[WSIS CS-Plenary] Fwd: World Summit on the Information Society - A Summit of Solutions for ICT Development

[Tracey Naughton]

 	Media Advisory

Telephone:	 +41 22 730 6039
Fax:	 +41 22 730 5201
E-mail:	 wsismedia at itu.int
Website:	 www.itu.int/wsis/tunis/newsroom/

World Summit on the Information Society - Tunis Phase
16-18 November2005, Tunis, Tunisia
A Summit of Solutions for ICT Development


Geneva, 1 November 2005 - With the World Summit on the Information  
Society (WSIS) set to begin in Tunis in just two weeks' time, the  
global spotlight is now on strategies to bridge the digital divide  
and harness the power of information and communication technologies  
(ICTs) to spur progress towards the Millennium Development Goals.

WSIS is expected to welcome some 10'000 participants from UN  
agencies, governments, the private sector and civil society, including:

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan
Heads of state, heads of government and political leaders from more  
than 45 countries
National delegations from more than 120 nations worldwide
Top-level executives from over 200 companies including Alcatel,  
Ericsson, France Telecom, Google, Huawei, Infosys, Intel, KDDI,  
Microsoft, Nokia, NTT DoCoMo, Skype, Sun Microsystems, Telefónica,  
WorldSpace and others
Senior representatives from leading ICT development organizations  
including Development Gateway, the Grameen Foundation, the MS  
Swaminathan Foundation and Telecoms Sans Frontières, along with a  
huge range of civil society entities
World-class Plenary speakers including Mr Craig Barrett (Chairman,  
Intel Corporation), Mr J.N. Cho (CEO, SK Telecom), Mr Jean-Philippe  
Courtois (President, International, Microsoft), Ms Shirin Ebadi (2003  
winner of the Nobel Peace Prize), Dr Robert E. Khan (co-inventor of  
the Internet's TCP/IP protocol suite), Mr J.B. Levy (CEO Vivendi  
Universal), Mr Didier Lombard (CEO, France Telecom), Mr Masao  
Nakamura (CEO, NTT DoCoMo), Professor Nicholas Negroponte (Chairman,  
MIT Media Lab), and Mr Serge Tchuruk (CEO, Alcatel).
Go on "Virtual Assignment" and cover WSIS online

Journalists are urged to accredit for WSIS even if they are unable to  
travel to Tunis to attend the Summit in person.

That's because, in line with the Summit's theme of promoting the use  
of ICTs, the WSIS 2005 Summit Newsroom (http://www.itu.int/wsis/tunis/ 
newsroom/index.html) will allow journalists to go on "virtual  
assignment" to Tunis in four languages, providing almost  
instantaneous access to a range of WSIS information services including:

downloadable high-resolution photos of all the action, available  
within minutes
daily Event Highlights and press releases
live webcasts of all Summit Plenary sessions, Roundtables, High Level  
Panels and press conferences held in the WSIS Media Centre
access to key ITU ICT statistics and a wealth of background articles
privileged access to key ITU reports on the shape of the global and  
regional ICT industry.
Summit Highlights

Alongside the three days of Plenary sessions, highlights of Phase 2  
of WSIS will include:

The launch of the $100 laptop machine developed by MIT's Media Lab,  
which will serve as the cornerstone of the One Laptop Per Child  
global development initiative. The new machine will be unveiled at  
event hosted by the Media Lab's Professor Nicholas Negroponte, UN  
Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Mrs Nane Maria Annan
The ITU Connect the World Roundtable, featuring around 20 top-level  
representatives from government, the private sector and civil  
society, including EU Information Society Commissioner Vivianne  
Reding, CEOs and chairmen from leading global IT players including Mr  
N.R. Murthy of Infosys, ICT development pioneer Professor M. S.  
Swaminathan, and Mr Noah Samara of WorldSpace, along with heads of UN  
agencies and leaders of ICT-oriented civil society organizations
The launch of a ground-breaking new ITU report, The Internet of  
Things, at a media panel debate featuring senior technical gurus from  
Alcatel, KDDI, Microsoft, Nokia and Sun Microsystems
The ITU High-Level Panel, featuring ICT ministers from India, Mexico  
and the Republic of Congo, top level representatives from the  
European Commission, the Grameen Foundation and the Korea Agency for  
Digital Opportunity and Promotion, and senior executives from Nokia,  
Sentech and Skype
a programme of around 300 Parallel Events featuring presentations and  
debates by WSIS participants on topics central to the development of  
tomorrow's Information Society
a 10'000m2 ICT4All exhibition, which will showcase the activities of  
more than 100 NGOs and private sector enterprises, focusing on  
developing and Least Developed Countries.
Concluding negotiations

The resumed session of PrepCom-3 will take place at Kram Palexpo,  
Tunis, from 13-15 November 2005, just ahead of the opening of the  
Summit.

This session of PrepCom-3 is expected to finalize all working  
documents of the Summit. Key agenda items include:

Internet governance
Financing mechanisms
WSIS follow-up and implementation
Further information on arrangements for the resumed PrepCom-3 can be  
found athttp://www.itu.int/wsis/preparatory2/pc3/index.html#re.

Since space will be severely limited, journalists wishing to attend  
this event should contact the ITU Media Office without delay to  
reserve a place. Owing to lack of facilities in the meeting room, no  
live webcast will be possible.

Media Accreditation

Official media accreditation is compulsory to attend the Summit and/ 
or resumed PrepCom-3. Details of the accreditation procedure and an  
online accreditation form can be found at www.itu.int/newsroom/ 
accredit/wsis/2005/prepcom/procedure.html.

All journalists intending to cover the World Summit on the  
Information Society and/or PrepCom-3 are strongly advised to complete  
their accreditation before arriving at the Registration and Badging  
Centre. While onsite accreditation is possible, it is likely to  
entail very lengthy processing delays.

Journalists will be able to collect their Media badges from Friday,  
11 November 2005 at the WSIS Registration and Badging Centre,  
Boulevard du Leader Yasser Arafat, a few kilometres from Kram Palexpo  
and accessible by free direct shuttle from Tunis Carthage airport.  
Opening hours are 08:15 - 21:00, from 11 November - 18 November  
inclusive. When collecting their badges, pre-accredited journalists  
should ensure they have with them their letter from ITU confirming  
their accreditation, together with an internationally recognized  
photo identification document (passport or national identity card).

In addition, audio-visual journalists such as professional  
photographers and camera crews must obtain a temporary import permit  
for their equipment. Details can be found at: http://www.itu.int/wsis/ 
tunis/newsroom/import.html .

Those already accredited for PrepCom-3 in Geneva do not need to  
reapply, but will need to collect a new badge from the WSIS  
Registration and Badging Centre.

For further information about the World Summit on the Information  
Society contact:

Ms Sarah Parkes,
Chief, Media Relations,
ITU,
Tel: +41 22 730 6135,
Email	Mr Sanjay Acharya
Communication Officer
WSIS Executive Secretariat
Tel: +41 22 730 5046
Email



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