Digital inclusion
The 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 government regarding the safety of journalists and human rights’ campaigners. Utsumi also announced that over 300 parallel even...
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 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.
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 internet costs is an important priority, underlined in a set of recommendations from the APC made to the WSIS stresses.
Under the incredulous eyes of the participants at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), journalists and human rights defenders were manhandled, insulted, and then violently beaten. APCNews reports from Tunis.
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 WSIS are in full swing. Green plants are being transported in numbers and transplanted on roadsides and important squares, large picture...
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.
Here’s some information about GenderIT.org coverage planned for the 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.
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 internet governance. Meanwhile, here’s the website for the Citizens’ Summit on the Information Socie...
APC will be producing two APCNews/APCNoticias specials direct from WSIS and for the first time, original content in French. Watch our for our trilingual English-Spanish-French blogs!
APC member in rural Nigeria, Fantsuam Foundation, has recorded yet another first in rural ICT programmes. Earlier this year, Fantsuam launched a VSAT facility which provides the first rural-based internet access in Kaduna State, if not in Nigeria. APCNews talked to Fantsuam’s director, John Dada, about the impact the new internet satellite connection is having on the community and the Fou...
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