December 1-3, 2002, Kathmandu, Nepal

In the years since the development of the world wide web, an increasing number of people also in developing countries have been using information communication technology (ICT) to bring about change in their work methods and environment and to speed up the development process.

Development organizations, NGOs, media houses, government agencies, schools and many individuals make use of ICT in one way or another. Yet, many questions are to be asked:
- What are the results?
- What is the context between ICT and development?
- Is the www so powerful in development as many people think it is?
- Are the priorities of big development organizations right when it comes to using ICT or would the better money be spent on other projects?
- Can ICT really a make difference in the poorest parts of the world?
- What are the prerequisites to apply ICT in remote areas in Nepal, for example?
- What impact has ICT on society?
- Which are the lessons to be learnt and experiences to be shared?
- What policies are required, especially in developing countries, to facilitate the use and access to ICT?

There are also questions regarding how global networking of like-minded people through the web can make a difference in policy advocacy and social equity for example.

As the technology advances, the gap between the information haves and have-nots is widening. The digital divide becomes more and more apparent. To highlight and discuss these issues, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES-N) in Nepal started the conference on Information Technology, Communications and Development (ITCD) in 2001. ITCD 2001 (www.itcd.net), which was hosted in Kathmandu, drew more than 30 speakers from 14 different countries. Altogether 130 participants attended. Encouraged by the feedback from last year, the conference for 2002 is now announced.

The objectives of the conference are to learn from one another and also to draw up recommendations for better policies and better projects that benefit people, particularly in developing countries. The conference aims to create a network of like minded people working in the area for IT&C, who can meet at least once a year to share ideas and experiences.

Six topics have been identified for presentation and discussion. The main focus across all these areas would be on youth, gender, e-health, and how technology can help in building democratic societies. But the list is not exhaustive and ideas are welcome.
- Appropriate Information Technologies
- IT, Youth and Volunteerism
- Using ICT in Development
- Society, Web and Gender
- Policy and Legislation
- Internet and democratization

We value inputs made available to the conference and invite papers and proposals for presentation. The conference will be attended by academics, development workers, media practitioners as well as ICT experts from Nepal and other countries.

Selected papers will be offered fast-track approval for publication in a special edition of the Electronic Journal on Information Systems in Developing Countries (EJISDC). Selected papers from the 2001 conference are now available in Volume 8 at http://www.ejisdc.org/.

Please send papers/proposals for presentations to Alfred.Diebold@fesnepal.org.