*** Democracies Online Newswire - http://www.e-democracy.org/do *** Along with my consulting work on the Markle Foundation's Web White & Blue initiative, I am also providing some behind the scenes advice for their international digital divide efforts. Below is an important announcement geared toward U.S.-based non-profits interested in the G8 Digital Opportunity Task Force. This is a great opportunity for those bridging our domestic digital divide to have their experience inform similar international efforts. Steven Clift Democracies Online http://www.e-democracy.org/do JOIN THE U.S. NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS' WORKING GROUP FOR THE G-8's DOT FORCE! At the Group of Eight Summit last summer, the Digital Opportunity Task Force (DOT Force) was created to enhance global understanding of the challenges and opportunities posed by information and communication technologies, and to mobilize resources and coordinate efforts to address the global digital divide. With members from governments, from both developed and developing countries, businesses, and nonprofit organizations, the DOT Force will report findings and recommendations to the G8 in July 2001. The Markle Foundation <http://www.markle.org> is pleased to serve on the DOT Force as the U.S. non-profit member. As part of the consultation process for U.S.-based non-profit organizations, the Markle Foundation is sponsoring the DIGOPP Online Working Group (February 12 - April 20, 2001), which will examine the relationship between digital divide issues and development policies, poverty reduction and reduction of inequalities at the global level. The DIGOPP Working Group aims to move beyond a discussion of "either/or" in the "technology for development" debate (e.g., "either" technology "or" healthcare), understanding that ICT can be mutually reinforcing to development goals. It will: * assess the current situation, addressing indicators and existing gaps; * discuss priority targets for concerted action by the G-8, particularly in the areas of policy, regulatory and network readiness, connectivity and access, human capital development, and content and wealth creation; * identify scope, successes and failures of existing efforts to bridge the digital divide, including best practices and lessons learned This effort is not meant to duplicate or replace the many important and effective discussions currently in place on this issue. Rather, the DIGOPP Working Group provides a targeted opportunity for the non-profit community to participate in shaping the work of the DOT Force as it develops findings and recommendations to report back to the G-8 this summer. We hope you will join in this key effort. *** HOW TO JOIN THE DIGOPP WORKING GROUP *** Please send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Do *not* enter a subject. In the first line of the message, type: subscribe digopp Do not put anything after "digopp". You will receive a Welcome Letter to the Working Group. *** HOW TO GET THE DIGOPP WORKING GROUP DIGEST *** You can get a digest of the Working Group messages rather than individual messages. The digest includes all messages up to a maximum digest of 50K; thus you will get 1-5 digests per week. If you would like to get the digest, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Do not enter a subject. In the body of the message, type: subscribe digopp-digest Do not put anything after "digopp-digest". You will receive a Welcome Letter to the digest. *** WORKING GROUP MODERATOR *** This Working Group is moderated and facilitated by Education Development Center, a non-profit organization. *** FOR FURTHER INFORMATION *** For further information about DIGOPP, please contact: Janice Brodman EDC [EMAIL PROTECTED] ^ ^ ^ ^ Steven L. Clift - W: http://www.publicus.net Minneapolis - - - E: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Minnesota - - - - - T: +1.612.822.8667 USA - - - - - - - ICQ: 13789183 *** Please send submissions to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** *** To subscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** *** Message body: SUB DO-WIRE *** *** To unsubscribe instead, write: UNSUB DO-WIRE *** *** Please forward this post to others and encourage *** *** them to subscribe to the free DO-WIRE service. ***
