The WSIS Forum 2010

The ITU, UNESCO, UNCTAD and UNDP are jointly sponsoring the WSIS Forum 2010 scheduled to be held from 10 to 14 of May 2010 at the ITU Headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland. This event builds upon the tradition of annual WSIS May meetings, and its new format is the result of open consultations with all WSIS Stakeholders.

The Forum will offer participants a series of diverse interactions, including high-level debates addressing critical issues to the WSIS implementation and follow-up in multi-stakeholder set-ups, WSIS Action Line facilitation meetings, thematic workshops, kick-off meetings for new initiatives and projects, knowledge exchanges facilitating networking among the participants, and others. The forum will provide structured opportunities to network, learn and to participate in multi-stakeholder discussions and consultations on WSIS implementation.

Keep Updated Through IFAP

Providing access to information about projects that could improve people's lives around the world is more essential now than ever as global policy debates intensify. The Information for All Programme (IFAP) seeks to provide such a venue; it is the only intergovernmental program that solely focuses on promoting widespread access to information and knowledge for development.

Created in 2000 by UNESCO, the IFAP database provides information regarding over 500 projects whether funded or unfunded. Also, you can find out more about IFAP's history and objectives as well as its plan for the future as it seeks to more closely work with governments and international organizations in the coming years. Its database is well worth examining as IFAP seeks to truly expand the global knowledge society. Find the database:

Here

The MAP-IT Project

MAP-IT-MED.EU is the official website under the MAP-IT! project – (Knowledge Mapping of IT competencies in the Mediterranean region and dialog fostering) and is funded by the European Commission under the FP6 IST Program. UNESCO is one of the partners in the project.

The project aims to highlight the opportunities for research collaboration in ICT between Europe and the Mediterranean region with a specific focus on the following MED partner countries: Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon Morocco, Palestinian Authority, Syria, Tunisia.

New Director of UNESCO's Information Society Division

Miriam Nisbet, an information law expert from the USA, has just taken office as Director of UNESCO's Information Society Division. Ms Nisbet succeeds Elizabeth Longworth, of New-Zealand, who now heads the Office of UNESCO’s Director-General.

With a Doctor in Law (University of North Carolina, USA, 1977) and a B.A. in History (University of North Carolina, USA, 1971), Ms Nisbet was Staff Attorney at the National Association of Attorneys General in 1977/1978 and then worked for the US Department of Justice from 1978 to 1994 where her last position was Deputy Director of the Office of Information and Privacy.

She worked at the National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, from 1993 to 1999 where she first occupied the post of Special Assistant to the Archivist of the US and then Special Counsel for Information Policy. Since 1999 she has been Legislative Counsel at the American Library Association.

In addition, Ms Nisbet was a member of the US Delegation to The Hague Conference on Private International Law, of the American Bar Association and of the American Law Institute; she was also President of the American Society of Access Professionals and a member of its Board of Directors.

The Information Society Division is one of the three Divisions of UNESCO’s Communication and Information Sector, that is led by Abdul Waheed Khan.

The Internet and Foreign Affairs

The fall meeting of the National Academies' Computer Science and Telecommunications Board will feature two speakers exploring the Internet and foreign affairs:

• Jarret M. Brachman, Director of Research, Combating Terrorism Center, U.S. Military Academy and
  
• Ambassador David A. Gross, U.S. Coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy, U.S. Department of State.

The talks will start at 3 pm with coffee available at 2:30. A reception will follow the speakers at 5 pm.

October 2, 2007

The Keck Center of the National Academies
Room 100
500 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.

The organizers request that those planning to attend register in advance.

Click here to view the meeting announcement.

UNESCO's communication and information program has been stimulating the expansion of access to the Internet in developing nations, emphasizing access by the poor. It has been even more active in efforts to assure that there was content on the Internet and its World Wide Web that served the needs of poor people and poor nations. UNESCO was one of the two United Nations sponsors of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). Thus U.S. policy towards UNESCO is an important element in our overall foreign policy towards the Internet, cyberspace, and the development of the information society.

Ethics and human rights in information society

13-14 September 2007, Strasbourg

A European regional meeting on the ethical dimensions of the information society is being organized by the French Commission for UNESCO in cooperation with UNESCO and the Council of Europe. It will be the third of a cycle of regional UNESCO conferences on the ethical dimensions of the information society, and a contribution to the implementation of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and to the Internet Governance Forum.

The purpose of this meeting will be to discuss and identify the issues considered to be priorities for the European region and to raise stakeholders’ awareness of the ethical issues of information and communication technologies and usages. It will also aim at making a contribution to the UNESCO code of ethics project that was elaborated and discussed during the two previous regional conferences and also in reaching conclusions and operational recommendations intended for all stakeholders.