[eccr] CfP: ICT Conference in St. Petersburg, Russia, April 22-24, 2003

CALL FOR PAPERS

                                 International Conference
                            Building the Information Commonwealth:
          Information Technologies and Building Prospects for the
Development
                      of Civil Society Institutions in the CIS Countries

                        St. Petersburg, Russia, April 22-24, 2003

                      http://www.communities.org.ru/conference

The disintegration of the USSR is still resonating within the world
community.

The formation of an effective civil society sector will hopefully work  to
overcome the economical, social and cultural effects of a totalitarian
government which are the common heritage of the Commonwealth of Independent
States (CIS) countries.  This remains one of the most immediate and
significant  tasks for all the ex-USSR states.

The decade since 1991 has shown that the path to stable democratic societies
in the CIS region is a very difficult one. The negative factors common to
all the CIS countries, unstable economic growth, traditions of state
paternalism, low living standards, a hazardous investment climate, the
"soviet mentality" are still even now determining the everyday lives of the
majority of the population of our countries.

It is thus crucial to make effective use of available "global resources"
such as information and communication technologies (ICTs) to support a
radical improvement in the quality of life of ordinary people, of women,
youth, the elderly, the disabled and indigenous peoples. Currently, ,
information technologies in the countries of the CIS region it would be
generally agreed are primarily used as tools for private gain and are
accessible only to the relatively small numbers who can afford individual
access.  Developing strategies for enabling information technologies to
serve the broader needs of society, to support the development of democratic
institutions, and to strengthen the struggle against poverty is a challenge
that presents itself to civil society and public authorities?

These questions are becoming more and more critical for the peoples in our
countries where rapid technological development presents possibilities (and
risks) of radical change in economic and social circumstances and for
responding to growing social injustice. Critical analysis of the the
Information Society in the CIS region as it is evolving, the influence of
new technical (and following these social and cultural) factors within our
societies and their impacts on the development of  the civil society
institutions, the analysis of the applicability of modern inter-disciplinary
approaches (e.g. Community Networking/Community Informatics) to support the
realization of community-based IT projects will be the main goals of the
conference. We'll focus on several key problems of the civil society
development in CIS countries looked at  through the prism of the use of
ICTs.

         Participants in  the Conference:

Leaders of the non-profit and civil society organizations performing
projects in the area of ICTs in the CIS countries; deputies of national
Parliaments; representatives of the executive structures of the countries of
the region; specialists from  governmental agencies and programs;
representatives of  international charitable organizations, NGO's and
foundations; experts from  International Organizations, academicians and
practitioners from the different countries who are interested in  discussing
the Conference issues.

       Organizers of the Conference:

The Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of Member Nations of the Commonwealth of
Independent States (IPA)

Institute of Research on Problems of Nonprofits in the Newly Independent
States (IRPN)

Centre of Community Networking and Informational Policy Studies (CCNS)

      The Conference Venue:

St. Petersburg, which is Russia's Northern capital,  preparing for its 300
anniversary  is a very appropriate and natural place for this event.
(??????! ???????? ?????? ?? ??????.)

The Conference will take place of the main building of the IPA - Tavrichesky
Palace, one of the most
magnificent palaces in St. Petersburg (XVIII century).

More information about the Palace and the Conference facilities at
http://www.iacis.ru/kongr_en.htm

      Languages of the Conference

The working languages of the Conference will be Russian and English

      Themes of the Conference

The Conference will be organized with an alternation of plenary sessions and
panels following 12 main directions:

+ civil society and information society in the CIS countries:identifying the
problem area

+ e-governance and participation of local citizens in the decision-making at
the local, regional and national
   levels

+ local communities in the CIS countries: typology, myths and realities

+ new information infrastructure at local level: creation and ownership of
Community Information

+ participation of the countries of the region in international projects and
programs directed
   towards ICT usage for the development of the civil sector

+ using ICTs for not-for-profit and civil society purposes in the CIS
countries

+ connectivity and software

+ civil society/communities and digital economies

+ Social, Psychological and Cultural Barriers to access.

+ model legislation concerning information policy for the CIS countries and
national programs.

+ formation of the information society in the CIS and problems of Global
Security

+ how do ICTs influence local, national, and regional development?

        Submission of papers

Proposals for papers should be submitted as abstracts of no more than 500
words, and should
include details of the proposer's name, position, affiliation, and contact
details. The abstracts will
be reviewed by the Program Committee which consist of CIS and international
members.

?riteria for selection for Proposals:
- relevance to the Themes of the Conference
- relevance to the development of Civil Society in the CIS
- papers can address either the theoretical or the practical aspects of the
issues

Proposals should be submitted electronically:

- in English to Michael Gurstein, Conference Co-Chair
<(BICsubmissions /at/ mail.ru)>
- in Russian to Organizing Committee to <(irpnnis /at/ mail.ru)>

   in RTF, Word or PDF format.

Deadline for abstracts:                             31st December 2002
Authors of accepted papers notified by:    20th February 2003

For further information and submission details, please, contact Organizing
Committee:

27, Mayakovskogo str., St. Petersburg, Russia 191123
Fax: +7 812 2726547
e-mail: (irpnnis /at/ mail.ru)



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