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The Summit: Who will participate?
Governments
All
governments have a stake in the Information Society, whatever their
level of national income or their infrastructure facilities. Governments
are key to bringing the benefits of the Information Society to everyone
through the development of national and global policies and frameworks
to meet the challenges of the Information Society. In their pursuit
of the public interest, governments can raise awareness, facilitate
access to information for the public, and can lay the foundations for
all citizens to benefit from Information and Communication Technologies
in terms of improved quality of life, social services and economic growth.
Business Entities
The
private sector will play an active role, in conjunction with governments
and civil society, by proposing economically viable models to achieve
the development objectives on the world agenda. The contribution of the
private sector is instrumental in creating the material conditions for
universal access to information and value-added ICT services. Its involvement
in the Summit will promote economic growth and new partnerships that can
stimulate technology transfer, increase awareness of new technologies,
and motivate the creation of local content development and skilled employment
opportunities.
The private sector input to the Summit is being facilitated by the Coordinating
Committee of Business Interlocutors (CCBI), chaired by the International
Chamber of Commerce (ICC). For more information, please click: http://www.iccwbo.org/home/e_business/wsis.asp
ITU Sector members, who represent a broad cross section of the ICT industry,
will also play an active role in the preparations leading up to the Summit,
as well as at the Summit itself.
Civil Society
Civil
society is playing an active role in identifying the social and cultural
consequences of current trends and in drawing attention to the need to
introduce democratic accountability on the strategic options taken at
all levels. Its diversity and, often, hands-on approach to issues, make
civil society a key player in the renewed international partnership called
for by the UN Secretary-General.
United Nations Family
The
Summit offers a unique opportunity for the global community to reflect,
discuss and give shape to our common destiny in an era when countries
and peoples are interconnected as never before. The UN family of organizations
serves as a catalyst for change by bringing together state governments,
as well as the private sector, international institutions and civil society
in pursuit of common goals. The United Nations system and its specialized
agencies will be deeply involved in the organization and holding of the
Summit, with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) taking a
lead role. As well, the Summit is an effective means to assist the United
Nations in fulfilling the goals of the Millennium Declaration.
International Organizations
In order to ensure the most complete input possible to the Summit process,
contributions from a wide range of international and multinational organizations
have been solicited.
Media
Communications technology is not an end in itself, but a means of supplying
and preserving information and content. Media organizations are expected
to propose initiatives and commitments to contribute to the goals of the
media.
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