICTs for global development. Congo's independent radio station to resume broadcast http://irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=35269 One of the few independent radio stations in eastern DRC, Radio Maendeleo has been allowed to resume broadcast a few days prior to the reunification of the country. Radio Maendeleo was shut down in December 2002 for allegedly broadcasting news with political content. ***************************************************** Analysis http://www.digitalopportunity.org/features/analysis/ ***************************************************** OneWorld ICT Case Study: Afronet http://www.digitalopportunity.org/fulltext/casestudies.shtml As part of an ongoing series of case studies exploring information and communications technologies in civil society programmes, the Digital Opportunity Channel profiles Afronet, which works to network human rights activities and organisations all over Africa. ************************************************************ Success Stories http://www.digitalopportunity.org/features/success_stories/ ************************************************************ ********************************************************** Campaigns http://www.digitalopportunity.org/get_involved/campaigns/ ********************************************************** Forum on WSIS for South African CSOs http://www.sn.apc.org/corporate/news/news_frameset.html SANGONeT is hosting a Thetha (discussion group) on the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) on 30 July 2003 in Braamfontein, South Africa. The objectives of this forum is to help South African CSOs develop an understanding of the focus and objectives of the WSIS, and to discuss the position of the South African government and civil society in this regard. ****************************************** Events http://www.digitalopportunity.org/events/ ****************************************** World Information Technology Forum -- WITFOR 2003 http://www.witfor.lt Tue 26 August 2003 - Fri 29 August 2003 Vilnius, Lithuania The goal of WITFOR is to prepare and help implement information development strategies and projects in the developing countries. This unique visioning conference will convene leading thinkers from around the world to discuss information and communication technology as a transforming force and to explore the possibilities, promises, and perils of our networked world. It is targeted to politicians and senior officials responsible for information development from both the developing and industrialized nations, representatives of non-governmental organizations, representatives of inter-governmental organizations, and business leaders. Nonprofits and NGOs work the web www.icohere.com/wiredorg Tue 16 September 2003 - Fri 19 September 2003 Online: http://www.icohere.com/wiredorg/ This four-day online conference will bring together leading practitioners from organizations on the forefront of using the web to further their nonprofit and NGO missions. Through interactive, mixed media presentations and discussions participants will learn about new approaches to improve online communication and community, share ideas and network with presenters and participants. International Conference on Communities and Technologies http://www.feweb.vu.nl/C&T2003/ Fri 19 September 2003 - Sun 21 September 2003 Amsterdam, Netherlands More and more, the relationship between communities and technology is a topic of major research interest. The C&T conference serves as a forum for stimulating and disseminating research into all facets of communities and information technology. | Digital Opportunity Channel http://www.digitalopportunity.org | | Promoting Digital Opportunities for All | | Editor: Kanti Kumar | ========== HURIDOCS-Tech listserv ========== Send mail intended for the list to <huridocs-tech@hrea.org>. 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