APOLOGIES FOR CROSS-POSTING SECOND CALL FOR PAPERS Deadline is extended to 20 January 2003 International Conference Building the Information Commonwealth: Information Technologies and Building Prospects for the Development of Civil Society Institutions in the CIS Countries St. Petersburg, Russia, April 22-24, 2003 http://www.communities.org.ru/conference The disintegration of the USSR is still resonating within the world community. The formation of an effective civil society sector will hopefully work to overcome the economical, social and cultural effects of a totalitarian government which are the common heritage of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries. This remains one of the most immediate and significant tasks for all the ex-USSR states. The decade since 1991 has shown that the path to stable democratic societies in the CIS region is a very difficult one. The negative factors common to all the CIS countries, unstable economic growth, traditions of state paternalism, low living standards, a hazardous investment climate, the "soviet mentality" are still even now determining the everyday lives of the majority of the population of our countries. It is thus crucial to make effective use of available "global resources" such as information and communication technologies (ICTs) to support a radical improvement in the quality of life of ordinary people, of women, youth, the elderly, the disabled and indigenous peoples. Currently, information technologies in the countries of the CIS region it would be generally agreed are primarily used as tools for private gain and are accessible only to the relatively small numbers who can afford individual access. Developing strategies for enabling information technologies to serve the broader needs of society, to support the development of democratic institutions, and to strengthen the struggle against poverty is a challenge that presents itself to civil society and public authorities? These questions are becoming more and more critical for the peoples in our countries where rapid technological development presents possibilities (and risks) of radical change in economic and social circumstances and for responding to growing social injustice. Critical analysis of the Information Society in the CIS region as it is evolving, the influence of new technical (and following these social and cultural) factors within our societies and their impacts on the development of the civil society institutions, the analysis of the applicability of modern inter-disciplinary approaches (e.g. Community Networking/Community Informatics) to support the realization of community-based IT projects will be the main goals of the conference. We'll focus on several key problems of the civil society development in CIS countries looked at through the prism of the use of ICTs. Participants in the Conference: Leaders of the non-profit and civil society organizations performing projects in the area of ICTs in the CIS countries; deputies of national Parliaments; representatives of the executive structures of the countries of the region; specialists from governmental agencies and programs; representatives of international charitable organizations, NGO's and foundations; experts from International Organizations, academicians and practitioners from the different countries who are interested in discussing the Conference issues. Among those who have to date indicated an interest in participating are: Eli Cohen, Wysza SzkoBa Przedsibiorczoci, Poland Peter Day, University of Brighton, UK Karin Delgadillo, Somos@Telecentres, Equador Eugeny Drobkov, Information Society Foundation, Ukraine Vassily Efrosinin, Development through Education Fund, Russia Susana Finquelevich, Global Community Networking Partnership, Argentina Bertram Gebauer , Buerger Nets Union , Germany Michael Gurstein, New Jersey Institute of Technology, USA-Canada Grant Hearn, University of the Western Cape, South Africa Meelis Kaldalu, Tartu Science Park, Estonia Ninelle Kobaliani, Project Harmony, Georgia Peter Levesque, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Anna Malina, e-Society Research, UK Michel Menou, City University of London, UK-France Abdumavlon Rashidov, Central Asia Development Agency, Tadjikistan Scott Robinson, Mexico DF , Mexico Lev Ryabchikov, Academy of Alternative Technologies, Russia Basheerhamad Shadrach, Transparency International, Germany Oleg Shapirkov, Svetoch Assotiation, Russia Viktoria Sukovata, Kharkov National University, Ukraine Wal Taylor, Rockhampston University, Australia Maiya Tsyganenko, eRiders, Kazakhstan Peter van den Besselaar, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands Organizers of the Conference: The Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of Member Nations of the Commonwealth of Independent States (IPA) Institute of Research on Problems of Nonprofits in the Newly Independent States (IRPN) Centre of Community Networking and Informational Policy Studies (CCNS) The Conference Venue: St. Petersburg, which is Russia's Northern capital, preparing for its 300 anniversary is a very appropriate and natural place for this event. The Conference will take place of the main building of the IPA - Tavrichesky Palace, one of the most magnificent palaces in St. Petersburg (XVIII century). More information about the Palace and the Conference facilities at http://www.iacis.ru/kongr_en.htm Languages of the Conference The working languages of the Conference will be Russian and English Themes of the Conference The Conference will be organized with an alternation of plenary sessions and panels following 12 main directions: + civil society and information society in the CIS countries:identifying the problem area + e-governance and participation of local citizens in the decision-making at the local, regional and national levels + local communities in the CIS countries: typology, myths and realities + new information infrastructure at local level: creation and ownership of Community Information + participation of the countries of the region in international projects and programs directed towards ICT usage for the development of the civil sector + using ICTs for not-for-profit and civil society purposes in the CIS countries + connectivity and software + civil society/communities and digital economies + Social, Psychological and Cultural Barriers to access. + model legislation concerning information policy for the CIS countries and national programs. + formation of the information society in the CIS and problems of Global Security + how do ICTs influence local, national, and regional development? Submission of papers Proposals for papers should be submitted as abstracts of no more than 500 words, and should include details of the proposer's name, position, affiliation, and contact details. The abstracts will be reviewed by the Program Committee which consist of CIS and international members. Сriteria for selection for Proposals: - relevance to the Themes of the Conference - relevance to the development of Civil Society in the CIS - papers can address either the theoretical or the practical aspects of the issues Proposals should be submitted electronically: - in English to Michael Gurstein, Conference Co-Chair <BICsubmissions@mail.ru> - in Russian to Organizing Committee to <irpnnis@mail.ru> in RTF, Word or PDF format. Deadline for abstracts: 20 January 20032 Authors of accepted papers notified by: 26th February 2003 For further information and submission details, please, contact Organizing Committee: 27, Mayakovskogo str., St. Petersburg, Russia 191123 Fax: +7 812 2726547 e-mail: irpnnis@mail.ru --- You are currently subscribed to telecentres-l as: [mgurst@vcn.bc.ca] To unsubscribe, forward this message to leave-telecentres-l-40882P@lyris.idrc.ca