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<p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b><font face="Arial"
size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial;
font-weight: bold;">Open Consultation:
Expression of Views on Venue for WSIS Forum 2011</span></font></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font color="black" face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size:
12pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Dear WSIS
Stakeholder,</span></font> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p><font color="black" face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size:
12pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">WSIS Forum 2010,
which marked the fifth
anniversary of the World Summit on the Information Society,
was a successful
event and gathered unprecedented number of participants. You
can find details
on the WSIS Forum 2010 webpage</span></font> <a
href="http://www.itu.int/wsis/implementation/2010/forum/geneva/"><font
face="Arial"><span style="font-family: Arial;">http://www.itu.int/wsis/implementation/2010/forum/geneva/</span></font></a><font
color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-family: Arial;
color: black;">, they
include: the final executive briefing, interviews, video
clippings and webcast
of the event.</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><font color="black" face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size:
12pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">ITU, UNESCO, UNCTAD
and UNDP are pleased to
announce that the WSIS Forum 2011 will be held from 16<sup>th</sup>
to 20<sup>th</sup>
of May 2011 (</span></font><a
href="file:///%5C%5Cwww.wsis.org%5Cforum"><font face="Arial"><span
style="font-family: Arial;">www.wsis.org/forum</span></font></a><font
color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-family: Arial;
color: black;">). The year
2011 paves the way for the path beyond the halfway point
between the successful
conclusion of the WSIS in 2005 and 2015, the year by which
world leaders are
committed to attain the internationally agreed development
goals, including
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and WSIS targets. We need
to redouble our
efforts in the implementation of the decisions with the
determination to meet
our own commitments. </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><font color="black" face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size:
12pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Taking into account
the above mentioned
considerations, several WSIS Stakeholders suggested holding
the WSIS Forum <st1:metricconverter productid="2011 in"
w:st="on">2011 in</st1:metricconverter> New York. It was
considered that WSIS Forum <st1:metricconverter
productid="2011 in" w:st="on">2011 in</st1:metricconverter>
New York would offer several opportunities for
further improving the WSIS process and would help: a) enlarge
the geographic
reach of the discussions on the implementation of the WSIS
decisions b) enhance
visibility of ICT debates in UN diplomatic circles of NY;
which may result in
better reflection of this aspect in the relevant UNGA
resolutions concerning
economic, social, educational and cultural development,
particularly in the
least developing countries, land-lock countries c) attract new
stakeholders,
including international organizations, private sector and
civil society
organizations active around the UN in New York, d) enhance
participation of NY
based organizations, including, UNDP, UNDESA, UNICEF, UNOCHA
and others in WSIS
implementation and follow-up process. It should be noted that
the move of
the event to NY may entail some logistical challenges for
organizers and may
add to travel and visa expenses for participants. </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><font color="black" face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size:
12pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">In this context,
building upon discussions
during the last WSIS Action Line Facilitators Meeting (14 May
2010) at WSIS
Forum 2010, the organizers are pleased to invite all WSIS
Stakeholders to
participate in an</span></font><b><span style="font-weight:
bold;"> </span></b><b><font color="black" face="Arial"><span
style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-weight: bold;">Open
Consultation</span></font></b><font color="black"
face="Arial"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black;"> to</span></font><b><span
style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></b><b><font color="black"
face="Arial"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black;
font-weight: bold;">exchange their views on
moving the venue of the WSIS Forum from Geneva to New York</span></font></b><font
color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-family: Arial;
color: black;">. </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><font color="black" face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size:
12pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">The multi-stakeholder
on-line consultation will
take place in three phases: </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<ul type="disc">
<ul type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal" style=""><b><font color="black"
face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;
font-family: Arial; color: black; font-weight: bold;">Phase
One</span></font></b><font color="black" face="Arial"><span
style="font-family: Arial; color: black;"> 10<sup>th</sup>
August – 10<sup>th</sup> September 2010: Online
discussions at </span></font><a
href="http://www.wsis-community.org"><font face="Arial"><span
style="font-family: Arial;">www.wsis-community.org</span></font></a><font
color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-family:
Arial; color: black;"> </span></font><o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<ul type="disc">
<ul type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal" style=""><b><font color="black"
face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;
font-family: Arial; color: black; font-weight: bold;">Phase
Two</span></font></b><font color="black" face="Arial"><span
style="font-family: Arial; color: black;">: 12<sup>th</sup>
September 2010: Deadline for submitting official
statement at </span></font><a
href="http://www.wsis.org/forum"><font face="Arial"><span
style="font-family: Arial;">www.wsis.org/forum</span></font></a><font
color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-family:
Arial; color: black;"> </span></font><o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<ul type="disc">
<ul type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal" style=""><b><font color="black"
face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;
font-family: Arial; color: black; font-weight: bold;">Phase
Three</span></font></b><font color="black"
face="Arial"><span style="font-family: Arial; color:
black;">: 13<sup>th</sup> – 14<sup>th</sup> September:
Analysis of submitted official statements </span></font><o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<ul type="disc">
<ul type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal" style=""><b><font color="black"
face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;
font-family: Arial; color: black; font-weight: bold;">Final
Announcement of Results</span></font></b><font
color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-family:
Arial; color: black;">: 15<sup>th</sup> September 2010 </span></font><a
href="http://www.wsis.org/forum"><font face="Arial"><span
style="font-family: Arial;">www.wsis.org/forum</span></font></a><font
color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-family:
Arial; color: black;"> </span></font><o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
</ul>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 72pt;"><font face="Times
New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<font color="black" face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size:
12pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Your views are
important to us. Please seize
this opportunity and advise the organizers on your opinion not
later than 12<sup>th</sup>
of September 2010 at </span></font><a
href="mailto:wsis-info@itu.int"><font face="Arial"><span
style="font-family: Arial;">wsis-info@itu.int</span></font></a>
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