BNP 1322 WSA 09 SUMMIT

Introduction to WSA & the India Summit Conference

In 2003 when United Nations invited for the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS), its purpose was to develop and foster a clear political will and take concrete steps towards the establish the foundations for an Information Society for all, reflecting all the different interests at stake and to integrate especially developing countries into a globalised information society where every individual without any differentiation could be a part of the digital revolution and be part of the informed and knowledge based society.

On this occasion, the World Summit Award (WSA) was initiated by the Government of Austria in order to bring into the WSIS framework the consideration of the digital divide in terms of e-content and to seek steps to narrow the content gap. Part of this effort fromtime on is to identify digital content experts across the countries and through them evaluate best practices using an open, transparent and fair contest mechanism. Furhtermore, WSA creates a network of active ambitious government and business actors and advocacy groups to facilitate the larger ambitions of WSIS through best e-content practices.

Under WSA, every two years around 40 e-content experts from 40 different countries gather at one place for one week to check out, deliberate, debate, research, and identify the best digital content practitioners out of nearly 1000 nominations from more than 160 countries. The WSA Grand Jury selects and decides on 4 winners in 8 categories the World’s Best in e-Content and Creativity.

In 2009, India is the host for this gathering of the WSA 09 Grand Jury from April 1-8. Hosted by Department of Information Technology of Ministry of Communication & Information Technology, and organised by Digital Empowerment Foundation, on April 2, 2009, an International Summit on Digital technology is organised for a high level of deliberation on world’s best e-content practices, cross learning, business exchange programs, and government officials’ interactions with global experts.

About WSA India International Summit
The Summit is intended to be India’s largest Digital Technology and Digital Content Summit for all communities into technology for sustainable development!
The Summit is a gathering of Digital Technology and Content experts, policy experts, research and academic institutions into technology and development, private and civil society stakeholders, digital technology and content innovators and practitioners and community leaders, who will come together to discuss digital technology and content areas in development. The Summit attracts over 100 key people from World Summit Award member countries, Representatives and experts of Indian National Government and policy makers from across Indian States. Stakeholders will come together to better understand how digital Technology and content is changing our lives and what critical areas are needed to be deliberated upon for larger development and governance objectives.

The value of the Summit is immeasurable. Delegates and presenters will be able to share unique experiences, which can serve to provide road-maps for others and participants can walk away with tools and resources that can directly benefit their own communities.

Summit Objectives:
1. To share best practices and lessons learned about digital technology and content for development from international and national levels
2. To showcase tools and strategies for digital technology and content for development
3. To have focused and targeted deliberation on the linkage between digital technology and content and social, economic, and cultural capital
4. To initiate, develop, or renew partnerships among attendees.
5. To increase the level and scope of knowledge about the strategies and resources available to build social, economic, and environmental capital, especially in light of the changing technology and content environment.
6. To deliberate on key policy aspects of digital technology and content for last mile development

Themes
The main themes of the Summit are ‘21st Century India through Digital Content’. Key speakers from national and international arena will address common challenges, including:
- India status of digital technology and content for development
- Essential linkage between developing social, cultural and economic capital and role of digital technology and content
- Policy compatibility & Digital enabled development framework
- Public-Private Partnerships

Summit Implementation
The Summit shall be guided by an implementing and monitoring committee having representatives from Department of Information Technology (GoI), Digital Empowerment Foundation and key experts from ICT domain.

Blog Posting Number: 1322

Tags: e-content