campaigns

25.11.2004 Participants at the first Round Table on Community Media and Sustainable Development held in Marrakesh have recommended a development fund for community radio in Africa. The Declaration of Marrakesh proposes a stronger partnership between civil society and donor agencies to support community media initiatives.

10.11.2004 Join a petition urging African governments to ratify a protocol that guarantees significant rights to women in the continent. The petition can be signed online and by sending a text message or email.

09.11.2004 The information technology ministry of Pakistan has invited comments on its draft broadband policy. Academicians, policymakers, IT experts and individuals can email their views to broadbandpolicy@moitt.gov.pk.

13.10.2004 The Manthan Award, an initiative of Digital Empowerment Foundation along with others, will attempt to recognise and award the best e-Content practices in India. Three winners are going to be selected from each of the eight themes identified for the Award. The winners will subsequently be promoted through road shows and nominated to the international award of the World Summit Award to be held in Tunis in 2005.

05.10.2004 The Open Knowledge Network (www.openknowledge.net), an initiative in Pondicherry promoting creation and exchange of local information through ICT tools, is expanding its reach to other parts of India. OneWorld South Asia aims to identify two hub organisations in northern India that would participate in the project for five months (test phase) and as full-fledged hubs for at least a year. Interested organisations should send proposals by October 6, 2004.

30.09.2004 Communications Rights in the Information Society (CRIS) has released its vision of the information society and invited people to join the campaign. It says civil society organisations should come together to build an information society based on transparency, diversity and social and economic justice.

24.09.2004 The Pan Asia ICT R&D Grants Programme has announced the October 2004 competition round for ICT R&D grant applicants from the Asia Pacific region. Entries can be sent by 10 October 2004 on R&D in innovative ICT applications, research on internet infrastructure design, social impact of ICT policies and other areas of work.

13.09.2004 The One World Broadcasting Trust welcomes applications to the 2004 One World-British Council Fellowship scheme. We welcome senior radio and tv broadcasters from developing world countries in the Commonwealth to participate. Fellows will meet with leading figures within the UK media to discuss issues affecting media practitioners. Deadline is Friday 17 September.

03.09.2004 Applications are invited from Pacific Island countries for 20 grants to develop open source software applications. The USP-IOSN (International Open Source Network) Microgrant Programme for Pacific Island Countries will accept entries till 30 September 2004.

02.09.2004 Bridges.org along with other organisations are going to hold a meeting on 8 th September to prepare a civil society input for the draft ICT Empowerment Charter of South Africa, to be presented to the Government soon. Written communication can be sent to ICTpolicy@bridges.org.