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Subject: UN WSIS-IRFD World Forum in Geneva Date: Fri, 04 Jul 2003 11:03:48 -0500 From: IRFD WFIS wfis@irfd.org To: Universities-21 wfis@irfd.org

IRFD World Forum on Information Society

Digital Divide, Global Development & Information Society

December 8th, 9th & 10th - IATA Conference Centre & PALEXPO Exhibition Centre

Geneva, Switzerland

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Organized by the International Research Foundation for Development (IRFD) in conjunction with the United Nations World Summit on the Information Society (UNWSIS)

Call for Papers and Session Proposals

Send Abstracts and Proposals before July 31st, 2003

The focus of this conference is on critical issues and considerations in the context of information technological revolution, global transformation, and marginalization. Inter and intra regional disparities will be examined in terms of information infrastructure and dissemination, knowledge generation and management. Special emphasis will be on the following: 1. The variations on ICT physical and institutional infrastructural development (threshold of ICT investment in terms of human capital and intellectual capital) and economic performances of enterprises at all levels (large, medium, small, informal sector economy), and the need of their integration into the global market; 2. To shed light on socio-economic & politico-cultural implications of the information revolution and digital divide; 3. To formulate critical policies, strategies, and advocacy efforts within an interdisciplinary and integral framework to bridge the digital gap creating necessary ICT threshold for economic development and political democratization across the globe; 4. To develop an integrated approach to create a sustainable global development and information society for the 21st century.

Specific Topics of the Forum

Human capital in knowledge economy, Knowledge management, Transfer of information technology, Digital/Techno capitalism, ICT and economic development, ICT and new partnership for Africa¹s Development, The economics of information, E-commerce and business communication, Information management systems, Information society and global governance (international policy, legal and regulatory frameworks, and standards), IT Brain drain, Cities and new technologies, Digital democracy (politics in an information age), Culture and politics in the information age, Citizenship in the information age, Information society and governance (Nation-state), Human rights in an information age, Information society and stratification (gender/race/ethnicity/cyber elite), ICT and poverty eradication, ICT and human settlements, ICT, communities and network societies, Cyber crime, Information society and sustainable development (topics are not limited to this list).

Business Forum as part of the Geneva 2003 Conference

Invitation to the business community and academics in the business field

In recent years, business partnership has become a vital component of the global development discourse within the UN policy framework. The upcoming World Summit on Information Society, which will be held in Geneva, is not an exception, and the business community is expected to play a continuous key role in this process. To this effect the International Research Foundation for Development is organizing a special forum focusing on the business partnership as an integral part of the global development in the age of information society.

This special forum would like to bring diverse views, innovative ideas, product information, best practices and insights of business leaders with regard to the information technology and the advancement of global business, which will eventually benefit for the whole world through market integration, expansion, business network alliances and so forth. This forum would like to address the whole spectrum of issues, considerations, and practices that business community facing in developing a partnership with governments, local communities, NGOs, science and technology communities, policy makers and other multi-stake holders in the process of global development.

Business Forum Themes

Development of ICT for Wealth Creation & Economic Growth

Development of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises and their Integration into the Global Economy. Global Business and Cross Sectoral Network Commercial Crime Services (fraud and cyber-crime) Intellectual Property Rights International Trade and its Impact on Investment Competition and the Environment Corporate Governance, Responsibility, and Sustainable Development The Role of Business in Economic and Social Development (Ethical Issues) Private Investment and Public-Private Partnership Security and Trade: Supply Chain Security between Governments and Industry; Use of Information Technology to Enhance Security The Role of International Chamber of Commerce in World Trade Global Trade and E-business Business, Local Communities and NGOs International Business and Legal Environment

This forum will provide a window of opportunity to exchange of views with other multi-stakeholders in global development and information society. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Send your abstract (150-200 words) and session proposal as a Microsoft Word document via e-mail to the following address: wfis@irfd.org before July 31st, 2003.

For details visit: http://www.irfd.org/events/wf2003/intro2.html

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Please circulate this conference announcement to your colleagues, faculty members, research institutions, policy makers and those who may be interested in participating in this event.

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Contact Address:

World Forum Secretariat International Research Foundation for Development 2830 South Holly Street Cambridge, MN 55008 USA Tel: 763-689-2963; Fax: 763-689-0560 IRFD website: http://www.irfd.org E-mail: wfis@irfd.org or info@irfd.org

Swiss Air Line is the Official Carrier of the 2003 World Forum

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