INTERNATIONAL

Welcome to the place were information on International news and events will be hosted. Here it is not so much about a country but about things that are happening at an international level. For instance we will report on news from the United Nations, ITU, UNESCO etc. If it concerns indigenous people and IT&T we will post it here.

INFORMATION

Report to the International Telecommunications Union- Development sector (ITU-D)

From: New Zealand

Date: 16 July 2001

Contributor: Te Putahi Whakawhiti Parongo

Question 14/1: The role of telecommunications in social and cultural development, including the protection and promotion of indigenous culture and identity.

In 1998 the above question was proposed for study by the New Zealand delegation to the ITU World development conference in Malta. Supported by delegates at the conference for study over the next 4 years, work on the question is only now gaining momentum. It is proposed to use this site to post progress on the question so people who wish to be involved in the work can contribute.

NEWS

ASHÁNINKA NATIVE COMMUNITY MUTUAL SUPPORT AGREEMENT

From: Peru

Date: 16 July 2001

Contributor: INICTEL

A Mutual Support Agreement was signed between INICTEL and the Asháninka Native Community on 30 March 2001. This agreement will give rise to multiple activities in professional training, Internet accessibility, project proposals, etc. specially intended for native people.

On 30 March 2001 at INICTEL headquarters in Lima a Mutual Support Agreement between INICTEL and the Asháninka Native Community was signed. Representatives of this Community, headed by the Asháninka Chief, and the General Director of INICTEL signed the document that will give rise to multiple activities in professional training, Internet accessibility, project proposals, etc.specially intended for native people.

EVENTS
 
Convening of the fourth meeting of ITU-D Study Groups

From: New Zealand

Date: 16 July 2001

Contributor: Te Putahi Whakawhiti Parongo

The fourth meeting of ITU-D Study Groups 1 and 2 will be held from 3 to 14 September 2001 in Caracas, Venezuela. A report up dating progress on Question 14/1 is to be presented to the meeting.


Culture and Identity in the Cyberspace. Indigenous peoples, multiculturalism and the building of identities.

From: New Zealand

Date: 16 July 2001

COORDINATORS:

ROBYN KAMIRA (Aotearoa-Nueva Zelandia)

SILVIA SENEN GONZALEZ (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Website: www.globalcn2001.org

Global CN 2001 - Second Global Congress of Citizens Networks, Buenos Aires, Argentina, December 5-7, 2001

In Aotearoa the Maori have struggled to retain their rights to speak and use their language, practice their culture, acquire meaningful education, and maintain health and well being. The inevitable destruction of the culture through colonisation has, in some ways, been slow and painful. The corelation with their poor socio-economic status remains the only constant since the arrival of the colonising immigrants, then the influx of peoples from other parts of the world, and now the arrival of the information technology age. The emerging multi-cultural-technological society may continue to submerge the needs of Maori, like other cultures, or to be a shift towards a better life. The winds of change, diversity and multiculturalism lounge over our nations, given new and original faces to these identities.