[WSIS CS-Plenary] themes and speakers

[Jean-Louis FULLSACK]

Dear all
(second message, since I experience some trouble with my mailing system)

Sorry to disagree with Bertrand's key themes proposals : for me and for a lot of organizations participating to the WSIS process, the DIGITAL DIVIDE (even if this buzzword isn't reflecting the actual and much broader issues that DCs are facing) has to be put at our highest priority. As all those involved in the field (grassroot organizations) and in the domain (cs organizations and professionals from the sector) know, this issue to be adressed needs not a segmented approach -such as Bertrand's - but a realistic and holostic one, where financing is a kind of focal point. 
Furthermore and once again, I repeat what I stated (as far as Tracey allowed me to) during our plenaries at Geneva : CS doesn't need only speakers (we have some ones in the CS working groups as everybody could experience) : we need themes addressing the very issues on stake. And we do need to know HOW these themes are addressed ! At least an abstract of the statements and backgrounds for RT discussions are to be presented by all "CS speaking/participating candidates". At least if they want to speak on behalf of CS committed in the WSIS process. Otherwise they only express their own views which -apart from themselves- don't interest many people, and they waste OUR few and precious time slots.  
Best 
Jean-Louis Fullsack
CSDPTT - France




> Message du 05/10/05 13:20
> De : "Bertrand de La Chapelle" 
> A : plenary at wsis-cs.org
> Copie à : 
> Objet : [WSIS CS-Plenary] Plenary speakers in Tunis : why not focus on the themes ?
> 
> 
Dear all,

We knew this designation problem would happen and we are on the verge of being trapped into it. We must at all costs avoid getting further into an divisive discussion among ourselves, based on a sort of supreme right of each caucus to have a speaking slot. This cannot happen and we know it. 

So, how can we move forward ? (I only address here the question of Plenary Speakers - the question of the opening slot is a completely different matter)

There are three key elements/objectives to keep in mind :
- civil society should be recognized the right to designate who speaks on behalf of civil society in Tunis : this means it should demonstrate it can make such choices (otherwise, we'll be back to the Geneva situation and lose a critical opportunity)  
- civil society wants some key messages to be heard by governments and must be clear about what they are (ie : we should structure and prioritize them)
- civil society wants to put in practice as much as possible gender, geographic and competence balance in its representation

If I am not mistaken, the process we put in place during PrepCom3 led to the designation of 22 plenary speakers. But, even in the best case scenario, according to the documents circulated at the begining of the process, there will be a maximum of 14 or 15 civil society plenary speakers. And the executive secretariat will necessarily want to put a few people of its own. This means we need to shorten the list even further. So, at best, we will get 10 slots in the end. If civil society wants to be able to claim it chose its speakers and not leave it to the secretariat as last time, the best solution would be to : 
- ask for 10 slots we will allocate ourselves without interference from the Secretariat (establishing CS right to designate people who will speak on its behalf)
- choose ten key themes we want to put forward at the Summit (and define them collectively)
- select (ideally within the present list of nominees established by the selection Committte), a group of ten speakers able to carry these themes, respecting gender and geographical balance 

What could be the main priority messages for the Summit ? I propose we start with the following list of 10 themes and try to refine it further (themes are in no particular order) :
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