This is sent from my friend in US, on WSIS meeting in
Central America, Caribean, Dominica.
Attached is Spanish agenda.
for your reference.
Thanks Steve and Daniel!
Things are still meshy in Asia, but working on.
izumi
>Date: Sun, 15 Dec 2002 08:20:09 -0800
>Subject: Fwd: wsis
>From: Steve Cisler <cisler@pobox.com>
>
>Since I asked my friend in DR about their WSIS meeting, I thought his
>answer might interest you.
>
>Steve
>Begin forwarded message:
>
>>From: Daniel Pimienta <pimienta@funredes.org>
>>Date: Sun Dec 15, 2002 7:48:04 AM US/Pacific
>>To: Steve Cisler <cisler@pobox.com>
>>Subject: Re: wsis
>>
>>Steve,
>>
>>There is another statement I made in a special of APC:
>>http://lac.derechos.apc.org/cdocs.shtml?x=7859
>>which can gave you the bottom line of my position.
>>
>>Obviously I have also mixed feelings.
>>
>>I have been a recurrent critic of those big meetings which remove a lot of
>>budgets from the field action andd where most of the time the outcomes is
>>prepared before the meeting. In that case also, the cost will be huge.
>>I'm not sure though that the outcomes are predictablen from any point of view.
>>
>>On the positive side:
>>- will put the ICT4DEV theme higher in the agenda while allowing us to make
>>points againts the oversimplified vision of the "digital divide".
>>- inside the civil society dynamics, I have been witness of a painful start
>>with people trying to "represent" civil society, considering this meeting
>>like another UN meeting and resisting the innovations that the ICT must bring
>>to such processes. However, I have seen a positive eveolution in the
>>last months
>>(and GCNP Montreal can be credited for this).
>>- the possibility (not wide, buy yet the possibility) to see field
>>people having
>>a chance to influence agendas.
>>
>>On the negative side:
>>- as I said much money wasted which could be better used for actions;
>>- an impression that USA politics resist to the concept and make alliance
>>with conservative countries (such as Pakistan) in order to block progresses;
>>- a feeling of chronic disorganization.
>>
>>Would some order emerge eventually form that chaos? I dont know but there are
>>spaces of confusion where new paradigm could emerge...
>>
>><Is the meeting in DR proceeding in ways you feel will be useful and inclusive?
>>No if we have to wait the organisers. Yes if we accept to seize opportunities.
>>We made contact with the head of Indotel to offer our collaboration.
>>Said yes and suggest to prepare together a previous meeting for Dominican
>>civil society. We accepted the opportunity (information society is NOT
>>yet in politic agenda). Then they made us follow their disorganisation,
>>changing
>>the date 3 times. The last we decided to politely drop them and follow
>>independantly the idea. We will have this meeting beginning of january
>>(8th and 9th).
>>If somebody is able to fund it on your side I would certainly be happy
>>to give you the floor (in Spanish?) for some presentation.
>>See the agenda attached.
>>
>>This meeting at this time could make us the economy of many public
>>relation actions to take leadership and start again moving projects
>>(since 1995, our projects are region wide with minimum impact locally).
>>
>>You got a long answer to a short question :-)
>>
>>Take care.
>
>
>Steve Cisler
>> Izumi Aizu <<
Asia Network Research
www.anr.org
&
GLOCOM /Institute for HyperNetwork Society
<< Writing the Future of the History >>
128_2.doc