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--></style><title>Re: [WSIS CS-Plenary] CS meeting in Tunis 22-23
June?</title></head><body>
<div>Do we have upcoming WSIS events which CS needs to mobilize for
- yes</div>
<div>Do we have a CS bureau - yes</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Do we have any funding - no...</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Should we be discussing things other than beer or wine choices on
the list - yes</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Are any of the points that Rik raises about a possible meeting
before the next prepcom new - no, we've always done so. I and others
onb numerous occasions have suggested not only meeting in person, but
preparing virtually before to develop our ideas, our strategy and how
to best intervene.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>As has been mentioned before on this list - Phase II (which we
are now in) in inherently more complex and likely much more
fragmented. CS's limited resources need to be much better coordinated
vs. the earlier phase.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>The bigger "meta" questions - what do we want to
achieve, what's the CS road map, and how to coordinate our efforts
SHOULD be discussed here, in this open space. For if not, all our
"talk" of openness and transparency are just empty words -
as we don't practice what we preach!</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>So what's really going on? Some groups like the governance group,
the civil liberties (public voice) grp, and latin american caucus are
discussing "things" - but the rest? i'm frankly
worried.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>But there is time - not much of it. If don't get our act
together, coordinate better - and yes, receive some sort of funding by
the end of the summer - we'll have serious problems to be able to
engage in the same fashion and with the same effectiveness as we did
in phase I.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>so what's next - we'll let's develop that online....</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>regards</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Robert</div>
<div><br></div>
<div><br></div>
<div>At 1:37 AM -0700 4/6/04, Amali De Silva wrote:</div>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Rik - these are all good suggestions. Do
we have a functioning CS Bureau ? / who is responsible for sorting
out these logistical issues ?</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Amali ( VCN - Canada )<br>
<br>
<i><b>rikp@earthlink.net</b></i> wrote:<br>
<blockquote>Dear Colleagues,<br>
<br>
Given that the first official preparatory meeting for the Tunis Phase
of the WSIS will likely be June 24-26 June in Tunis, do people feel
that it would be helpful to convene civil society meetings prior to
the official meetings? If so, we should be approaching the Tunis
secretariat about making arrangements for CS meeting spaces, computers
and other logistical arrangements.<br>
<br>
Since the first preparatory meeting is taking place in Africa, it is
likely that we may have a number of new participants at this meeting
than during the Geneva phase. I would propose that we organize at
least a CS orientation session for a couple of hours scheduled in
order to explain and discuss the various CS structures, intiatives,
working groups, caucuses, and history up to Geneva 2003. Breakout
sessions organized by caucuses and working groups could be scheduled.
And Con tent and Themes and the Bureau should have times to meet. I
personally think we need at least one full day to do this, ideally
two.<br>
<br>
Note that for new participants in the Tunis Phase, new requests for
accreditation have to be received via fax or post to the WSIS
secretariat at least SIX WEEKS prior to the meeting, which in this
case would be the 1st week of May. So if you know of groups who would
like to participate, please inform them NOW, so they can make get
accredited, coordinate calendars, raise funds, get board approval,
etc. Groups already accredited during the Geneva Phase are still
accredited in this phase.<br>
<br>
In general, I would like to avoid what happened in previous prepcoms,
where we spent too much time debating with each other when we could
have been lobbying governments or engaging with private sector groups.
In June, given the limited time of the prepcom, we need to use the
official meeting times as efficiently and wisely as possible.<br>
<br>
Regards,<br>
<br>
Rik Panganiban<br>
Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United
Nations (CONGO)<br>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><br>
<br>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><b>Amali De Silva-Mitchell<font
size="-2"> BSc.(Econ)Warwick,MSc.(Int.Acc/Fin)LSE</font></b><br>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Tel:
1-604-736-9012 & Email: <a
href="mailto:amalidesilva@yahoo.com">amalidesilva@yahoo.com</a><br>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> <br>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> <br>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<div><br></div>
<div><br></div>
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<div>###<br>
Robert Guerra <rguerra@privaterra.org><br>
Privaterra - Securing Human Rights</div>
<div><http://www.privaterra.org><br>
<br>
A project of Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility
(CPSR) <br>
<http://www.cpsr.org></div>
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