[wilhelmtux-discussion] wipo geschichte

Claude Almansi claude.almansi at bluewin.ch
Mon Aug 25 00:39:28 CEST 2003


Hi Alex,

I'll spare you (and WT) the zen ramblings at ICT4D in my answer to you on
the comunica-ch list. Getting to the brass tacks:

"The Role of Science in Information Society" (RSIS) is a "WSIS Special
Event"  with an interesting twist: it will take place at CERN and not at Mr
Otto Frei's Market Place, and just before WSIS proper. Their site
http://rsis.web.cern.ch/rsis/ is neat, informative, efficient, with working
forums. Above all, the RSIS organizers have their own declaration of
principles, which is inequivocably clear about the fundamental importance of
the Public Domain:

http://rsis.web.cern.ch/rsis/02Declaration/Declaration.html

"Declaration
-------------

Scientific research is one of the key factors underpinning the development
of the Information Society. The fundamental technological components of the
Information Society--electricity, radio waves, the World Wide Web (WWW), and
the web browser--were all first developed in academic laboratories. Ensuring
equitable access to scientific knowledge is essential in order to achieve
the Millennium goals, and the use of Information and Communication
Technologies (ICTs) now offers incredible opportunities in this regard.
Scientific research leads to the development of new technologies themselves
and to the production of data and information that, when combined with these
technologies, can be of huge benefit to society as a whole. The essential
role of science and scientists in building the Information Society should be
clearly acknowledged in the declaration of principles and reflected in the
plan of action from WSIS.

Principles
------------

Scientific knowledge and data are of enormous importance in a global
Information Society:
To foster innovation and promote economic development
For efficient and transparent decision-making, particularly at the
governmental level
For education and training
Scientific data and information should be as widely available and affordable
as possible, since the more people that are able to share them, the greater
the positive effects and returns to society. Scientific knowledge is a
"public good."
The development of new ICTs opens up unprecedented opportunities to ensure
universal and equitable access to scientific data and information and to
enhance the global knowledge pool. However, excessive privatization and
commercialization of scientific data and information is a serious threat to
the realization of these opportunities for societal benefit.

Agenda for Action
----------------------

1. Ensure that all universities and research institutions have affordable
and reliable high-speed Internet connections to support their critical role
in information and knowledge production, education and training.

2. Promote sustainable capacity building and education initiatives to ensure
that all countries can benefit from the new opportunities offered by ICTs
for the production and sharing of scientific information and data.

3. Ensure that any legislation on database protection guarantees full and
open access to data created with public funding. In addition, restrictions
on proprietary data should be designed to maximize availability for academic
research and teaching purposes.

4. Promote interoperability principles and metadata standards to facilitate
cooperation and effective use of collected information and data.

5. Provide long-term support for the systematic collection, preservation,
and dissemination of essential digital data in all countries.

6. Promote electronic publishing, differential pricing schemes, and
appropriate open source initiatives to make scientific information broadly
accessible.

7. Encourage initiatives to increase scientific literacy and awareness of
how to interpret web-based scientific information.

8. Support urgently needed research on the use of ICTs in key areas, such as
geographical information systems and telemedicine, and on the socioeconomic
value of public domain information and open access systems.

9. Recognize the important role for science in developing and implementing
the new governance mechanisms that are necessary in the Information Society.

Full text at http://rsis.web.cern.ch/rsis/02Declaration/Fulldeclaration.pdf
(stop laughing, Alex: this is a pdf that WORKS, unlike the WSIS mammoth
ones)"

What about making RSIS the main event of WSIS? Maybe we can't all fit in at
CERN, but we can use the RSIS forums, and draw attention of the media to the
vital importance of the Public Domain and of its defense by RSIS...

Cheers

Claude