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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I support Sean's 5 points on the Plenary.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I also suggest that the Bureau ensure that
information about the Plenary, including how to subscribe to the plenary list,
be placed prominently on the WSIS civil society website, and also emailed to
all registered civil society organizations.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Sasha</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> </span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Sasha Costanza-Chock</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Annenberg School for Communication</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>University of Pennsylvania</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>215.573.1979</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><a href="mailto:schock@asc.upenn.edu">schock@asc.upenn.edu</a></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'> </span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>-----Original Message-----<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>From:</span></b> Dr.Diego Levis [mailto:dlevis@links.org.ar]
<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Thursday, July 24, 2003 9:52
AM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> plenary@wsis-cs.org;
ct@wsis-cs.org; Sean O Siochru<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Cc:</span></b> bureau@wsis-cs.org<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> [WSIS CS-Plenary] Re:
[WSIS-CT] John Gagain's note: Does Civil Society Plenary not exist?</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>I support Sean's five points. </span></font></p>
</div>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>Dr. Diego Levis (Buenos Aires, Argentina)<br>
*************************<br>
<a href="mailto:sivel@datafull.com">mailto:sivel@datafull.com</a><br>
o<br>
<a href="mailto:dlevis@udesa.edu.ar">mailto:dlevis@udesa.edu.ar</a></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>----- Mensaje original ----- </span></font></p>
<div style='font-color:black'>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#E4E4E4'><b><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>De:</span></font></b><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> <a
href="mailto:sean@nexus.ie" title="sean@nexus.ie">Sean O Siochru</a> </span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>Para:</span></font></b><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> <a
href="mailto:plenary@wsis-cs.org" title="plenary@wsis-cs.org">plenary@wsis-cs.org</a>
; <a href="mailto:ct@wsis-cs.org" title="ct@wsis-cs.org">ct@wsis-cs.org</a> </span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>CC:</span></font></b><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> <a
href="mailto:bureau@wsis-cs.org" title="bureau@wsis-cs.org">bureau@wsis-cs.org</a>
</span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>Enviado:</span></font></b><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> jueves, 24
de julio de 2003 9:57</span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>Asunto:</span></font></b><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> [WSIS-CT]
John Gagain's note: Does Civil Society Plenary not exist?</span></font></p>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>Hi everyone <br>
<br>
I think John's surprising note, and the position he takes in it on civil
society structures, offers us an opportunity to remind ourselves of the basic
progress we have made so far in civil society. <b><span style='font-weight:
bold'>This note is seeking your support on five basic point below.</span></b> <br>
<br>
At 15:27 23/07/2003 -0400, <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>John R. Gagain Jr.
wrote [my bold]:<br>
<br>
<br>
</span></b></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color=blue face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'> Concerning the
modalities of the CS mechanisms at the WSIS: </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:blue'>1.<font size=1 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></font></span></font><font size=2 color=blue face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'>CS Information Session
and Debriefing. <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>There does not exist a forum
at the WSIS referred to as "Civil Society Plenary", nor was there
ever one </span></b>at any other U.N. sponsored Summit in the past. A
Plenary signifies a fixed group of members or member states and the actual
official definition is: <i><span style='font-style:italic'>1. Complete in all
respects, unlimited or full: a diplomat with plenary powers, 2. Fully attended
by all qualified members: a plenary session of the council.</span></i> As
you can see, Civil Society does not fulfill this definition or its
prerequisites. .... </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>2.<font size=1
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></font></span></font><font size=2 color=blue face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'>[snip] ... , as I mention
above,<b><span style='font-weight:bold'> there is no CS Plenary; and especially
not one that makes decisions on behalf of Civil Society. </span></b>T</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>In one sense, it is refreshing to hear such
definitive, authoritative, statements about how Civil Society is organised at
the WSIS. (Why didn't someone tell us this two years ago?) <br>
<br>
More seriously, though, I cannot accept that the 'Civil Society Plenary'
meetings that I attended at Prepcom 1 at PrepCom 2, and that were held in
Paris, did not in fact take place as such, and that these meetings had no
authority to take decisions on behalf of civil society at the WSIS. Such
a claim, especially from a member of the Civil Society Bureau, really must be
refuted. As a member of the Bureau myself, this is certainly not an
official view and this is the first time I have heard it aired. <br>
<br>
(By the same token, John could even define the Bureau out of existence on the
basis that one has never previously existed at Un conferences. Even more, since
in reality, the SOLE source of legitimacy for the Bureau is the Civil Society
Plenary, and since the Bureau itself has explicitly agreed it is subject to the
Civil Society Plenary, then surely the Bureau cannot exist!) <br>
<br>
Nice and all as it is to fantasize, there are some important facts and
achievements of civil society in the WSIS process that I think are worth
reaffirming. <br>
<br>
1. Civil Society has constituted itself into a Plenary at every convening of
the WSIS, PrepComs, Intercessional, Summits. It is open to all of civil society
members and of course any organisations is free not to participate. But
the great majority have chosen to. It is the ultimate decision making
body of civil society in relation to the WSIS. <br>
<br>
2. It has endorsed the existence of the Bureau, and the Bureau has agreed
explicitly that it is subject to the Civil Society Plenary Meeting and must
report to it regularly. <br>
<br>
3. The CS Plenary Meeting has endorsed the Content and Themes Group,
which also reports to it. And it has endorsed most if not all of the
various caucuses, working groups and so forth. <br>
<br>
4. The Civil Society Division of the Secretariat serves the Civil Society
Plenary Meeting and anything the Plenary sets up, although it can also
provide support to any groups who choose not to associate with the Plenary. <br>
<br>
5. Regarding the (currently important) operation of the CS Plenary
between physical meetings, the following was agreed by the Civil Society
Plenary at PrepCom 2 (extract from the Description of the plenary@wsis-cs.org
list) <a href="http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/plenary"
eudora=autourl>http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/plenary</a> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><i><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-style:italic'>"The
Civil Society Plenary Meeting, when convened, is the source of legitimacy for
all civil society activities in the WSIS. </span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><i><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-style:italic'>Between
PrepComs a 'Virtual CS Plenary Group' has been created (plenary@wsis-cs.org),
comprising organisations and other entities accredited and registered at both
PrepComs to date, from civil society, although organisations with a key
interest in the issues but that are not part of the Summit process should also
have the opportunity to participate. </span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><i><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-style:italic'>The
list will <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>not be a decision-making space,</span></b>
in the sense that no voting will be called for, but a space to <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>promote greater debate and transparency </span></b>in
the organisation of Civil Society during the summit." </span></font></i>[my
bold] </p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>The CS-Plenary list (plenary@wsis-cs.org) was
subsequently set up and now has over 250 registered, all of whom in the
interests of accountability an transparency have registered their names when
joining the list. Thus, the CS-Plenary list is a space to promote debate and
transparency in civil society overall in between physically convened Civil
Society Plenary groups. I believe all major issues and proposals should
be openly debated there before any decisions are taken by other groups, such as
the Bureau and the Content & Themes Group. I also believe that many
decisions must be reaffirmed at the opening Civil Society Plenary at PrepCom 3,
if there have been widely different views expressed on it. <br>
<br>
This structure may not be perfect, but it is all we have, it has wide support,
and has been endorsed at all major civil meetings and venues at the WSIS.
I really think at this point that we all have to be working from the same
basics. There are too many important issues facing us right now to run
the risk of destroying the structures we have so painstakingly put together. <br>
<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>I am seeking support for the above five
points </span></b>from those on this list as I believe we cannot be continually
reinventing the past and must move forward. I will also be communicating on
these matters within the Bureau. <br>
<br>
Very best<br>
<br>
Sean <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
</span></font></p>
<X-SIGSEP>
<p style='margin-left:.5in'></X-SIGSEP><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>___________________________________________________<br>
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