[Values-ethics] Next steps & Discuss and define our objectives (topics & mission)

Wed Nov 23 19:15:16 GMT 2005

Dear Max,

I truly am grateful for your spirit of dedication to this caucus and for
your willingness to help serve this group. For your information, your speech
was very well received and I am sorry that there was not enough time to
consider many of its very useful points on processes for a culture of peace.
Whilst we had a good discussion, I do feel we drifted a little into a
different focus for the remainder of the discussion. Nevertheless, overall
it was a good session and I am grateful to all the speakers for contributing
to a great parallel event. I do hope Liberato can help share his summary of
those discussions for us to put up on our "page" for future references. 

There have been many requests in the audience for the papers presented and
the powerpoint slides shared, so could these be sent to Max and myself, so
we can ensure they are posted somewhere.

Meanwhile, Max, thanks for starting us up again and for focusing us on some
questions to look at. 

Here is my take on it.

Priority one:
=I suggest that Liberator and Bahiyiih Chaffeurs (whom I was substituting)
who are co-conveners of the Values and Ethics caucus to give us a history of
this caucus, their vision and how they see us moving forward with them
continuing as the co-conveners. Liberato and you, did a marvelous job
focusing us on input into the process and we should continue to use both
your skills and those of Bahiyyih's if she comes back into the process (I
will continue to stand in for her until such time she can do so). 

Meanwhile, for those in the group with interest in specific issues, e.g. IG
and values/ethics, gender and values/ethics, financing/business and
values/ethics etc, we can then split up into working groups on separate
issues-starting separate mailing list or threads, so we don't all have to
agree on everything. There should be ability to focus on issues based on
interest and expertise.

Overall however, I do feel that all working groups issues we raise have to
have a clear values and ethics focus so we are clearly a values and ethic
caucus and DO NOT start becoming a gender caucus, etc. So issues within the
varous working groups, should be brought back to the larger list for vetting
before going out as a Values and Ethics statement.

Here is where focus, objective and process will help ensure this distraction
does not happen and where we clearly ensure inclusion of people who feel
values and ethics is important, but may not agree with the other issues we
drag in because of our own vested interests or they may feel that these
issues are better addressed through the other caucuses.

Priority two:
1) would be good for us to have some way of archiving our
discussions,ability to post the papers we submitted or presented, the photos
we have, and separate focused dicussion lists on various topics moving
forward for the Athens summit.(either a webpage, blog or wiki in addition to
this mailing list- anything that is easy to use and works). Max, I would
appreciate your leadership on this, and since I do have a rack of servers in
Singapore with 300MB regional and international connectivity if you ned to
use this, and my team can help if they have time with anything you need.

Priority three:
= work out a clear objective and process for us as a Values and Ethics
caucus to move forward in a collaborative and united manner, and more
importantly inclusive so new members can join in. I think we should have a
clear focus on values and ethics and not duplicate the work of the other
caucuses. We should then work out a Netiquette for working with a culture of
peace and collaboration. Perhaps we could start a list discussion on this
and you could share with us what you know and the rest of us can also share
until we adopt something which works. Rules of consultation within a culture
of peace and inclusiveness will be key. I do have a document on Netiquette
that I will send to you for your use and distribution to this list. I see
you also have a wealth of knowledge here and we could tap into this to offer
some concrete suggestions.

Priority four:

As we work our own rules of working consultatively and with a culture of
peace, we can then share this with the IG and the Forum coming up. Here is
where is where I feel values and ethics caucus can make a real contribution,
besides just insisting on the values and ethics dimension in this debate. We
could help us with the issue on process of building concensus online with a
"culture of peace"  i.e. Netizens type working. (we could do priority 3 and
4 together). If course, we need to learn how to practice before we preach.

Thanks Max once again for starting something going, and I suggest whilst we
work on Priority one and two, we start a mailing list thread on 3 and 4 so
we can finalise something soon, and get this caucus off the ground, and also
have something to share with IG caucus and the Forum.

Thanks,
Laina

-----Original Message-----
From: values-ethics-admin at wsis-cs.org
[mailto:values-ethics-admin at wsis-cs.org] On Behalf Of Max Senges
Sent: Sunday, November 20, 2005 5:26 AM
To: values-ethics at wsis-cs.org
Subject: X-IMail-SPAM-HTML-Features [Values-ethics] Next steps & Discuss and
define our objectives (topics & mission)

Hello all

Before I start to talk about substance, let me say that it was a very warm
and positive experience working with the people from the caucus at the WSIS.
So for me it was an easy decision when Pratiba and Laina asked me to join
the team of facilitators, I happily accept if the rest of the caucus is ok.
with me supporting & facilitating. I am looking forward to contribute and
collaborate with all of you. (For those of you who I did not have the chance
to meet: I keep some info under www.maxsenges.com, about my research at
http://entrepreneur.jot.com and I guess you can get a good idea of my
opinion and motivation when reading the presentation I held at our panel
discussion which can be found under
http://entrepreneur.jot.com/WikiHome/CaseStudyPlanning/WSISpresentation/WSIS
_EthicsValues_max_senges_01.ppt and maybe the post were I explain my
position to Internet Governance, which I attach to this mail)

Some of us used the last hours of the summit to think about the future of
this caucus. The following is short summary of what we discussed.

We are looking forward to continue working together, we hope that you share
our sentiment and that you will continue to actively participate and make
sure ethics and values have the place and role in the information society
they deserve.

We were talking about what themes will benefit from our input and what we
should think about next. So we compiled the following list of topics, please
comment and through in what you think should be added:

1. Next steps & Discuss and define our mission (objectives) ? this mail
  ? What do you think are the point we should be tackling?  

2. (shortly) discuss and define some basic technicalities (tools and
practice) on how do we work as a group 

3. Our inclusion in the internet governance debate
    ? As the Forum is the most concrete outcome – and as there will be a
‘summit-like’ meeting in Greece next year – we thought it would be important
that we think about how we can contribute to the debates and make sure
values and ethics are present. The next point also raises an idea for a
concrete contribution.

4. Work on a very concrete document(s) dealing with netiquette (an code of
conduct for online inter-action / ethical behaviour in cyberspace)
       ? Along these lines I would like to suggest that you have a look at
the Tunis mon Amour initiative (french and Italian only – but I will keep
you posted on the development) http://www.achr.nu/news.fr94.htm - i think
this is a great project where the internet is discussed as a social space
not technology

5. Write some informative documents/introduction explaining our past,
current topics, and plans & vision for the future ? Would somebody who has
been active in the caucus take the lead and start a gathering thoughts?

Please also note that under
http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/values-ethics you can 1)
manage your account settings(e.g. get your password mailed etc.) and 2)
access the archive of all past mails

A huge virtual hug
Max 

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Max Senges
UOC PhD student
Carrer Hospital 973o 2a   
8001 Barcelona, España
Tel:  +34 627193395
@: MaxSenges at gmail.com
Link to Programme Presentation
You will always be able to contact me via my I-Name=Max.Senges
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