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<TITLE>Re: [CS Bureau] CS Bureau meeting in South Africa?</TITLE>
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<FONT FACE="Verdana"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:12.0px'>Le 12/11/04 14:43, « Robert Guerra » <rguerra@privaterra.org> a écrit :<BR>
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Hello Renate and all<BR>
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I am completely swamped by university activities and don’t feel that i can attend the bureau meeting. But maybe a teleconferencing system could be arranged? I have facilities in my university but have to know more about possibilities.<BR>
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I am very sorry about not attending because like Robert i have qualms about the bureau and also the “content and themes” group. There has been some major issues of late, like Unesco and Convention on cultural diversity and Unesco and microsoft on which we should be able to respond as a collective of civil society, or at least to officially support initiatives that some of our constituent members are launching. You will see on the plenary list that i am making a call in such a sense... It would be great if the bureau could push in the same direction...<BR>
Also, for all purposes, let me remind you that i am located in Paris and that I can go to Unesco any time the bureau requires...<BR>
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I also have a problem that is typical of what we can expect, and is potentially dangerous: Beatriz Busaniche has resigned for reasons of her own, also related to the problems with the latin american caucus. As a result i am alone for the family on education, academia and research! I thought I could take along the person who replaces Beatriz at caminandoutopias but various sources tell me she is a submarine for the government, which relates to what Robert refers to as the action of GONGOs. So I have asked you all in early September to help me solve this problem, still on hold.<BR>
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I think the issue of trust is crucial and will appear again and again. At this point, i suggest that one criterion for co-opting new members or alternates should be a certain level of participation/implication in prior preparatory phases, so as to ensure like-minded compatibilities. Would that help get rid of GONGOs? What other criteria of entry could do that, without blocking entrance to active members?<BR>
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Best to all<BR>
Divina<BR>
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</SPAN></FONT><BLOCKQUOTE><FONT FACE="Verdana"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:12.0px'>Renate:<BR>
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I would be free to attend the meeting in Cape Town. The issue is one of funding - for my travel and accommodation in Cape Town. I would be very grateful if you and/or others would be able to obtain funding for me to travel to the meeting from here in Toronto (Canada).<BR>
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As you may know i have been travelling much the last several months on field work. This allowed me to contact and dialogue with numerous segments of civil society , particularly those working on icts , human rights and development. The discussion has been focused on the core mission of privaterra - namely human rights and icts - (security, information security and communications).<BR>
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In regions that i have travelled to (central asia, moscow, berlin, budapest & boston) I have also made a point to discuss and seek input on WSIS. The most substantial discussions have been in Berlin (with german civil society, and the Canadian embassy), at the Canadian Embassy in Moscow, and at the recently held ICTs and Human rights conference held in Boston.<BR>
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Being able to attend to attend the Cape Town meeting would allow me to not only share the comments and concerns raised, but also raise the - personal - concern I have about the ongoing issues of lack of transparency and organizational effectiveness of civil society structures at wsis, specifically that of the bureau. The many mails that have come as a result of the - issues - and lack of cohesiveness that seem to exist in the education and latin american caucus are , for me, very troubling indeed.<BR>
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if that weren't enough - there is the very grave concerns have come as a result of private communications to me from human rights networks about that the roles GONGOS are playing in the civil society process. We need, we must be more transparent, strategic, effective and prepared in the weeks and months leading to the next prepcom - if not, then it will end up being a larger fiasco then the meeting this past june in Tunis.<BR>
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In summary - there indeed is much to discuss, much to plan for, and if funding could be obtained to have a well structured and effective meeting in Cape Town, then it would be great. I would be very interested in attending such a meeting, however could only do so if financial support (funding) could be made available to reimburse my flight and accommodation. Securing funding for myself and others would be a sign that there is indeed importance given to the bureau and the planned meeting.<BR>
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I cross my fingers and hope for a positive reply.<BR>
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regards<BR>
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Robert<BR>
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At 7:29 PM +0100 11/9/04, Renata Bloem wrote:<BR>
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Dear friends,<BR>
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Could you please tell us<B> urgently</B> who from the existing CS Bureau could be free to come to Cape Town, South Africa, around the 6-8 December,<B> if</B> funding could be made available? The objective is to have an in depth discussion on the role and way forward of the CS Bureau.<BR>
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