[WSIS CS-Plenary] Re: suggestion for WSIS opening speakers
Bill McIver
mciver at albany.edu
Mon Oct 13 01:04:39 BST 2003
All,
My € 0.02 (or $0.02):
Thank you Amir for offering to work on this.
I too would like us to explore the idea of inviting Mrs. Ebadi.
The reasons Amir gives are all very good.
I think the next step though should involve a dialogue of sorts
(e.g. through Amir) between the Plenary and Mrs. Ebadi.
I believe a few people voiced concern over what she might say in
WSIS as a representative of CS and as (we assume) a non-expert in
IT policy.
* One does not give someone like Mrs. Ebadi a script.
+ I think Amir's idea of a briefing paper is good, but we also need
to hear what ideas she has.
- And we should want her for her own ideas, not to read ours.
There are two contexts in which WSIS CS society could benefit
from her participation:
1. information society issues, and
2. a discussion of the role of NGOs in these kinds of processes.
I think the concern over her assumed lack of background to speak to
information society issues is narrow.
* Even if she is a non-expert in IT,
I would be surprised if she does not have well developed opinions on
the broad issue of the potential roles AND threats of ICTs in society.
+ It could be good to hear the independent perspective of someone outside
of WSIS CS on these questions.
- We should ask her about this.
I think her greatest potential gift for WSIS CS -- even if she says
NOTHING about IT --
could be in pushing for a more meaningful participation of CS in WSIS
and ostensibly multistakeholder UN processes in general.
* I don't know of a better type of person we could ask for for this
purpose.
- We should ask her about this.
Thanks,
WJM
west Asia wrote:
>Dear all
>
>Thanks for your comments on my suggestion for inviting Mrs.Ebadi for being
>one of the WSIS speakers, I just proposed her as she is human rights
>activist, she is a women, she's Muslim, she's form Iran( you may remember
>the position of the country during the prepcom 3), she is a member of many
>NGOs in Iran and a civil society activist, answering to the question of does
>she knows anything about information society, I will strongly say yes,
>because the whole prepcom 3 was a blow due to the issue of human rights, the
>whole information society is a sub-issue of human rights principles and
>please again remember which countries were against it? I hope you remember.
>
>We are really unhappy on WSIS process due to its results, why? because some
>governments slow down the process because of human rights and right to
>access information! so our speaker should be a person with focus on human
>rights, information access and dignity of human beings, who's better than a
>human rights activist or Nobel peace winner? we could prepare a paper for
>her or any other speaker and discuss it before reading.
>
>I am just making a suggestion that a nominee for the speakers could be her,
>the choice is given to UNSG or ITU SG, but I need to know what is the
>process? and how we should act? who should be contacted in this regard?
>maybe CS secretariat could help.
>
>I am in contact with her, and if CS is happy with the suggestion I could ask
>her, but firstly we should know the process and the formal way of
>recommending speakers to UNSG. And please anyone has better ideas, please
>share it with us or try to find better nominees for this reason , its much
>wiser than saying yes or no.
>
>Regarding Al's suggestion for moderating discussions during the wsis or
>online, I am totally happy to cooperate.
>
>Thanks
>
>Amir
>
>CSB member
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Robert Guerra" <rguerra at privaterra.org>
>To: "John R. Gagain Jr." <j.gagain at funglode.org>
>Cc: <bureau at geneva2003.org>; <plenary at wsis-cs.org>;
><louise.lassonde at ties.itu.int>
>Sent: Sunday, October 12, 2003 11:14 PM
>Subject: RE: suggestion for WSIS opening speakers
>
>
>
>
>>i think we need to define the process on how to invite speakers for hte
>>spots. just saying one person is good - is not a good precident to set.
>>
>>does anyone know if the nobel winner knows anything about information
>>society? is there anyone who can get in touch with her so that we can see
>>a. if she is free, b. if she would be willing to express the message from
>>the cs working on the summit, c. will put forward a message developed by
>>cs itself, and not one of her own views.
>>
>>would i would hate to see happen is the episode we saw with the mexican
>>fewllow at pc3. we do not want to be upstaged, not lose the unique
>>oppoortunity we have at hand.
>>
>>which is why i thiunk a process is so imporetant.
>>
>>regards
>>
>>Robert
>>
>>On Sun, 12 Oct 2003, John R. Gagain Jr. wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>>Amir,
>>>
>>>You have my vote. I think she would be ideal and a great representative
>>>
>>>
>of
>
>
>>>civil society.
>>>
>>>John
>>>
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>From: bureau-request at geneva2003.org
>>>[mailto:bureau-request at geneva2003.org]On Behalf Of west Asia
>>>Sent: Saturday, October 11, 2003 10:12 AM
>>>To: plenary at wsis-cs.org
>>>Cc: bureau at geneva2003.org; louise.lassonde at ties.itu.int
>>>Subject: suggestion for WSIS opening speakers
>>>
>>>
>>>Dear CS Plenary Members
>>>
>>>
>>>Thank you all for your emails reagrding the Iranian winner of the noble
>>>peace prize, I received some very good proposals form many civil society
>>>members for inviting Mrs.Ebadi (the recent winner of Noble prize for
>>>
>>>
>peace)
>
>
>>>for the WSIS and CS plenary, I will ask her definitely and I also have
>>>
>>>
>a
>
>
>>>better Idea, as you know for the inauguration speech of WSIS there are 3
>>>speakers and one from CS, Louise told us to give them names to be
>>>
>>>
>informed
>
>
>>>to ITU secretary general for final selection, I hereby strongly advice
>>>
>>>
>to
>
>
>>>ask Mrs.Ebadi to be the CS speaker after Kofi Annan. It is very
>>>
>>>
>legitimate
>
>
>>>as she is a human rights advocate and recent noble winner and a true and
>>>active member of civil society especially in difficult conditions of
>>>
>>>
>Iran,
>
>
>>>If you also agree and support, I will speak with her.
>>>
>>>Louise: could you please advise me on the process?
>>>
>>>Best regards
>>>
>>>Amir Barmaki
>>>Tehran
>>>
>>>----- Original Message -----
>>>From: "Neshat Saeid" <saeidneshat at yahoo.com>
>>>To: <plenary at wsis-cs.org>
>>>Sent: Saturday, October 11, 2003 2:22 PM
>>>Subject: RE: [WSIS CS-Plenary] Noble peace prize
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Dear Amir and Dear Izumi,
>>>>
>>>>I share your feelings. For me, as an Iranian, it is
>>>>really a great news !
>>>>
>>>>I am just sending you a very short text about her.
>>>>
>>>>Best
>>>>Saeid N. Neshat
>>>>
>>>>=========================
>>>>Dear friends,
>>>>
>>>>I am so happy that Shirin Ebadi, an Iranian woman won
>>>>Nobel Peace Prize. She really deserves it. I just
>>>>wanted to share my feelings with you.
>>>>
>>>>For your information, I just wrote the following lines
>>>>for you.
>>>>
>>>>Human rights activist Shirin Ebadi won the 2003 Nobel
>>>>Peace Prize on Friday - 10 October 2003 - for her work
>>>>fighting for democracy and the rights of women and
>>>>children, the first woman and the first Iranian to
>>>>receive the accolade.
>>>>
>>>>"By honoring Shirin, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has
>>>>recognized the critical importance of human rights and
>>>>the individuals who defend them around the world,"
>>>>Amnesty International said.
>>>>
>>>>Born in 1937 in Hamdan in Iran - Shirin Ebadi finished
>>>>her BA in law and started her carrier as a judge in
>>>>1965 and continued to be a judge until 1969. She has
>>>>been the first woman to be a judge in history of
>>>>Judiciary in Iran. In 1983, she became a lawyer and
>>>>has published so many papers in different journals.
>>>>
>>>>Ms. Ebadi is well known for her work on children's and
>>>>women's rights. She founded the Society for Protection
>>>>of Children's Rights in 1993 and has published many
>>>>books among them we can name the following titles:
>>>> - Children's Rights, 1988
>>>> - Medical Law, 1989
>>>> - Small Children, 1990
>>>> - Refugees' Rights, 1992
>>>> - Tradition and Modernity in Iran's law, 1994
>>>> - Comparative Children Rights, 1997
>>>>
>>>>Shirin Ebadi was honored by Human Rights Watch in 1997
>>>>and has got the prize for human rights monitors. She
>>>>won also a prize by Alzahra University for his book on
>>>>"Children Rights".
>>>>
>>>>Ms. Shirin Ebadi was awarded the 2001 Rafto Prize in
>>>>recognition of her sustained fight, over many years,
>>>>for human rights and democracy in Iran. In particular,
>>>>her efforts have focused on strengthening the legal
>>>>status of women and children.
>>>>
>>>>Saeid N. Neshat (human rights activist - Iran)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>--- Izumi AIZU <izumi at anr.org> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>---------------------------------
>>>>That's a great news, Amir. Congratulations!!
>>>>
>>>>Is there any possibility for the Civil Society plenary
>>>>to invite herto
>>>>join WSIS under Civil society umbrella? I think that
>>>>will addthe
>>>>interest and significance significantly.
>>>>
>>>>izumi
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Web:http://www.funglode.org
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From:
>>>>plenary-admin at wsis-cs.org[mailto:plenary-admin at wsis-cs.org]OnBehalf
>>>>Of westasiaregion at hotmail.com
>>>> Sent: Friday, October 10, 2003 5:15 PM
>>>> To: bureau at geneva2003.org; Planery WSIS
>>>> Subject: [WSIS CS-Plenary] Noble peace prize
>>>> Importance: High
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Dear Civil Society members
>>>>
>>>> I am honored to inform you that Mrs.Shirin Ebadi
>>>>form the society forprotection of children rights in
>>>>Iran and the human rights activist and agood friend of
>>>>us has been elected as NOBLE PEACE PRIZE winner
>>>>of2003.
>>>>
>>>> I congratulate all human rights activists and
>>>>member of civil societyin and out of Iran.
>>>>
>>>> Best regards
>>>>
>>>> Amir Bamaki
>>>> Iran
>>>> West Asia Region Focal Point
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: Amir A Angha
>>>> To: aaangha at yahoo.com
>>>> Sent: Friday, October 10, 2003 7:25 PM
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Hello Everybody,
>>>> Shirin Ebadi, an Iranian human rights activist, won
>>>>the 2003 NobelPeace Prize. please check the following
>>>>links. have a wonderful day!
>>>> AAA
>>>>
>>>> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3181428.stm
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=3592563&fromEm
>
>
>>>ail=true
>>>
>>>
>>>> Do you Yahoo!?
>>>> TheNew Yahoo! Shopping - with improved product
>>>>search
>>>>
>>>> >>> Izumi Aizu <<<
>>>> Asia Network Research
>>>> www.anr.org
>>>> GLOCOM /Institute for HyperNetwork Society
>>>> << Writing the Future ofthe History
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>>_______________________________________________Plenary
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>mailing
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>listPlenary at wsis-cs.orghttp://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/plena
>
>
>>>ry
>>>
>>>
>>>>__________________________________
>>>>Do you Yahoo!?
>>>>The New Yahoo! Shopping - with improved product search
>>>>http://shopping.yahoo.com
>>>>_______________________________________________
>>>>Plenary mailing list
>>>>Plenary at wsis-cs.org
>>>>http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/plenary
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>_______________________________________________
>Plenary mailing list
>Plenary at wsis-cs.org
>http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/plenary
>
>
--
Bill McIver
Assistant Professor
School of Information Science and Policy
University at Albany, State University of New York
Albany, New York 12222
USA
e-mail: mciver at albany.edu
URL: http://www.albany.edu/~mciver
More information about the Plenary
mailing list