Overabundance Versus Deficiency

While California legislates against the overabundance of emails (spam), and the record producers express their strong disapproval of music downloads, developing countries are trying desperately to appropriate the tools they need to access the very network that diffuses them. On the one hand, overabundance, security hitches and intellectual property issues; on the other hand, deficiency if not total absence.

Tools affording undisputed and indisputable usefulness become arrogant or downright agressive when improperly used, but the fact remains that the world is changing and that the knowledge society can no longer function without these new technologies. It is in this world of contradictions that the first meeting of the World Summit on the Information Society will be staged in Geneva at the beginning of December.

On this occasion, the FIAM will represent its member associations, the SMEs of the multimedia and interactive content production industry, in a section reserved for the private sector and overseen by the International Trade Centre (ITC).

Several have already predicted a failure similar to that recently suffered by the WTO in Cancun. Maybe they’ll prove to be right. However, we believe that after three PrepComs (Prepcom 3 will be resuming its hearings in mid-November to complete its task) and regional conferences held on several continents, and following several versions of the Action Plan and the Declaration of Principles, it is more likely that good will will prevail over stasis. We believe that the 15,000 or so participants and the 185 Heads of State to be represented have the duty to reach a successful conclusion in the shape of a formal commitment regarding the inclusion of all parties in the information society.

The FIAM will do its part by carrying out projects in collaboration with the associations and other bodies active on the international scene. The Fédération will launch this initiative by organizing a gathering for the associations in the framework of the ICT4D platform at Palexpo on Tuesday, December 9, at 1:30 p.m. The FIAM will take this opportunity to present its projects and seek the participation of the associations concerned. The associations wishing to present their group and their initiatives during the WSIS with a view to obtaining the support of partners are encouraged to reserve a slot in the timetable by calling the secretariat of the FIAM. This is an excellent opportunity to establish or renew contacts with associations from all over the world. We are expecting you in great number.

André G. Côté, Director-general

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FIAM at Gitex 2003: the high-tech world might still be reeling from unfavourable economic conditions but one would not have noticed it at the bustling Gitex 2003 in Dubai, UAE (October 19-23).
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The third PrepCom of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) will reconvene in Geneva, November 10-14, since the national delegations have not managed to iron out during PrepCom 3 in September 2003 the texts of the Declaration of Principles and the Action Plan.
(Read more)

On the Youth WSIS side, many initiatives have been put together by the Youth Creating Digital Opportunities group (YCDO). YCDO was formally established in February 2003 and its membership is a coalition of voluntary youth organizations committed to achieving an interesting set of principles and objectives related to ICT development.
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Following on its initial 2002 Arab Human Development Report that addressed the most important development challenges facing the Arab world at this moment in history, the United Nations Development Program published very recently a second report (out of four) examining one of those challenges, namely building a knowledge society in Arab countries.
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Intellectual property and SMEs: the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Association for Small and Medium Enterprises (WASME), hosted a four-day workshop in Geneva (October 6 to 9, 2003) on the use of intellectual property as a tool for business development.
(Read more)

Internet uptake in OECD countries: this organization’s most recent Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard revealed interesting data regarding Internet penetration in the thirty member economies.
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Broadband Driving Growth: such is the title of another OECD question and answer document coming out from the study-prolific Directorate for Science, Technology and Industry Paris-based organization.
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Canada
Can you make money peddling digital content on the Internet? The question was thrown to several dozen experts and business people at a Montreal meeting organized by Quebec-based multimedia association, Alliance Numériqc. October 21, 2003. Basically it is possible, seem to say most participants, but not at any cost.
(Read more )

Europe
Member association European Multimedia Forum (EMF) is gearing up for a three day training course, November 26-28, targeted at small and medium businesses interested in developing international business expansion strategies and plans. (Read more )

France
One year after its inception, it is time to evaluate the results and uses of the digital public spaces (DPS) of the Pays de Monbéliard, in the Franche-Comté region and they are are more than satisfactory.
(Read more )

Tunisia
The Multilingual Internet names consortium (MINC) is holding its annual conference on the 25-26 October, in Carthage, Tunisia, taking advantage of ICANN’s own meetings October 27-31 in the same city.
(Read more )

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