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

[C. Courtright]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: CfP: ICT Conference in St. Petersburg, Russia, April 22-24, 2003
Date: Fri,  6 Dec 2002 00:53:15 +0300 (MSK)
From: gard at gard.spb.org (Sergei Stafeev)

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. 
(Îøèáêà! Èñòî÷íèê ññûëêè íå íàéäåí.)

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.

Ñriteria 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