From: "Maja Andjelkovic" <mandjelkovic@...>

Dear Colleagues,

Apologies if you have already seen the announcement
below. I thought that some of you would be interested in
participating in the discussion. The online forum is
part of a larger research project, through which eight
young researchers are taking different approaches in
answering the question ""What national information
society policy changes in [country X] would help to better
achieve the country's sustainable development goals
and strategies?"

The discussion opens on Monday, June 13. More details
follow, but if you have any further questions, I would
be very happy to answer them. I would also greatly
appreciate your help in disseminating the announcement.

With thanks and best wishes,
Maja

Maja Andjelkovic
Associate, Knowledge Communications
International Institute for Sustainable Development
Tel. +1-204-958-7700 | Email: mandjelkovic@...
http://www.iisd.org



***Solving the IS and SD Puzzle: A Forum to Explore
Links Between Information Society and Sustainable Development Policy
Development***

How can we harmonize the visions of the emerging
information society with the priorities articulated by the
Millennium Development Goals and the World Summit on Sustainable
Development?

From June 13-24, 2005, join eight researchers working
at the national level to identify the key convergence areas between
the Information Society and Sustainable Development policy making in
the Global South.

*Solving the IS and SD Puzzle* will gather practitioners, students,
academics, policy-makers and the general public in an
e-forum to examine local policy questions in the following areas:

1) ICT for Natural Resources and Environmental Protection
* What is the real, tangible impact of mobile connectivity to
environmental sustainability and pollution abatement? - Led by
Robert Sagun, Philippine Resources for Sustainable
Development, the Philippines
* What are some examples of effective use of geographic information
systems for coastal resource development? - Led by Amira Sobeih,
Sustainable Development Association, Egypt
* What economic and other incentives for innovation can be used in
the area of ICTs for environmental protection? - Led by
Wainaina Mungai, OneWorld International, Kenya

2) Participatory Frameworks: the Importance of Local Content and
Knowledge and Grassroots Voices in the IS and SD Debate
* How are linkages between IS and SD expressed by grassroots
voices? - Led by Anusha Lall and Atanu Garai, OneWorld South
Asia, India
* What are the key issues surrounding SD, ICTs and Local Content in
South Africa? - Led by Steve Vosloo, Empowerment for African
Sustainable Development, South Africa

3) Equity and Equality: Reducing Regional Disequilibria and
Prioritizing Equality as a Foundation Principle of the Information
Society
* Why are women a minority in many national IT sectors? - Led by
Margarita Salas Guzman, BELLANET LAC/Fundacion Acceso, Costa Rica
* How can the information society help to balance development and
reduce the regional disequilibria? - Led by Diogo Andre de
Assumpcao, Grupo Interagir, Brazil

The topics are varied, but our primary intention is to gather those
working around the issues through an interesting exchange, not to
find all of the answers to these questions. If in the meantime, we
do find some of the answers, then all the better. The results
of this research effort will be published in a book, which will be
launched at the Third Preparatory Committee Meeting to the World
Summit on the Information Society, in September 2005.

Whether your country is already represented in the research, or you
are bringing a new regional perspective, please join us as
we work to meet the need for harmonizing the work of policy-makers
in the areas of the Information Society and Sustainable Development.

To sign up to participate in the e-forum, just send a blank email to
join-issd@... or visit
http://lists.iisd.ca:81/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=issd.

To read messages online, please visit the forum archives at
http://lists.iisd.ca:81/read/?forum=issd.

For more information about the e-forum, or the wider
Information Society and Sustainable Development work undertaken by
the International Institute for Sustainable Development, please
visit the Next Generations Policy Research page at
http://www.iisd.org/networks/issd.asp or contact
Maja Andjelkovic at mandjelkovic@...