[WSIS CS-Plenary] Fwd: World Summit on the Information Society - Tunis Phase Preparatory Committee 3 (PrepCom-3)

[Tracey Naughton]

 	Media Advisory

Telephone:	 +41 22 730 6039
Fax:	 +41 22 730 5201
E-mail:	 wsismedia at itu.int
Website:	 www.itu.int/wsis/newsroom/2/

World Summit on the Information Society - Tunis Phase
Preparatory Committee 3 (PrepCom-3)

19-30 September 2005, Geneva, Switzerland

Media Accreditation Now Open

Geneva, 15 September 2005 - The final preparatory meeting for the  
forthcoming Tunis Phase of the World Summit on the Information  
Society will take place at the Palais de Nations, Geneva, from 19-30  
September 2005.

The meeting, which is expected to welcome some 1’500 participants  
from UN agencies, the private sector, civil society and the media,  
will work to finalize the working documents of the Summit, scheduled  
to take place in Tunis from November 16-18.

Key agenda items include:

Internet governance
Financing mechanisms
WSIS follow-up and implementation
While general agreement has been reached on ICT financing strategies  
following the work of the Task Force on Financing Mechanisms, set up  
by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan following the first phase of WSIS  
in Geneva, 2003, Internet governance remains a highly contentious issue.

The transformation of the Internet from a research network into a  
mainstream communications platform for a fast-growing range of  
private and public purposes has seen different views emerge about the  
appropriate scope of and mechanisms for Internet governance.

Many of those who participated in the Internet’s early development  
did not think of the Net as being governed, or even as needing  
governance. However, when the invention of the World Wide Web in the  
early 1990s helped make it accessible to a wide range of users, its  
commercial potential and growing importance to business and  
government raised new issues and drew new actors into a debate about  
how the future of the Net should be managed. At the same time, the  
growing role of civil society in shaping the agendas of public and  
private organizations has put the spotlight on governance as an  
essential element in the ongoing development of the Internet,  
alongside technical standardization and management of core Net  
resources.

In a bid to build global consensus on this complex issue, the multi- 
stakeholder Working Group on Internet Governance (WGIG), established  
after WSIS 2003 to investigate and make proposals for action by the  
Summit’s second phase, was charged with arriving at a working  
definition of Internet governance, identifying relevant public policy  
issues, and developing a common understanding of the roles and  
responsibilities of different stakeholders.

The final report of the WGIG, released on 18 July (see www.wgig.org),  
will serve as the catalyst for ongoing debate on this issue at  
PrepCom-3.

With PrepCom-3 expected serve as the setting for many key decisions  
on the future of Internet governance, journalists are invited to  
accredit for this important event, which will bring together the key  
players in the Summit process for lively discussions on the issues  
that will form the basis of the Summit’s final outcome.

A draft agenda and time management plan can be found here.

Official media accreditation is compulsory for this event. Details of  
the accreditation procedure and an online accreditation form can be  
found here.  Journalists are strongly urged to pre-accredit to avoid  
lengthy processing delays onsite. Accreditation for PrepCom-3 will  
also be valid for the World Summit on the Information Society in Tunis.

Pre-accredited journalists will be able to collect their Media badges  
from Thursday, 15 September 2005 at the WSIS Media accreditation  
desk, located on the ground floor of the Montbrillant Building at ITU  
headquarters. Please note that the letter from ITU confirming  
acceptance of accreditation must be presented, together with an  
internationally recognized photo identification document (passport or  
national identity card).

What:	WSIS PrepCom-3
When:	19 - 30 September 2005
Where:	Palais des Nations, 3rd floor, Building A, Place des Nations,  
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Why:	Finalize working documents for WSIS Phase II in Tunis

For further information about the World Summit on the Information  
Society contact:

Mr Sanjay Acharya
Communication Officer
WSIS Executive Secretariat
Tel: +41 22 730 5046
Email: contact

Important
For information on entering the Palais des Nations, the location of  
the “Salle de l’Assemblée”, and the location of the ITU  
Montbrillant building, see here. Note: Entrance to the Palais des  
Nations will be through the Pregny Gate only.




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