civil society & ICT

30.09.2003 The Benton Foundation, in conjunction with Bytesforall.org, La Sociedad de Información de las Américas and others, will host a free virtual conference on e-government and the digital divide during the first two weeks of November.

29.09.2003 The third and final preparatory conference (PrepCom3) for the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) demonstrated all the way through to its last sessions on Friday that the government representatives were communicating on different frequencies amongst themselves and with civil society. NGOs expressed their frustration that the draft texts for the summit -- the final declaration and plan of action -- ignore their demands.

25.09.2003 Il 24 settembre il Parlamento Europeo ha votato la normativa dei brevetti sul software o, meglio, sulle invenzioni attuate per mezzo di elaboratori elettronici. Una direttiva che aveva dato vita ad un movimento di opinione contrario in tutta Europa.

25.09.2003 Access to information and communications technologies (ICTs) is expanding but the majority of people in developing countries are still excluded, says APC in a new book launched last week in the run-up to the first ever United Nations world conference on the information society. The book is available for free download, in English, Spanish and French (PDF format).

24.09.2003 Mahiti from India provides simple and affordable information and communication technology services to the civil sector. It specialises in multi-platform, multi-lingual Web, intranet, multimedia and kiosk applications. Mahiti is building Give India, an online donation channel, in collaboration with the Give Foundation and Murray Culshaw Advisory Services.

23.09.2003 Human Rights in China (HRIC), the only organisation devoted exclusively to human rights issues in China, has been denied accreditation to the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) scheduled for Geneva in December. HRIC feels rejection of its application to attend WSIS raises serious concerns about transparency and legitimacy of this multilateral process.

23.09.2003 The World Forum on Community Networking (WFCN) has published the 2nd issue of Mosaic, a newsletter presenting a synthesis of civil society debates on the information society. Published in English, French and Spanish, it summarizes discussions held on a number of lists and sites from different cultural and linguistic perspectives.

16.09.2003 At the fifth meeting of the United Nations Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) Task Force in Geneva, UN Secretary-General Annan said that ICT should be used to improve the quality of life in developing countries.

15.09.2003 Microsoft has announced a USD $1 billion, five-year initiative to promote information technology skills worldwide through the work of community technology centers (CTCs).

15.09.2003 Mans Unides ha lanzado un nuevo portal solidario estructurado en dos grandes bloques: el periódico on-line Un Solo Mundo, con información sobre la realidad de los países del Sur, y la comunidad virtual Punto de encuentro, que tiene como objetivo fomentar las interrelaciones entre delegaciones, contrapartes, voluntarios y escuelas. La web, editada en catalán y castellano, incluye secciones de entrevistas en profundidad, galerías de fotos, proyectos, materiales didácticos y da especial importancia a los recursos multimedia. Ofrece diversos espacios de participación interactiva y la posibilidad de hacer donativos on-line.

15.09.2003 Mans Unides ha llançat un nou portal solidari estructurat en dos grans blocs: el periòdic on-line Un Sol Món, amb informació sobre la realitat dels països del Sud, i la comunitat virtual Punt de Trobada que té com a objectiu fomentar les relacions entre delegacions, contraparts, voluntaris, escoles… La web, editada en català i castellà, inclou seccions d'entrevistes en profunditat, galeries de fotografies, projectes, materials didàctics i dóna especial importància als recursos multimèdia. Ofereix també diversos espais de participació activa i la possibilitat de fer donatius on-line.

12.09.2003 Wired.org is a four-day international virtual conference (September 16-19, 2003) geared to non-profit and non-governmental organisations, socially responsible companies and educational institutions. Join leading professionals in learning how you can use the Web to achieve your non-profit missions and objectives.

10.09.2003 The second issue of i4d – a journal published in both print and on the Web – is now available. Published by the Centre for Spatial Database Management & Solutions in India, the journal in the current issue attempts to critically take up the problem of the viability of ICTs in rural environment.

09.09.2003 Kabissa has come out with an updated version of its highly successful ‘Time to Get Online’ self-learning materials for African civil society organisations. The materials help civil society activists and organisers to get online, learn the essential steps to success on the Internet and to integrate the Internet into their work. The toolkit is available online for free download and in print and CD-ROM version at a nominal cost.

08.09.2003 SANGONeT is organising its next Thetha (ICT discussion forums) on the theme of "Free and Open Source Software: Benefits & Challenges to Civil Society". Speakers will introduce the concept of free and open source software (OSS), discuss its relevance to civil society, and explore business and government positions on the issue. A practical demonstration of OSS will also be held.

05.09.2003 Campaigners have used almost every technique the Internet offers to raise awareness of the injustices that the present global trade regime perpetuates and to organize action to resist corporate globalization that places profit before people. Glen Tarman of the Trade Justice Movement traces the growth of online activism around trade issues.

02.09.2003 The Nayudamma Information Bank contains information about and provides easy access to technologies supported by IDRC - technologies from the South for the South. Providing contact names for all the technologies described, it is a way of sharing and updating information on technological advancements for international development.

01.09.2003 Submissions for the Global Junior Challenge 2004 are now being accepted. This year the award has introduced a new category: Women and equal opportunities. The other two main topics are: "The fight against the digital divide" and "The innovative use of new technologies in education and training of youngsters". Submit your project directly online at the Website or by e-mail at projects@gjc.it. Deadline for submissions: 31 March 2004.