AW: [WSIS CS-Plenary] the Internet Governance debate

[Wolfgang Kleinwächter]

Thank you Tracey for your clear words, patience, guidance and leadership.
 
Best
 
wolfgang
 
 

________________________________

Von: plenary-admin at wsis-cs.org im Auftrag von Tracey Naughton
Gesendet: Mo 28.02.2005 15:45
An: plenary at wsis-cs.org
Betreff: [WSIS CS-Plenary] the Internet Governance debate




This is not a matter of who should have done what, nor what learning
resources can be posted to the less knowlegable.  PrepCom 2 has been
characterised by specialist debate intersecting with new participants
from a very wide range of insert points. I have heard written output
from PrepCom 2 referred to as 'manipulative', 'mediocre' and 'mush',
none of which have contextualised or coped with the reality of the
second phase which has involved new participants who have as much right
as anyone to be there.

While the specialists have been getting on with the work, which in
itself is a lot to do, others have been developing caucus responses,
often in enlarged caucuses, from positions that reflect familiar
terrain more than one that is resourced with specialist information.
This is not a matter to be ashamed of, or annoyed about. Its a
challenge and an opportunity. It wold be best if we can move the debate
to a more informed level before the next PrepCom....

Everyone wants an information society that is humane, accessible and
managed by people entrusted to do so, but not everyone knows what a
root server or an IXP is, or  who governs the internet now or why ICAAN
wants to control root servers or what would happen if the ITU did. That
is the environment we are in. This is a challenge and an opportunity.

Some will choose to lobby from a position of knowledge, leaving many
still wondering who governs the internet. Others will choose to develop
awareness and bring WSIS participants, from all stakeholder groups into
the debate. Both strategies, and many more, are appropriate and
necessary.

There are ways and other ways of imparting knowledge and developing
awareness. This is an area that calls for careful thought and skilled
development of appropriate materials and their delivery, perhaps using
existing resources. Karen Banks responded to calls for a learning phase
and undertook at the last Content and Themes meeting of PrepCom 2. and
undertook to give this situation the serious thought that it deserves
and needs. She will raise the need for knowledge development in WGIG
and find a way to develop a process that will enahnce knowledge and
move toward a workshop at Prep Com 3, where people can hear a diversity
of opinions, from a more informed basis.

I have lived in two continents in the developing world for most of my
life and I know that sustainable changes cannot occur without shared
information and that it is better to go slower and arrive safely than
speed along leaving the pedestrians and donkey cart drivers behind.
There is a Xhosa word, Zibonele, that means to walk together, at the
same pace. There is a philosophy called Ubuntu that means that we only
exist in relation to each other. These are among my reference points.

Tracey






Tracey Naughton
NYAKA
Communication for Development Consultant
201 Somerset hall
239 Oxford Road
Illovo     2196
South Africa

landline & fax: +27 (0) 11 880 5030
cell / mobile:  +27 (0) 82 821 1771
email:          tracey at traceynaughton.com


Tracey Naughton
NYAKA
Communication for Development Consultant
201 Somerset hall
239 Oxford Road
Illovo     2196
South Africa

landline & fax: +27 (0) 11 880 5030
cell / mobile:  +27 (0) 82 821 1771
email:          tracey at traceynaughton.com
skype:          tracey_naughton

_______________________________________________
Plenary mailing list
Plenary at wsis-cs.org
http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/plenary