<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; ">Interesting UNU event on Free Software in the Developing World on 16 March in New York.<DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Rik Panganiban<DIV><DIV><BR><B><I>Lousie Bergstrom <<A href="mailto:louise@ony.unu.edu">louise@ony.unu.edu</A>></I></B> wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE class="replbq" style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">Date: Wed, 01 Mar 2006 12:51:54 -0500<BR>From: Lousie Bergstrom <<A href="mailto:louise@ony.unu.edu">louise@ony.unu.edu</A>><BR>To: undisclosed-recipients:;<BR>Subject: e-Governance and Free Software: How They are Changing Developing<BR>Countries<BR><BR>Dear colleagues,<BR><BR>The United Nations University, Office at the United Nations New York <BR>(UNU-ONY) and the UNU International Institute for Software Technology <BR>(UNU-IIST), located in Macau, are hosting a panel-discussion on <BR>*“eGovernance and Free Software: How They are Changing Developing <BR>Countries”* on 16 March, 3.00pm – 6.00pm. The panel will discuss <BR>UNU-IIST’s work in software technology for developing countries, <BR>especially open source and “eGovernance” - how technology can enhance <BR>government services.<BR><BR>Around the world open source software, softwa! re that is freely available <BR>to use, modify and distribute by anyone, is gaining in popularity. While <BR>this is good news for IT vendors in the developed world, there are low <BR>numbers of open source programmers in the developing world. Should this <BR>situation persist, developing nations will simply remain consumers of <BR>open source products rather than participants in the larger open source <BR>market. Being a "passive consumer" rather than an "active participant" <BR>is not in a developing nation's best interest as both government and <BR>business will miss out on what essentially is the power of open source: <BR>/technological self-determination./<BR><BR>The panel will be comprised of:<BR><BR>- *Dr. Mike Reed, *Director, UNU-IIST.<BR><BR>- *Dr. Tomasz Janowski*, Research Fellow, UNU-IIST.<BR><BR>- *Mr. Scott McNeil*, General Manager, UNU-IIST’s Open Computing Initiative.<BR><BR>- *Mr. Michael Tiemann,* Vice President, Open Source Affairs, Red Hat.<BR><BR>UNU-IIST was established in Macau in 1992. Its mission is to help <BR>developing countries strengthen their education and research in computer <BR>science and their ability to produce computer software. UNU-IIST is an <BR>institute for advance study, a center for post-graduate training, a <BR>resource for curriculum development and the focal point for research and <BR>development projects for software technology between the developed and <BR>the developing countries.<BR><BR>**Following the panel, we invite you to a reception at the UNU Office (2 <BR>UN Plaza, 44^th Street, between 1^st and 2^nd Ave, 20^th floor, room <BR>DC2-2060).<BR><BR>I look forward to seeing you on 16 March 2006. Please register online at <BR><A href="http://www.ony.unu.edu">http://www.ony.unu.edu</A> <HTTP: www.ony.unu.edu="">.<BR><BR>Sincerely,<BR>Jean-Marc Coicaud, Head, UNU-ONY<BR><BR></HTTP:></BLOCKQUOTE><BR></DIV></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; "><DIV>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=</DIV><DIV> Rik Panganiban email: <A href="mailto:rikp@earthlink.net">rikp@earthlink.net</A></DIV><DIV> UN Reporting & Advocacy tel: (+1) 917-710-5524</DIV><DIV> Civil Society Organizer web: <A href="http://rikomatic.com">http://rikomatic.com</A> </DIV><DIV><BR></DIV>Submit NGO Events to <A href="http://www.ngoevents.org">http://www.ngoevents.org</A><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"></SPAN></SPAN> </DIV><BR></BODY></HTML>