[WSIS CS-Plenary] Fwd: e-Governance and Free Software: How They are Changing Developing Countries

[Rik Panganiban]

Interesting UNU event on Free Software in the Developing World on 16  
March in New York.

Rik Panganiban

Lousie Bergstrom <louise at ony.unu.edu> wrote:
Date: Wed, 01 Mar 2006 12:51:54 -0500
From: Lousie Bergstrom <louise at ony.unu.edu>
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: e-Governance and Free Software: How They are Changing  
Developing
Countries

Dear colleagues,

The United Nations University, Office at the United Nations New York
(UNU-ONY) and the UNU International Institute for Software Technology
(UNU-IIST), located in Macau, are hosting a panel-discussion on
*“eGovernance and Free Software: How They are Changing Developing
Countries”* on 16 March, 3.00pm – 6.00pm. The panel will discuss
UNU-IIST’s work in software technology for developing countries,
especially open source and “eGovernance” - how technology can enhance
government services.

Around the world open source software, softwa! re that is freely  
available
to use, modify and distribute by anyone, is gaining in popularity. While
this is good news for IT vendors in the developed world, there are low
numbers of open source programmers in the developing world. Should this
situation persist, developing nations will simply remain consumers of
open source products rather than participants in the larger open source
market. Being a "passive consumer" rather than an "active participant"
is not in a developing nation's best interest as both government and
business will miss out on what essentially is the power of open source:
/technological self-determination./

The panel will be comprised of:

- *Dr. Mike Reed, *Director, UNU-IIST.

- *Dr. Tomasz Janowski*, Research Fellow, UNU-IIST.

- *Mr. Scott McNeil*, General Manager, UNU-IIST’s Open Computing  
Initiative.

- *Mr. Michael Tiemann,* Vice President, Open Source Affairs, Red Hat.

UNU-IIST was established in Macau in 1992. Its mission is to help
developing countries strengthen their education and research in computer
science and their ability to produce computer software. UNU-IIST is an
institute for advance study, a center for post-graduate training, a
resource for curriculum development and the focal point for research and
development projects for software technology between the developed and
the developing countries.

**Following the panel, we invite you to a reception at the UNU Office (2
UN Plaza, 44^th Street, between 1^st and 2^nd Ave, 20^th floor, room
DC2-2060).

I look forward to seeing you on 16 March 2006. Please register online at
http://www.ony.unu.edu .

Sincerely,
Jean-Marc Coicaud, Head, UNU-ONY




=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
  Rik Panganiban             email: rikp at earthlink.net
  UN Reporting & Advocacy    tel: (+1) 917-710-5524
  Civil Society Organizer    web: http://rikomatic.com

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