NEWSROOM: E-FLASH: ARCHIVES: E-FLASH
#12 - 5 DECEMBER 2003
Negotiations Continue for WSIS
A High Level Resumed session of PrepCom-3 will take place on the 5 and 6 December 2003 at the Palais des Nations to finalize a common vision expressed in a Declaration of Principles and Plan of Action for the Information Society. All stakeholders are welcome to participate. The new versions of the
Declaration of Principles and Action Plan
from PrepCom3 resumed session will serve as the base for these negotiations.
ITU launches the First Digital Access Index to implement the WSIS Action Plan The Digital Access Index provides a transparent and globally measurable way of tracking progress towards improving access to ICTS. In addition to measuring infrastructure, it measures the overall ability of individuals to access and use ICTs through new criteria like literacy levels and affordability. The index was developed as part of the 2003 World Telecommunication Development Report, which will be published to coincide with the first phase of WSIS to be held in Geneva, 10-12 December 2003. Heads of State and Government Commit to WSIS
More than sixty Heads of State and Government have confirmed their participation in the first phase of the World Summit on the Information Society in Geneva (10-12 December 2003) with more than 8000 delegates from government, intergovernmental organizations, civil society, the private sector and the media. Participants are invited to visit the list of speakers during the Plenary of the Summit. To see the list, please click
here (link will be available as of 6
December). Please, note that the list will be updated every hour during the Summit.
Call for Partnerships
The WSIS Executive Secretariat is placing an open call to organizations from all sectors participating in the Summit to forward information regarding partnership initiatives to be announced during the course of the Summit in official WSIS communications, including Summit press releases and backgrounders, as well as the WSIS website. If you plan to announce partnership initiatives during the Summit, or have recently done so as part of the Geneva preparatory phase, please send a short description and/or press release with contact information at:
wsis.partnerships@itu.int For the
guiding principles, please click here.
08 Dec 2003 - 09 Dec 2003 The Role of Science in the Information
Society, sponsored by CERN will review the prospects that present developments in science and technology offer for the future of the Information Society.
09 Dec 2003 – 12 Dec 2003
The World Electronic Media
Forum, bring together the world's media leaders in Geneva from 9 to 12 December 2003 to highlight the essential role of media and the contribution of broadcasters in shaping the world of tomorrow.
09 Dec 2003 – 13 Dec 2003 ICT for Development Platform, (ICT4D) aims to enrich the political core segment of the WSIS by showcasing the development dimension of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in a unique multi-stakeholder gathering. It will take place in Hall 4 at
Palexpo.
10 Dec 2003
A series of one hour workshops, roundtables, press activities and launches on "Youth
Day", will take place in Hall 2 Room S of Palexpo, covering such diverse themes of importance to youth in the Information Society as labour, human rights, e-learning, digital solidarity, and linguistic diversity.
ITU Partnership Agreements Signings at WSIS
ITU’s commitment to delivering the WSIS Action Plan will begin on the first day of the Summit in a series of signing ceremonies to deliver access of ICTs for all. Partners include UNESCO, World Bank, UNDP, Cisco, Government of India, Bhutan, Turkey, the Canadian International Institute of Telecommunications who will participate in signing ceremonies at the ITU stand in Hall 2 during the Summit. These partnerships with ITU are an important step towards the implementation of the WSIS Plan of Action to bridge the digital divide between developed and developing countries.
'ICT for Development, What Works, What Does Not Work'
The Information for Development Program,
infoDev, and the State Secretariat of Economic Affair
(SECO) will organize jointly in Geneva on Dec 9 and 10, 2003 a Symposium on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for Development. This event will bring together global leaders from the public and private sectors to explore the theme such as Network Competitiveness, Mobilization of Private Investment, Capacity Building through SMEs, and Network Security and Affordability. For the complete agenda and for registration, please click
here
It’s A Knowledge World: A student’s Vision of the Information Society
More than 1400 children from 25 countries participated in the WSIS Poster Competition, organized by the World Summit of the Information Society in collaboration with the United Nations Cyberschoolbus. Young students enrolled in Primary and Secondary School where asked to convey their vision of an information society and how ICTs can improve our quality of life. The winning posters will be displayed in an exhibition outside the media center in Hall 2, Palexpo. For the full entries, please click here.
Information Links
Information for summit participants, note on roundtables, time management plan, agenda for the Summit and other documents for the Geneva phase of the Summit are available here.
Media accreditation has begun for WSIS. For the form and for information on the required documentation, click
here. For the media logistic guide containing media information on the services and facilities provided to journalists in the media centre, please click
here.
Call for partnerships: If you plan to announce partnership initiatives during the Summit, forward this information regarding partnership initiatives to
wsis.partnerships@itu.int
