9/18/2007

UNITAR 2007 Webseminar series Minutes


Preparatory Event for the Global Forum on Youth and ICT for Development, Sept.12nd. New York City, USA. UN Headquarters.

Event webpage: http://www.unitarny.org/en/ict_youth.html
(Ran: You could actually watch the recorded video on the web!)



1/ Keynote Speech
by Ms. Jennifer Corriero - ED of TakeITGlobal

Examples of Youth-led projects
Health
Environment
Household Wastewater Recycling - by Wu in China
Peace
Media - Nigeria
etc... // Ran: I can not write all down, plz refer to her slides, which could be found on the website provided above.

Introduction to TakingITGlobal, a Toronto-based NGO
a/ support and motivation
b/ networking and information
c/ mobilizing and organizing to real world action

cooperating with UN Millennium Campaign, UN Habitat

World Youth Congress in Quebec 2008 // Ran: Take a look and apply if you want.
International Aids Conference
GYCA - global youth coalition on hiv/aids
telecentre.org
digital divide network
National Information Youth Campaign
etc..

TakeITGlobal website: multi-linguistism - voluntarily translations, done by volunteers.

UNESCO - Language as Violence, Violence as Language

Creating local connections in West Africa

Problems addressed:
How to make sure the continuity of leadership, esp. when the youth aged out
A: The aged-out youth is kind of great resource for youth(later generations)


2/ Introduction of the GAID/ITU Global Forum in Geneva
by Mr. Sarbuland Khan - GAID

received thousands of application

visa, funding problems

Marketplace: various forms - open place// NGOs, Sponsors(like Google and Mircosoft etc.)




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## AFTERNOON ##
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Topic I: Decision-making and Empowerment
Speaker: Ms. Priscilla Neri, CDI New York

Introduction to CDI: Brazil based NGO

The most powerful catalyst of change is the technology.
100-dollar laptop, not about hardware - it's about access
training in technology and civic engagement

Initiatives took place in the country of Colombia
complete absence of state - slums
lack of infrastructure -- weird relationship between the community and the drag dealers(drag dealer sell drag to people who need medicine)

Committee for Democracy in Information Technology - is the communities decide which is important, rather than the guys in the CDI // comment by Ran: good modal!!

tons of success stories: "micro-revolutions" // Ran: I love this word!

the solutions worked out by the CDI communities, and these solutions could be replicated elsewhere. // Ran: but you need to adjust the modal to cater cultural, technological and political needs.

CDI initiated the first Computer donation project in Latin America // Ran: I think some of our fellows are working on equipment donation. Good example!

In Brazil, 77% NGOs don't have an employee
New project idea: train technicians(some kind of certificate) in those countries to refurbish the computers donated to the schools and NGOs, called the "Factory of our Home Project" // Ran: very interesting idea!!

computers are donated locally, NOT shipped from other countries...
the idea about donations from developed countries - custom laws and domestic IT industries make it quite infeasible. // Points from Mr. Peter Broffman from Intel: we could not influence custom laws, but we could influence custom officials. experience from Intel! // Ran: exactly!
Brazilian government involved?

CDI structure - three cycles // decentralized
inner cycle: CDI headquarter
middle cycle: CDI Regional offices - 60+
outside cycle: CDI communities

Only 3% population in Brazil go to college - they are called Doctor.. :P
Most people don't feel that are opportunities - little glimpse makes a difference, just give them hopes and feasible start point to do that!!


Topic II: Entrepreneurship/Employment
Ms. Audrey Codera, Youth Works, Philippines

severe problems in Philippines:
unemployment, crime, gang etc.
40% are living below poverty line

SOLUTION: microfinance to young people through ICT

how to select: youth submit the proposal online which would be reviewed online and proved online

eample of the organic farms. 100$ loan created 1,000 jobs in months // Ran: Excellent example!! Unbelievable!! The significance of this example is that it's not only about ICT! It's about intra-sector cooperation. We should all pay much attention on this!!



Topic III: HEALTH
Dr. Jean-Claude Healy, Senior Advisor, UN-GAID
people is alone in the global information society, even it's plenty of information surrounded.. // that's true!

citizen-centric, rather than patient-centric. // Ran: novel point!!

Youth and ICT: eHealth

Conclusion:
"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world, the unreasonable on persist in trying to adapt the world to himself... Therefore, all progress depend of the unreasonable ones." -- George Bernard Shaw // Ran: brilliant remarks!!


Topic IV: EDUCATION
Ms. Xuesong Shen, UNESCO New York Office

Education for All (EFA) project
exchange information in electronic means - through ICTs
development of content
Q: Is there any example of UNESCO cooperate with local youth-led initiatives to implement a program? or achieve the MDG?

Virtual Universities
AVU - www.avu.org
VUSSC: www.col.org/colweb/site/pid/

Ran's question: Open Education Resource

UNESCO Youth Forum // Ran: Similar to ITU Youth Forum, interesting! The difference is: UNESCO YF is a long-time committee. discuss issues before the general conferences. And after the conferences, YF fellows could vote for the resolution. That's a fresh part!

Higher Education Open and Distance Learning Knowledge Base

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