[WSIS CS-Plenary] Re: [startup] RE: startup post from gurstein@adm.njit.edu requires approval

Prof. Alex (Sandy) Pentland pentland at media.mit.edu
Wed Apr 19 20:07:14 BST 2006


I suggest that you confine your comments to specific people and STOP 
SPAMMING THE ENTIRE LIST!!!  Have you no manners at all????

Sergei, if this is going to turn into a forum for loudmouths to spam 
honest people please remove me from the list.


Prof. Alex (Sandy) Pentland, MIT

Gurstein, Michael wrote:
> Mr. Kambalov,
>  
> Yes, you are correct and my apologies for misreading your original 
> message... Since it was sent through the "(GA) Startup" e-list I too 
> hastily took it that the message was referring to the Global Allliance. 
>  
> However, I should say that even in such areas as "C.11 International and 
> regional cooperation", that is developing "requests for international 
> cooperation and assistance on infrastructure development projects", 
> "public-private partnerships", and "preparation and implementation of 
> national action plans" those involved would be well advised and would 
> find the outcomes of their actions to be more realistic, useful and 
> sustainable if those at the grassroots most directly involved in 
> implementing these initiatives on the ground were to be included in 
> their design.
>  
> One of the clear findings from research that we are currently conducting 
> in Canada on the implementation of community based technology 
> initiatives http://www.cracin.ca is rhat there is frequently a deep 
> mismatch between the design of these initiatives and the realities on 
> the ground and how this directly interferes with the achievement of the 
> goals of the investments being made and dare I say, leading quite 
> directly to "skepticism, suspicion or mistrust... " on the part of those 
> working in the field attempting to make these programs effective.
>  
> Best,
>  
> MG
> 
>     -----Original Message-----
> 
> 
>          
> 
> 
>     From: sergei kambalov [mailto:kambalov at un.org]
>     Sent: April 18, 2006 9:33 PM
>     To: Gurstein, Michael
>     Cc: gta at vancouvercommunity.net; plenary at wsis-cs.org;
>     startup at unicttaskforce.org
>     Subject: RE: startup post from gurstein at adm.njit.edu requires approval
> 
> 
>     Mr. Gurstein,
>     I am very glad that we are on the same page on really important things.
>     I am a bit confused with the last two paras of your message: you
>     seem to be talking about the Global Alliance for ICT and
>     Development. However, the meeting that our original message referred
>     to will be on a quite different subject, namely on the
>     implementation of Action Line 11 of the Geneva Plan of Action of WSIS.
>     In our message we say that the objective of this first meeting will
>     be to discuss how coordination among diverse stakeholders should be
>     done and what it should cover. The context of this discussion is the
>     outcomes of WSIS, and there is a link to relevant document in the
>     message. If there is anything else that this notice should address,
>     please let me know and we shall work on it.
>     Regarding, on the other hand, the GLobal Alliance the inaugural
>     meeting is planned for 19-20 June in Kuala Lumpur. As soon as the
>     tentative programme for this meeting is done, it will be shared with
>     potential participants and finalized on the basis of their comments.
>     At the moment, we do not have the programme yet.
>     Please let us know if we could bring more clarity.
>     Best regards.
>     Sergei Kambalov, Chief
>     ECOSOC and Interorganizational Cooperation Branch
>     Office for ECOSOC Support and Coordination/DESA
>     United Nations, New York
>     Tel:  (212) 963-4751
>     Fax:  (212) 963-7454
>     Email:  kambalov at un.org
> 
> 
>     "Gurstein, Michael" <gurstein at adm.njit.edu>
> 
>     18/04/2006 12:57 PM
> 
>     To
>     "sergei kambalov" <kambalov at un.org>
>     cc
>     <plenary at wsis-cs.org>, <startup at unicttaskforce.org>,
>     <gta at vancouvercommunity.net>
>     Subject
>     RE: startup post from gurstein at adm.njit.edu requires approval
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>     Dear Mr. Kambalov,
>      
>     Thanks for replying to my note...
>      
>     And I agree with you that we should not give in to skepticism,
>     suspicion or mistrust...
>      
>     I think we all agree that the use of ICTs can and should contribute
>     to the achievement of the MDG's and I think further we are all in
>     agreement that unless those working with ICTs on the ground to
>     support local social and economic development are included in these
>     processes very little can usefully be achieved.
>      
>     The challenge remains how to do that, including I should say, in the
>     issue areas that you have identified as being the subject of the
>     upcoming Geneva meeting.
>      
>     Certainly we all recognize financial and other resource limitations
>     on the part of the UN (just as the UN should recognize financial and
>     resource limitations on the part of its presumed interlocutors).
>      One way of ensuring that skepticism and mistrust doesn't enter into
>     responses to initiatives from and through the Global Alliance would
>     be for example, to publish in advance the agenda for meetings such
>     as this one, indicate the linkage between the discussions in such
>     meetings and the broader structural/operational decisions and
>     decision processes of the GA, and making available opportunities for
>     broader participation/responses to those agenda items as for example
>     through the use of email lists such as this one.
>      
>     I should say that I very much appreciate your candid and pointed
>     response to my note and I look forward to the opportunity of
>     continuing this dialogue concerning operational and structural
>     matters concerning the GA with you and others within the Global
>     Alliance in the future.
>      
>     Yours sincerely,
>      
>     Michael Gurstein
>     -----Original Message-----
>     From: sergei kambalov [mailto:kambalov at un.org]
>     Sent: April 18, 2006 4:32 PM
>     To: Gurstein, Michael
>     Cc: plenary at wsis-cs.org; startup at unicttaskforce.org
>     Subject: Fw: startup post from gurstein at adm.njit.edu requires approval
> 
> 
>     Dear Mr. Gurstein,
>     First of all, thank you for noticing my silly mistake in re-typing
>     the text of the Tunis Agenda: of course it should be "public/private
>     partnerships". Thank you!
>     Second, the message of late yesterday sent to, among others, Renate
>     was supposed to be followed today by requests to her and others to
>     tell us who else from the civil society should be invited. So, thank
>     you, once more, for helping us disseminate this news and the
>     invitation. Please spread the word!
>     BTW, I did not see Renate's message to which you refer in your message.
>     Now, on a more important subject. I am expressing my own PERSONAL
>     opinion here, but I take a strong exception to your statement that
>     this consultation is "simply another means to perpetuate existing
>     closed door exclusionary processes".
>     We strongly believe that we must use ANY opportunity to build
>     bridges and ensure engagement of all who care about spreading the
>     wonders of information revolution. We in the ICT Task Force have
>     been trying very hard to do this, by all means at our disposal, and
>     any honest observer has to acknowledge that we were at least
>     partially successful in promoting inclusiveness.
>     We all know that many actors, primarily those from the civil
>     society, do not have the means to participate physically in all
>     events. This is why our consultations on the Global Alliance took
>     almost TWO years, with multiple physical meetings in conjunction
>     with all relevant events, PLUS virtual discussions.  
>     What would you like us to do in this particular case - pay for
>     everybody who want/should be present in Geneva? You know full well
>     that we in the UN do not have the money. Does it mean that we should
>     not use the opportunity presented by the Information Week in Geneva
>     to gather as many participants as we possibly can in one room?
>     This will be the first in a series of consultation on Action Line
>     11. In addition to this physical meeting, there will be a web-based
>     forum.
>     I think we all should focus on ways to promote inclusiveness and
>     engagement. There is too much skepticism, suspicion and mistrust
>     already, so let us try to move forward together, even if in small -
>     but practical, realistic and sustainable - steps.
>     Best regards,
>     Sergei.
> 
>     Sergei Kambalov, Chief
>     ECOSOC and Interorganizational Cooperation Branch
>     Office for ECOSOC Support and Coordination/DESA
>     United Nations, New York
>     Tel:  (212) 963-4751
>     Fax:  (212) 963-7454
>     Email:  kambalov at un.org
>     ----- Forwarded by sergei kambalov/NY/UNO on 18/04/2006 08:40 AM -----
>     startup-owner at unicttaskforce.org
>     Sent by: mailman-bounces at unicttaskforce.org
> 
>     18/04/2006 07:23 AM
> 
> 
>     To
>     startup-owner at unicttaskforce.org
>     cc
>     Subject
>     startup post from gurstein at adm.njit.edu requires approval
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>     As list administrator, your authorization is requested for the
>     following mailing list posting:
> 
>       List:    startup at unicttaskforce.org
>       From:    gurstein at adm.njit.edu
>       Subject: FW: [startup] Consultations on Action Line 11 of WSIS
>       Reason:  Post by non-member to a members-only list
> 
>     At your convenience, visit:
> 
>       http://www.unicttf.org/mailman/admindb/startup
>          
>     to approve or deny the request.
> 
>     ----- Message from "Gurstein, Michael" <gurstein at ADM.NJIT.EDU> on
>     Tue, 18 Apr 2006 07:22:15 -0400 -----
>     To:
>     <plenary at wsis-cs.org>
>     cc:
>     <gta at vancouvercommunity.net>, <startup at unicttaskforce.org>
>     Subject:
>     FW: [startup] Consultations on Action Line 11 of WSIS
> 
> 
> 
>     Further to Renate's note of yesterday please see the below...
>      
>     I'm wondering if it might be possible, on behalf of the Plenary to
>     reply to this "invitation" that a stakeholder "consultation" "to
>     discuss ways to enhance collaboration among diverse stakeholders in
>     ensuring effective multi-stakeholder implementation, at the
>     international level, of the outcomes of WSIS as regards
>     international and regional cooperation" held for 3 hours in a
>     meeting room in Geneva is not a "consultation" but simply another
>     means to perpetuate existing closed door exclusionary processes
>     since only those already available in Geneva or with the requisite
>     budgets to attend in Geneva for such a meeting will have an
>     opportunity to participate.
>      
>     Those without such resources who will, I assume, include most of
>     those (including their representative organizations and "caucuses")
>     with the most direct and immediate interest in "information
>     exchange, creation of knowledge, sharing of best practices, and
>     assistance in developing multi-stakeholder and policy/private (sic?)
>     partnerships" as the sources and originators and ultimately end
>     users of such knowledge will be excluded from participation.
>      
>     MG
>      
>     -----Original Message-----
>     From: startup-bounces at unicttaskforce.org
>     [mailto:startup-bounces at unicttaskforce.org] On Behalf Of sergei kambalov
>     Sent: April 18, 2006 12:23 AM
>     To: shoji.nishimoto at undp.org; Amir Dossal; Aida Opoku-Mensah; Joao
>     Carlos FERRAZ; Mansour Farah; aw.khan at unesco.org;
>     arthur.levin at itu.int; Georg Kell; richard.manning at oecd.org;
>     walter.fust at deza.admin.ch; astrid.dufborg at sida.se;
>     guy.sebban at iccwbo.org; amiller at itaa.org; rbloem at ngocongo.org;
>     bruck at research.at; rrogers at giic.org; mfleeton at dgfoundation.org;
>     grossda at state.gov; doris.bertrand at bmaa.gv.at;
>     mission.tunisia at ties.itu.ch; mission.pakistan at ties.itu.ch;
>     mb at hq.unu.edu; Marcel BOISARD; wendy.mann at fao.org;
>     bridge at unicttaskforce.org; advisors at unicttaskforce.org;
>     startup at unicttaskforce.org
>     Cc: Guido Bertucci; max-henri.cadet at itu.int; Makane Faye; Omar
>     Bizri; Nikhil Chandavarkar; charles.geiger at itu.int; Haiyan Qian;
>     Harry.De-Backer at cec.eu.int; Guennady Fedorov;
>     michael.roeskau at cecd.org; Hans Hansell; masood.hatiif at gmail.com;
>     Gerolf.Weigel at deza.admin.ch; john.dryden at oecd.org;
>     raul.zambrano at undp.org; Patrizio Civili; david.benfield at fao.org;
>     Denis Gilhooly; rinalia at gkps.org.my; radhika.lal at undp.org; Gherardo
>     Casini; ayesha.hassan at iccwbo.org; smelhem at worldbank.org; Martin
>     HILBERT; konstantinova at icnm.net
>     Subject: [startup] Consultations on Action Line 11 of WSIS
> 
>     Dear colleagues,
> 
>     We are pleased to invite you to attend a first consultation that
>     DESA, in its capacity of "provisional focal point" for facilitation
>     of Action Line 11 of the Geneva Plan of Action of the World Summit
>     on the Information Society, will convene on 15 May 2005  in Salle
>     XXV of the Palais de Nations, Geneva. The meeting will be open to
>     all relevant stakeholders. The exact time of the meeting (most
>     probably in the afternoon) will be communicated later.
>     This meeting, convened in line with paragraph 108 of the Tunis
>     Agenda for the Information Society, will provide an opportunity to
>     discuss ways to enhance collaboration among diverse stakeholders in
>     ensuring effective multi-stakeholder implementation, at the
>     international level, of the outcomes of WSIS as regards
>     international and regional cooperation. The other facilitators for
>     this Action Line are the Regional Commissions, UNDP, ITU and UNESCO.
>     As stated in paragraph 110 of the Tunis Agenda, "the cordination of
>     multi-stakeholder implementation activities would help to avoid
>     duplication of activities. This should ionclude. inter alia,
>     information exchange, creation of knowledge, sharing of best
>     practices, and assistance in developing multi-stakeholder and
>     policy/private partnerships". We hope that at the forthcoming
>     meeting, interested stakeholders will present their proposals on
>     optimal modalities for this work, bearing in mind the specific
>      tasks under Action Line 11 (see paragraph 26 of the Geneva Plan of
>     Action here:
>     http://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-s/md/03/wsis/doc/S03-WSIS-DOC-0005!!MSW-E.doc).
> 
>     We look forward to a productive discussion.
>     Best regards,
> 
>     S. Khan, Director, Office for Ecosoc Support and Coordination
>     Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations
>     ----- Message from startup-request at unicttaskforce.org on Unknown -----
>     Subject:
>     confirm ce8d7f9656fa40ed4d6a236d75d1d374df62f35b
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
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