[WSIS CS-Plenary] Opening ceremony speaker

Fri Nov 7 05:38:15 GMT 2003

A personal suggestion, how about - J. Rifkin ?

"Jeremy Rifkin, president of the Foundation on Economic Trends, is the author of sixteen books on the impact of scientific and technological changes on the economy, the workforce, society, and the environment.  His books have been translated into more than twenty languages and are used in hundreds of universities around the world.  His 1995 book, The End of Work, is an international bestseller that is widely credited with helping shape the current global debate on technology displacement, corporate downsizing and the future of jobs.  His 1998 bestseller, The Biotech Century, addresses the many critical issues accompanying the new era of genetic commerce and is the most widely read book in the world on the biotech revolution.  Mr. Rifkin’s 2000 bestseller, The Age of Access, explores the vast changes occurring in the capitalist system as it makes the transition from geographic markets to e-commerce networks and from industrial to cultural production. 

  In his newest book, The Hydrogen Economy, published in September 2002, Rifkin takes us on an eye-opening journey into the next great commercial era in history.  He envisions the dawn of a new economy powered by hydrogen that will fundamentally change the nature of our market, political and social institutions, just as coal and steam power did at the beginning of the industrial age. 

              Mr. Rifkin holds a degree in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and a degree in international affairs from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.  Rifkin is an advisor to heads of state and government officials around the world and speaks frequently before business, labor and civic forums.  He has also lectured at more than 500 universities in some 20 countries in the past 30 years.  Since 1994, Mr. Rifkin has been a fellow at the Wharton School’s Executive Education Program, where he lectures to CEOs and senior corporate management from around the world on new trends in science and technology and their impacts on the global economy, society and the environment.  Mr. Rifkin’s monthly column on global issues appears in many of the world’s leading newspapers and magazines, including the Los Angeles Times in the U.S., The Guardian in the U.K., Frankfurter Allgemeine in Germany, Espresso in Italy, El Pais in S
 pain,
 and Le Monde in France. 

  Rifkin has been influential in shaping public policy in the United States and around the world.  He has testified before numerous congressional committees and has had consistent success in litigation to ensure responsible government policies on a variety of environmental, scientific and technology related issues.  He has been a frequent guest on numerous television programs, including CNN’s Crossfire, Face the Nation, The Lehrer News Hour, 20/20, Larry King Live, Today, and Good Morning America.  The National Journal named Rifkin as one of 150 people in the U.S. that have the most influence in shaping federal government policy. "

Extract from his website http://www.foet.org/JeremyRifkin.htm  

He is not from the South but could he be a possible champion for CS issues in the global IS and can probably be briefed on N-S issues re: CS. 

A personal suggestion from Amali De Silva-Mitchell, Canada

              Michael Gurstein <mgurst at vcn.bc.ca> wrote:
I wonder if any of those proposing to have Stallman as the Opening
Ceremony Speaker have ever seen him speak. 

I have had the opportunity on several occasions, and I should say that
his mode of presentation, delivery and content is dare I say somewhat
"unusual", and perhaps not precisely what Civil Society might wish to
convey to the world, irrespective of the particular content of his
message.

Best,

MG

-----Original Message-----
From: plenary-admin at wsis-cs.org [mailto:plenary-admin at wsis-cs.org] On
Behalf Of Jeanette Hofmann
Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2003 2:13 PM
To: plenary at wsis-cs.org
Cc: hr-wsis at iris.sgdg.org
Subject: Re: [WSIS CS-Plenary] Opening ceremony speaker

On 6 Nov 2003 at 17:10, Meryem Marzouki wrote:

> My very personal point of view (not the HR caucus one, which has not
> yet discussed this issue) is that, if nominating a 5mn CS speaker for 
> the opening ceremony has any meaning (and I am not quite sure it has 
> one), we should avoid sectoral issues. And free software, though very 
> important, is one among many others.
> 
> So, if a speaker should be nominated, s/he should be _really_
> high-level, with a true vision, and speaking on _truly_ essential
issue.

I agree with Meryem's point of view and would like to add another one.
We 
need a person who is able to make herself understand and convey a 
message to a very heterogeneous audience. We need somebody who 
convinces people and doesn't put them off. I am not sure RS is the best 
choice for this task. 

Jeanette 
> 
> At this point, the best candidate in my opinion would be Aminata 
> Traoré
> (I assume there is no need to introduce her). She will be in Geneva, 
> for a Cardoso's Un High Level panel meeting, and I am not sure she 
> would accept to leave the panel for yet another speech related to
WSIS. 
> But it is worth trying to get her for the opening ceremony, too.
> 
> Meryem
> PS1. Ms Ebadi being unavailable at this time, since she's will be
> receiving the peace nobel prize.
> PS2. Even if Aminata Traoré cannot make it for the opening ceremony, I

> don't think Stallman could be the right person, for many reasons 
> already raised by othe people on this list.
> 
> 
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