Ladies and gentlemen this is a pseudo-transcript of the proceedings of the Civil Society press conference held on November 15, 2005 (Tuesday) at 16:30. The second round of Source: APC ICT Policy Handbook and APC Annual Report 2005.">WSIS

has not even started yet but hearing the pronouncements below one would think that it is already over!

The Source: TechSoup Glossary and GenderIT.org">internet

should be more democratic and more international, says the WSIS’ chief organizer. More than 80% of the goals of WSIS have already been achieved, saysITU chief Yoshio Utsumi at his opening press conference for the summit’s currently-underway second phase in Tunisia. He however skipped answering whether ITU has communicated concern to Tunisia’s "state" in this glossary). As a general rule, "government" should not be capitalised.

Source: Wikipedia">government

regarding the safety of journalists and human rights' campaigners. Utsumi also announced that over 300 parallel events planned. Some 12,000 delegates are meanwhile in Tunis on the eve of the summit opening.

Took a cab to the Kram Palexbo, where the Summit and IT 4 All exhibition was happening[...] When we finally got to the site, we were stopped 5 times at "African journalists trained in how to communicate securely online" (APCNews and Toni Eliasz, 30 September 2004), Take Back the Tech! and APC Internet Rights Charter">security

checks at every turn of the road and I had to flash my registration card and a big smile to calm the security that I was indeed, a legitimate subject to attend this conference, accredited (somehow) and all.

Under the incredulous eyes of the participants at the World Summit on the Information Society (Source: APC ICT Policy Handbook and APC Annual Report 2005.">WSIS

), journalists and human rights defenders were manhandled, insulted, and then violently beaten. APCNews reports from Tunis.

En route to the promised global village, the information superhighway is plagued by poor access and high fares that the bulk of this planet simply cannot afford. Reducing international Source: TechSoup Glossary and GenderIT.org">internet

costs is an important priority, underlined in a set of recommendations from the APC made to the Source: APC ICT Policy Handbook and APC Annual Report 2005.">WSIS

stresses.

Maxigas -- a friend from Hungary -- and myself had the opportunity to go to the Tunis City Centre last afternoon, just to have a feel of the city and get to know a little more about Tunis. The atmosphere seemed quite festive, and preparations for the Source: APC ICT Policy Handbook and APC Annual Report 2005.">WSIS

are in full swing. Green plants are being transported in numbers and transplanted on roadsides and important squares, large pictures of the Tunisian President are installed everywhere, and even most of the banners also carry his pictures welcoming the WSIS delegates ;) But questions remain....

Might interest you: Inter-Press Service has this story U.S. Fights to Remain the Ultimate Webmaster which says that international efforts to break down the digital barriers facing the world's poor will backfire if governments fail to work out their differences on the issue of Source: Tunis Agenda for the Information Society">internet governance

. Meanwhile, here's the website for the Citizens' Summit on the Information Society (CSIS). It was launched on November 10.

Here's some information about GenderIT.org coverage planned for the Source: APC ICT Policy Handbook and APC Annual Report 2005.">WSIS

at Tunis in mid-November 2005. See details of what's expected via websites, blogs, RSS feeds and more, to keep cyberspace informed about what's emerging.

Some of APC's plans for reflecting what's happening at Tunis include its English and Spanish websites and a blog in French

These blogs aim to be a mix of indepth structured articles plus notes and comment from the APC team in Tunis, and anyone else who would like to write. It's open to the public to post items and comments, subject to posts being relevant to the theme.

APC will be producing two APCNews/APCNoticias specials direct from Source: APC ICT Policy Handbook and APC Annual Report 2005.">WSIS

and for the first time, original content in French. Watch our for our trilingual English-Spanish-French blogs!