[Telecentres] WSIS ignorance!

[Hannah Beardon]

think we will have to agree to differ on the interpretation, though not the role of telecentres!

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From: Jacqueline A. Morris [mailto:jam at jacquelinemorris.com] 
Sent: 12 October 2004 15:48
To: Hannah Beardon
Subject: RE: [Telecentres] WSIS ignorance!


Hmmm... my reading of the paragraph is definitely different to yours.
 
My interpretation of it is - The vast majority of the world is ignorant of the "unfolding phenomenon" of the "digital revolution" and the gap between those who are ignorant of it and those who have knowledge of it is increasing.  Knowledge and use of the digital opportunity is directly linked to wealth creation and development goals. Thus, continued ignorance of the digital opportunity among the poor will increase the gap between rich and poor.
 
Reading it, it never crossed my mind that WSIS meant that only technology and internet knowledge is valuable. From the main principles of the WSIS, the point is to get everyone the opportunity to hook into the networks and thus be able to share information and knowledge, whether it be from North, South, East, West, wherever! So - IMO they don't need to change their website. 
 
Also, isn't the point of  the Telecentres WG to do exactly what you suggest? i.e. promoting telecentres as models of two-way information exchange, documentation of local knowledge etc. in supporting the World Summit on the Information Society and the UN Millennium Development Goals.
 
My $0.02. It is interesting to see how different ppl interpret the same letters arranged in the same way very differently!
 
Jacqueline
 

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From: telecentres-bounces at wsis-cs.org [mailto:telecentres-bounces at wsis-cs.org] On Behalf Of Hannah Beardon
Sent: Monday, 11 October 2004 09:21
To: telecentres at wsis-cs.org
Subject: [Telecentres] WSIS ignorance!


Can I just quote from the WSIS website:
 
"Paradoxically, while the digital revolution has extended the frontiers of the global village, the vast majority of the world remains unhooked from this unfolding phenomenon. With the ever-widening gulf between knowledge and ignorance, the development gap between the rich and the poor among and within countries has also increased."
 
Does this mean that the WSIS see those who are digitally excluded as 'ignorant' as if there is no vaulable knowledge that does not exist on the Internet and the information flow needs only to be one way - that is for those poor ignorant people to receive our welath of knowledge?
 
If this is so, surely we need to be promoting telecentres as models of two-way information exchange, documentation of local knowledge etc.  In my experience this is of equal if not more imoprtance to people in remote communities as receiveing the information that is out there on the net.
 
If this is not so, then we need totell them to change their website.
 
hannah beardon
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