<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; ">Dear Colleagues,<DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Please find here the provisional programme of the CONGO-organized event "Scaling Up Civil Society Best Practices to Bridge the Digital Divide” taking place on 16 November, from 1300-1700 hours, in Salle St Augustin, Kram Centre, Tunis, Tunisia.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>We hope that you can attend what promises to be an interesting event. We plan on leaving sufficient time for in-depth discussions of the projects presented and the possibilities of "scaling up" our successes.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Regards,</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Rik Panganiban</DIV><DIV>CONGO</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV style=""><TABLE border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style=""><TBODY><TR><TD width="99" valign="top" style="width:99.45pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"><P class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center;"><SPAN style=""><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="6"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 18.6667px;"><IMG width="88" height="64" src="file:///Users/rikpanganiban/Library/Preferences/Microsoft/Clipboard/msoclip1/01/clip_clip_image002.jpg" v:shapes="_x0000_i1025"></SPAN></FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang="EN-GB" style=""><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="6"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 18.6667px;"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P></TD><TD width="342" valign="top" style="text-align: center;width: 342.45pt; padding-top: 0in; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; "><P class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center;"><SPAN lang="EN-GB" style=""><B><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="6"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 18.6667px;">Conference of NGOs</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="6"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 18.6667px;"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P><P class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center;"><SPAN lang="EN-GB" style=""><B><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="6"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 18.6667px;">in Consultative Relationship</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="6"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 18.6667px;"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P><P class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center;"><SPAN lang="EN-GB" style=""><B><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="6"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 18.6667px;">with the United Nations (CONGO)</SPAN></FONT></B></SPAN><SPAN lang="FR" style=""><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="6"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 18.6667px;"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P></TD><TD width="92" valign="top" style="text-align: center;width: 91.85pt; padding-top: 0in; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; "><P class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align: right;"><SPAN lang="EN-GB" style=""><B><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="6"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 21.3333px;"><IMG width="66" height="59" src="file:///Users/rikpanganiban/Library/Preferences/Microsoft/Clipboard/msoclip1/01/clip_clip_image004.gif" v:shapes="_x0000_i1026"></SPAN></FONT></B><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="6"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 21.3333px;"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><DIV class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: auto;"><SPAN style=""><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"> </FONT><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><O:P></O:P></FONT></SPAN></DIV><H1 style="text-align: center;"><SPAN style=""><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="6"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21.3333px; font-variant: small-caps;">“Scaling Up Civil Society Best Practices to Bridge the Digital Divide”</SPAN></FONT></SPAN><SPAN style=""><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13.3333px;"></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></H1><P class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center;"><SPAN style=""><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="4"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">16 November 2005,1300-1700, Salle St Augustin, Kram Centre, Tunis, Tunisia</SPAN></FONT></FONT></SPAN><B><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="4"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"> </SPAN></FONT></B></P><P class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center;"><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="4"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><B><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></B></SPAN></FONT></P><H1 style="text-align: center;"><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="6"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21.3333px; font-variant: small-caps;"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></H1><H1><SPAN style=""><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13.3333px;">This forum will highlight the critical role of civil society organizations in promoting access to and effective utilization of the Internet and other information communications technologies.</SPAN></FONT><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13.3333px;"> </SPAN></FONT></SPAN><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13.3333px;">We will look at successful civil society projects in Asia, Latin America, Africa, and Europe.</SPAN></FONT><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13.3333px;"> </SPAN></FONT></SPAN><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13.3333px;">Questions the presenters will address include:</SPAN></FONT><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13.3333px;"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></H1><P class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -40px;margin-left: 48pt; "><SPAN style=""><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13.3333px;">1.</SPAN></FONT><SPAN style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style=""><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13.3333px;">What are common challenges faced by civil society in implementing their projects?</SPAN></FONT><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13.3333px;"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P><P class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -40px;margin-left: 48pt; "><SPAN style=""><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13.3333px;">2.</SPAN></FONT><SPAN style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style=""><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13.3333px;">What are common factors in the success of certain projects?</SPAN></FONT><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13.3333px;"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P><P class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -40px;margin-left: 48pt; "><SPAN style=""><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13.3333px;">3.</SPAN></FONT><SPAN style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style=""><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13.3333px;">What can civil society do to better coordinate their projects and activities with each other?</SPAN></FONT><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13.3333px;"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P><DIV style="text-indent: 0px;"><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13.3333px;"><SPAN class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </SPAN>4.<SPAN class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </SPAN>What can the international community, UN, governments and others do to scale up successful projects?</SPAN></FONT></DIV><P class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center;"><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"></FONT></P><H3 style="text-align: center;"><SPAN style=""><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="6"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18.6667px;">Provisional Programme</SPAN></FONT><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="6"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></H3><P class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="text-align: left;"> <O:P></O:P></P><P class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="text-align: left;"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><B>1315-1400</B></SPAN><SPAN style="mso-tab-count:1"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><B> </B></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><B>Session I: “Grassroots Best Practices from Civil Society”</B></SPAN><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><B><O:P></O:P></B></SPAN></P><UL style="margin-top:0in" type="disc"><LI class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">Renata Bloem, President, CONGO - Introductory Remarks<SPAN style="mso-tab-count:2"> </SPAN><O:P></O:P></LI><LI class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: auto;">Sarbuland Kahn, UN ICT Task Force<O:P></O:P></LI><LI class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5in">Geeta Malhotra, OneWorld South Asia</LI><LI class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5in">Reza Salim, Bangladesh Friendship Education Society</LI></UL><UL style="text-align: left; text-indent: -24px;margin-top: 0in; " type="disc"><LI class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: auto;text-indent: 0px; ">Cornelio Hopmann, Executive Director, e-Nicaragua<O:P></O:P></LI></UL><P class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="text-align: left;"> <O:P></O:P></P><P class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="text-align: left;"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><B>1415-1500</B></SPAN><SPAN style="mso-tab-count:1"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><B> </B></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><B>Session II:“National Level Best Practices from Civil Society”</B></SPAN><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><B><O:P></O:P></B></SPAN></P><UL style="margin-top:0in" type="disc"><LI class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">Shashi Tharoor, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information<O:P></O:P></LI></UL><UL style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0in; " type="disc"><LI class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: auto;">Tracy Naughton, WSIS Media Caucus<O:P></O:P></LI><LI class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: auto;">Gbenga Sesan, Paradigm Youth Initiative / WSIS Youth Caucus <O:P></O:P></LI></UL><UL style="margin-top:0in" type="disc"><LI class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">Shahiduddin Akbar, ICT for Development Program Bangladesh<O:P></O:P></LI></UL><P class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="text-align: left;"> <O:P></O:P></P><P class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="text-align: left;"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><B>1515-1600</B></SPAN><SPAN style="mso-tab-count:1"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><B> </B></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><B>Session III: “Regional Best Practices from Civil Society”</B></SPAN><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><B><O:P></O:P></B></SPAN></P><UL style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0in; " type="disc"><LI class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: auto;">Bruno Lanvin, World Bank<O:P></O:P></LI><LI class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: auto;">Andy Carvin, Telecentres Caucus<O:P></O:P></LI><LI class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: auto;">Bineta Diop, Femmes Africaines Solidarité<O:P></O:P></LI><LI class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: auto;">Christine Butegwa, Programme Officer of Communications, FEMNET<O:P></O:P></LI></UL><P class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.25in"> <O:P></O:P></P><P class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="text-align: left;"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><B>1615-1700</B></SPAN><SPAN style="mso-tab-count:1"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><B> </B></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><B>Session IV: “International Coordination of Civil Society”</B></SPAN><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><B><O:P></O:P></B></SPAN></P><UL style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0in; " type="disc"><LI class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: auto;">Adama Sammesekou, President of WSIS Phase I<O:P></O:P></LI></UL><UL style="margin-top:0in" type="disc"><LI class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l3 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in">Nadia Afrin, Development Gateway <O:P></O:P></LI></UL><UL style="margin-top:0in" type="disc"><LI class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">Renata Bloem - Closing Remarks<O:P></O:P></LI></UL><DIV class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: auto;"><I> </I><I><O:P></O:P></I></DIV><H3 style="text-align: center;"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><I><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="3"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;">Interpretation in English and French available • Interpretation en français et anglais disponible</SPAN></FONT></I></SPAN><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><I><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="3"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></I></SPAN></H3><DIV class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><I> </I><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><I><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="3"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;">Coffee and refreshments will be provided during the programme</SPAN></FONT></I></SPAN><O:P></O:P></DIV></DIV><BR><BR><DIV> <SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><DIV>===============================================</DIV><DIV>RIK PANGANIBAN Communications Coordinator</DIV><DIV>Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CONGO) </DIV><DIV>web: <A href="http://www.ngocongo.org">http://www.ngocongo.org</A></DIV><DIV>email: <A href="mailto:rik.panganiban@ngocongo.org">rik.panganiban@ngocongo.org</A></DIV><DIV>mobile: (+1) 917-710-5524 </DIV><DIV><BR></DIV><DIV>* Information on the WSIS at <A href="http://www.ngocongo.org/wsis">http://www.ngocongo.org/wsis</A></DIV><DIV>* Submit NGO Events to <A href="http://www.ngoevents.org">http://www.ngoevents.org</A></DIV></SPAN></SPAN><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"></SPAN> </DIV><BR></BODY></HTML>