In a message dated 5/5/06 7:50:55 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> > BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE KEY THEME AT NEPAD COUNCIL CONFERENCE > > Bridging the digital divide is the key to closing economic gaps between > ethnic communities, especially in Africa. > > This will be one of the main themes to be discussed at Africa’s largest > Information and Communication Technology (ICT) conference to be hosted by the > NEPAD Council at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Nairobi, > Kenya, > later this month. > > One of the leading voices in the United States on the subject of equity and > information and communication technology, Tyrone D. Taborn, chairman of the > American Career Communications Group, will lead discussions on the topic. > > The “digital divide" refers to the difference in computer and technology > skills that tends to exist between people of different racial backgrounds. > The > issue is of major significant because studies suggest that more than 60 > percent af future jobs will require computer skills and network usage. Taborn > also > warns that people with computer skills will earn more than 40 percent more > than those without it. > > According to a report issued by the National Telecommunications and > Information Administration and the U.S. Department of Commerce, computer use > by > blacks lags behind that of non-Hispanic whites by more than 14 percent while > Internet use by blacks trails that of non-Hispanic whites by nearly 20 > percent. > This divide is even larger in Africa. > > Finding Solutions to this trend and boosting global public awareness of the “ > digital divide” has become a crusade by Taborn. "We've generated awareness > and I'm tremendously proud of that. However, our task is nowhere near > complete. We've got to inspire a movement,” says Taborn, who will address > policy > makers, financiers, industry leaders, scientists, engineers and educators > from > Africa and the rest of the world at the conference. > > As one of the most important continental events on African soil the NEPAD > Council is proud to organise ICT Africa 2006 in collaboration with the Kenyan > Government, NEPAD Secretariat in Kenya and the Institute for Electrical and > Electronic Engineers (IEEE). > > ICT Africa will also include several tutorials to address information and > communications issues for the entire African continent. > > NEPAD Council is an organisation of professionals whose mission is to > support the implementation of NEPAD objectives. NEPAD Council is recognised > and > endorsed by the NEPAD Secretariat and the NEPAD Heads of State and Government > Implementation Committee and is registered as a non-profit organisation in > New > York State, USA, and headquartered in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. NEPAD > Council is also a member of the NEPAD civil society organisations (CSO). > > This year’s conference will run from 17 to 21 May. > > For more information about the conference, visit our conference website at > http://www.nepadcouncil.org/ICTeAfrica2006 or contact our conference > secretary, Alida Phielix via e-mail at [EMAIL PROTECTED], or our > representative in Kenya, Pam Odero at [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > _______________________________________________________________________ > Powered by Microsoft Small Business > To unsubscribe follow the link: > http://lb.bcentral.com/ex/sp?c=5558&s=609D3EF35EB2E715&m=251 > _______________________________________________ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
