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<P align=center><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma"><FONT face=arial size=3>A personal suggestion, how about - J. Rifkin ?</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P align=center><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma"><FONT size=3><FONT face=arial>"Jeremy Rifkin, president of the Foundation on Economic Trends, is the author of sixteen books on the impact of scientific and technological changes on the economy, the workforce, society, and the environment.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>His books have been translated into more than twenty languages and are used in hundreds of universities around the world.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>His 1995 book, <U>The End of Work</U>, is an international bestseller that is widely credited with helping shape the current global debate on technology displacement, corporate downsizing and the future of jobs.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>His 1998 bestseller, <U>The Biotech Century</U><I>,</I> addresses the many critical issues accompanying the new era of genetic commerce and is the most widely read book in the world on the biotech revolution.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Mr. Rifkin’s 2000 bestseller, <U>The Age of Access</U>, explores the vast changes occurring in the capitalist system as it makes the transition from geographic markets to e-commerce networks and from industrial to cultural production.<O:P> </O:P></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal align=left><FONT face=arial><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma"><FONT size=3> <O:P> </O:P></FONT></SPAN><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma"><FONT size=3>In his newest book, <U>The Hydrogen Economy</U>, published in September 2002, Rifkin takes us on an eye-opening journey into the next great commercial era in history.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He envisions the dawn of a new economy powered by hydrogen that will fundamentally change the nature of our market, political and social institutions, just as coal and steam power did at the beginning of the industrial age.<O:P> </O:P></FONT></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal align=left><FONT face=arial><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma"><FONT size=3> <O:P> </O:P></FONT></SPAN><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma"><FONT size=3><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>Mr. Rifkin holds a degree in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and a degree in international affairs from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Rifkin is an advisor to heads of state and government officials around the world and speaks frequently before business, labor and <STRONG>civic forums</STRONG>.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He has also lectured at more than 500 universities in some 20 countries in the past 30 years.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Since 1994, Mr. Rifkin has been a fellow at the Wharton School’s Executive Education Program, wh
ere he
lectures to CEOs and senior corporate management from around the world on new trends in science and technology and their impacts on the global economy, society and the environment.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Mr. Rifkin’s monthly column on global issues appears in many of the world’s leading newspapers and magazines, including the <I>Los Angeles Times</I> in the U.S., <I>The Guardian</I> in the U.K., <I>Frankfurter Allgemeine</I> in Germany, <I>Espresso</I> in Italy, <I>El Pais</I> in Spain, and <I>Le Monde</I> in France.<O:P> </O:P></FONT></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal align=left><FONT face=arial><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma"><FONT size=3> <O:P> </O:P></FONT></SPAN><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma"><FONT size=3>Rifkin has been influential in shaping public policy in the United States and around the world.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He has testified before numerous congressional committees and has had consistent success in litigation to ensure responsible government policies on a variety of environmental, scientific and technology related issues.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He has been a frequent guest on numerous television programs, including <I>CNN’s Crossfire</I>, <I>Face the Nation</I>, <I>The Lehrer News Hour</I>, <I>20/20</I>, <I>Larry King Live</I>, <I>Today</I>, and <I>Good Morning America</I>.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><I>The National Journal</I> named Rifkin as one of 150 people in the U.S. that have the most influence in shaping fe
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government policy.<O:P> "</O:P></FONT></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in" align=left><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma"><FONT size=3><O:P><FONT face=arial>Extract from his website </FONT><A href="http://www.foet.org/JeremyRifkin.htm"><FONT face=arial><A href="http://www.foet.org/JeremyRifkin.htm ">http://www.foet.org/JeremyRifkin.htm</FONT></A></O:P></FONT></SPAN><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma"><FONT size=3><O:P> </O:P></FONT></SPAN></A></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in" align=left><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma"><FONT face=arial size=3><O:P>He is not from the South but could he be a possible champion for CS issues in the global IS and can probably be briefed on N-S issues re: CS. </O:P></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in" align=left><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma"><FONT face=arial size=3><O:P>A personal suggestion from Amali De Silva-Mitchell, Canada</O:P></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in" align=left><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma"><FONT face=Garamond size=3><O:P></O:P></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in" align=left><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma"><FONT face=Garamond size=3> <O:P> </O:P></FONT></SPAN><FONT face=Garamond size=3><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT><B><I>Michael Gur</I></B><B><I>stein <mgurst@vcn.bc.ca></I></B> wrote:</P>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">I wonder if any of those proposing to have Stallman as the Opening<BR>Ceremony Speaker have ever seen him speak. <BR><BR>I have had the opportunity on several occasions, and I should say that<BR>his mode of presentation, delivery and content is dare I say somewhat<BR>"unusual", and perhaps not precisely what Civil Society might wish to<BR>convey to the world, irrespective of the particular content of his<BR>message.<BR><BR>Best,<BR><BR>MG<BR><BR>-----Original Message-----<BR>From: plenary-admin@wsis-cs.org [mailto:plenary-admin@wsis-cs.org] On<BR>Behalf Of Jeanette Hofmann<BR>Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2003 2:13 PM<BR>To: plenary@wsis-cs.org<BR>Cc: hr-wsis@iris.sgdg.org<BR>Subject: Re: [WSIS CS-Plenary] Opening ceremony speaker<BR><BR><BR>On 6 Nov 2003 at 17:10, Meryem Marzouki wrote:<BR><BR>> My very personal point of view (not the HR caucus one, which has not<BR>> ye
t
discussed this issue) is that, if nominating a 5mn CS speaker for <BR>> the opening ceremony has any meaning (and I am not quite sure it has <BR>> one), we should avoid sectoral issues. And free software, though very <BR>> important, is one among many others.<BR>> <BR>> So, if a speaker should be nominated, s/he should be _really_<BR>> high-level, with a true vision, and speaking on _truly_ essential<BR>issue.<BR><BR>I agree with Meryem's point of view and would like to add another one.<BR>We <BR>need a person who is able to make herself understand and convey a <BR>message to a very heterogeneous audience. We need somebody who <BR>convinces people and doesn't put them off. I am not sure RS is the best <BR>choice for this task. <BR><BR>Jeanette <BR>> <BR>> At this point, the best candidate in my opinion would be Aminata <BR>> Traoré<BR>> (I assume there is no need to introduce her). She will be in Geneva, <BR>> for a Cardoso's Un High Level pa
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meeting, and I am not sure she <BR>> would accept to leave the panel for yet another speech related to<BR>WSIS. <BR>> But it is worth trying to get her for the opening ceremony, too.<BR>> <BR>> Meryem<BR>> PS1. Ms Ebadi being unavailable at this time, since she's will be<BR>> receiving the peace nobel prize.<BR>> PS2. Even if Aminata Traoré cannot make it for the opening ceremony, I<BR><BR>> don't think Stallman could be the right person, for many reasons <BR>> already raised by othe people on this list.<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> _______________________________________________<BR>> Plenary mailing list<BR>> Plenary@wsis-cs.org <BR>> http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/plenary<BR><BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>Plenary mailing list<BR>Plenary@wsis-cs.org<BR>http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/plenary<BR><BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>Plenary mailing
list<BR>Plenary@wsis-cs.org<BR>http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/plenary</BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR><BR><DIV>
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<P><STRONG>Amali De Silva-Mitchell</STRONG></P>
<P>Tel: 604-736-9012 & Email: <A href="mailto:amalidesilva@yahoo.com">amalidesilva@yahoo.com</A></P>
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