[Chapter-delegates] ISOC policy focus for 2006

[Alex Gakuru]

Hi Mathew, et al

Thanks, adding my suggestions: -

  1.. Extend ISOC education/involvement on SEINIT.org
(likely e-commerce
standards and their impact).
  2.. On linkages add New Partnership for Africa's
Development (NEPAD)
  c.. Encourage cross-borders chapters' interactions
activities.
  4.. Chapters to consider "Internauts Clubs"(vehicle
for a "Safe Internet
for Children"). Most appreciated:-
    1.. ISOC.il  (Etziony and Gilad 11/11 WSIS Plenary
posting)
    2.. Holy See on I.T. (fwd below)
----- Original Message ----- 

Sent: Friday, October 21, 2005 8:00 AM

Subject: Fw: [WSIS CS-Plenary] Holy See on I.T.

>
>
http://theschoolofmary.blogspot.com/2005/10/holy-see-on-it.html

>
>   Holy See on I.T.
>
>      Holy See's Address on Information Technologies
>      "The Right to Communicate Is the Right of All"
>
>      NEW YORK, OCT. 18, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Here is
the text of an
> address delivered by Archbishop Celestino Migliore,
the Holy See's
> permanent observer to the United Nations, last
Thursday before the
> U.N. General Assembly commission on "Questions
Relating to information."
>
>      Mr. Chairman,
>
>      The Holy See recognizes the right to
information and its
> importance in the life of all democratic societies
and institutions.
> The exercise of the freedom of communication should
not depend upon
> wealth, education or political power. The right to
communicate is the
> right of all. Freedom of expression and the right to
information
> increase and develop in societies when the
fundamental ethics of
> communication are not compromised, such as the
pre-eminence of truth
> and the good of the individual, the respect for
human dignity, and
> the promotion of the common good.
>
>      Furthermore, new technologies have an important
role to play in
> the advancement of the poor. As with health and
education, access to
> the wealth represented by communications would
certainly benefit the
> poor, as recipients of information to be sure, but
also as actors,
> able to promote their own point of view before the
world's decision
> makers.
>
>      Given the ever increasing ease of access to
information of every
> possible kind, the Holy See also stresses the need
to protect the
> most vulnerable, such as children and young people,
especially in the
> light of the increase of content featuring violence,
intolerance and
> pornography.
>
>      Perhaps the most essential question raised by
technological
> progress is whether, as a result of it, people will
grow in dignity,
> responsibility and openness to others.
>
>      In this context, the Holy See has set up a
unique continentwide
> initiative called the Digital Network of the Church
in Latin America
> ("Red Informática de Iglesia en America Latina" --
RIIAL) which
> promotes the adoption of digital technologies and
programs in media
> education, especially in poor areas. The success of
this project has
> drawn the attention of the Observatory for Cultural
and Audiovisual
> Communication in the Mediterranean and in the World
(OCCAM) and other
> international organizations. The Holy See also
supports the continued
> promotion of the traditional role of libraries and
radios in formation.
>
>      It is to be hoped that the Second Phase of the
U.N. World Summit
> on the Information Society (WSIS), to be held in
Tunis shortly, will
> lead to further concrete efforts to build a more
inclusive digital
> society which will reduce the widespread
"info-poverty." It would be
> well if a new dynamic were created which goes beyond
the political
> and commercial logic usually at play in these
fields.
>
>      My delegation believes that the Information
Society should be
> one endowed with the ability, capacity and skills to
generate and
> capture new knowledge and to access, absorb and use
effectively
> information, data and knowledge with the support of
information and
> communication technology. Already in society there
are many "agents
> of meaning" or "knowledge workers," such as the
family, schools, the
> state, opinion makers and leaders, not to mention
religious
> institutions.
>
>      Knowledge is essential in establishing presence
in the
> international marketplace, and is key to
>      participating in the global economy of which
the Internet is an
> increasingly important vehicle. Moreover, knowledge
should be
> recognized in its role in the development of
information and
> communication technology. At the same time, there is
a fundamental
> need to develop an ability to discern information
received, given the
> enormous sea of information available. This process
can flourish only
> where there is a recognized hierarchy of values.
>
>      Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
>
> --
> Robert Guerra <rguerra at privaterra.org>
> Director, Computer Professionals for Social
Responsibility (CPSR)
> WSIS Civil Society Bureau, Focal Point for North
America & Europe
> Tel +1 416 893 0377 Fax +1 416 893 0374

------------------------------
Seasons Best Wishes

Alex Gakuru


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