Return-Path: <nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id hB8MEEm07166; Mon, 8 Dec 2003 17:14:14 -0500 (EST) Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2003 17:14:14 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.20031208171357.00a6b948@mail.psnyc.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Mariann Fedele <mariannf@lacnyc.org> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-TECHNOLOGY:3072] internet governance X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Light Version 3.0.6 (32) Status: O Content-Length: 2860 Lines: 63 Good day all, The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS is a UN initiative http://www.itu.int/wsis/index.html ) is going to be held in Geneva from December 10-12, 2003. I was just reading over the Advanced Draft Plan of Principles. The opening papargraph struck me by virtue of how consistent it is with many of the principles upon which many of us (including many on this list) approach adult literacy and language education. It follows: Document WSIS/PC-3/DT/6 Rev 2-E 8 December 2003 Original: English [Draft Declaration of Principles[Note: The whole document is in square brackets]Building the Information Society: a global challenge in the new Millennium A. Our Common Vision of the Information Society 1. We, the representatives of the peoples of the world, assembled in Geneva from 10-12 December 2003 for the first phase of the World Summit on the Information Society, declare our common desire and commitment to build a people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society, where everyone can create, access, utilize and share information and knowledge, enabling individuals, communities and peoples to achieve their full potential in promoting their sustainable development and improving their quality of life, premised on the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and respecting fully and upholding the Universal Declaration of Human Rights A recent thread on this list serv was dedicated to student web sites. These types of activites seem like the spirit of the above statement lived out. Many of us have promoted participatory, project based and civic participation oriented approaches to education as a means to enable our students to reach their full potential, to effect positive change in their communities and to exert influence over the social, political and cultural landscape that we occupy. This should certainly serve as a fortification. I suppose the challenge may be, in the particular climate we are working in nationally, to use a broad vision, like the one above, to advocate for the means to conduct the type of work which will advance it. Also of interest to many of you may be one of the more contentious issues developing at the WSIS around the future of internet governance. A US sponsored non-profit, ICANN, has traditionally played a leading role in internet governance. There is some pressure to have that oversight moved to or be balanced by an international body. The below articles discuss this issue. Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A42753-2003Dec7.html NY Times http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/08/technology/08divide.html All the best, Mariann Mariann Fedele Coordinator of Instructional Technology Literacy Assistance Center 32 Broadway 10th Floor New York, New York 10004 212-803-3325 mariannf@lacnyc.org www.lacnyc.org
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