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Technology for All Bridging the Digital Divide in Central and Eastern Europe. Jerome Simpson Head, Information Programme. ICT and Environmental Democracy WSIS/‘Aarhus’ Convention Side Event. Wednesday 10th December 2003. Jsimpson@rec.org.
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Technology for AllBridging the Digital Divide in Central and Eastern Europe Jerome Simpson Head, Information Programme ICT and Environmental Democracy WSIS/‘Aarhus’ Convention Side Event Wednesday 10th December 2003 Jsimpson@rec.org
The Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe: Building Environmental Democracy • • Head quartered in Hungary, with 9 Programmes, 15 country offices, established 1990, >30 donor countries • • A mission driven, not-for-profit organisation promoting regional cooperation and local dialog between diverse stakeholders • An Information Programme focused on providing and promoting access to information
REC: Bridging the Digital Divide • Collaboration with EC/DG Information Society showcasing ‘ISTs’ for data collection/storage • In South Eastern Europe funding national environmental information system development and e-networking of NGOs • Founding the ‘Aarhus’ Electronic Tools Task Force to share ICT experience on information access at pan-European level • Following ‘Kiev,’ transferring ‘lessons learned’ to Turkey and the EECCA region Jsimpson@rec.org
Technology: Bridging the Digital Divide Tools at our disposal… & Best practices… Jsimpson@rec.org
The Future: Bridging the Digital Divide Key challenges (e-governance) Key solutions • Transferring national best practices to the local & rural level • Clearly defining all institutional responsibilities • Updating legislation, protocols • Education, training, staff-exchange, site visits • Financing • E-governance • NGO networks • Mobile society? • Libraries (for environment) Jsimpson@rec.org