From: Steven Clift [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 23 September 2003 04:14
To: [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask];
[log in to unmask]
Subject: New WSIS and Democracy E-mail List
DO-WSIS - New E-mail List on E-democracy and Information Society
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An information exchange forum on e-democracy and the World Summit on
the Information Society (WSIS) <http://www.google.com/search?q=wsis>.
DO-WSIS is hosted by Democracies Online. The Democracies Online
Newswire e-mail announcement list reaches over 2500 members from
over 75 countries.
To subscribe to DO-WSIS:
[log in to unmask]
To subscribe to DoWire - the Democracies Online Newswire or visit its
archives:
http://www.e-democracy.org/do
In the WSIS documents <http://www.itu.int/wsis/> being drafted
by participating governments, the word "democracy" only appears once
near the end of the Statement of Principles. Further, the most powerful
human right in terms of citizen empowerment in the online world, the
right to _associate_ and therefore communicate, is not mentioned
(the freedom of expression is powerless without an audience or in this
case an "online community" for two-way exchange).
Possible topics for exchange on the DO-WSIS include strengthening the
information society to promote:
1. Participatory democracy at the local, regional, and national
levels of government and in society generally.
2. Online-enhanced participatory international governance processes
and institutions that are transparent, accountable, and provide
citizens with timely electronic access to legally public information.
(The WSIS web video streams set a new high standard for access to
other international bodies!)
3. The realization of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In
particular, Article 20 on the freedom of assembly and association and
article 19 on the right to freedom of opinion and expression as they
come to life and raise citizens voices through the online environment.
4. Good governance and greater levels of citizen participation
through e-government, media online, and civil society information
efforts that deliver on the democratic potential of the new medium.
5. The establishment of WSIS Plans of Action that develop specific
goals and initiatives to implement the often cited democratic
potential of the information society - this could include specific
mention of "E-democracy" ICT applications through civil society and
e-government to encourage democratic citizen participation and
involvement in official documents.
For more on democracy in the information age, see the links from:
http://www.publicus.net/articles/edemresources.html
Also see the new article by Steven Clift titled, "E-Democracy, E-
Governance and Public Net-Work" for a summary overview of projects
that make the democratizing and collaborative potential of the new
medium a reality:
http://www.publicus.net/articles/edempublicnetwork.html
^ ^ ^ ^
Steven L. Clift - W: http://www.publicus.net
Minneapolis - - - E: [log in to unmask]
Minnesota - - - - - T: +1.612.822.8667
USA - - - - - - M: +1.612.203.5181
Join my Democracies Online Newswire:
http://e-democracy.org/do
My blogging experiment:
http://travelscoops.com
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