[WSIS CS-Plenary] Press Conference on IGF Open Standards Dynamic Coaliton: 31 Nov. 2:15pm

[Robin Gross]

Media Release
31 November 2006

Press Contacts:
Susan Stuble, Sun Microsystems (+1) 210-353-0540
Email: susy at sun.com

Jamie Love, CPTech (+30) 697 9605013
Email: James.love at cptech.org


Press Conference on Creation of First IGF Dynamic Coalition
Open Standards Workshop Organizers Form Coalition

(Athens) On Tuesday 31 November at 2:15pm in the Media Room at the 
Internet Governance Forum (IGF), organizers of the IGF Open Standards 
Workshop will hold a press conference on the creation of an IGF Dynamic 
Coalition on Open Standards (DCOS).

One of main outcomes of the IGF is the creation of “dynamic coalitions” 
or multi-stakeholder groups working together on a common goal over a 
multi-year process. The IGF DCOS is the first dynamic coalition coming 
out of the inaugural IGF meeting in Athens this week.

The IGF Dynamic Coalition on Open Standards will work to promote open 
technical standards in information technologies, including both hardware 
and software.

The Open Standards Workshop will be held on 2 November at 9:30am at the 
IGF in Athens. The workshop will explore the relationship between the 
“openness” of ICT standards, economic and social development, and 
government policy making, with a focus on procurement policies. The 
discussion will help governments to better understand the inherent 
tension between intellectual property rights (IPR) holders in ICT 
standards and the public.

The “Open Standards” workshop will use the example of the OpenDocument 
Format standard to highlight the positive impact open ICT standards can 
have on information access.

Tuesday’s IGF DCOS press conference on Open Standards will include the 
following speakers:
* Brazil: Rogerio Santanna, Secretary of Information Technology,
Ministry of Planning and Budget
* Egypt’s Library of Alexandria: Prof. Magdy Nagi, Head of ICT Sector, 
Bibliotheca Alexandrina
* Consumer Project on Technology: Jamie Love
* Yale Information Society Project: Eddan Katz
* IP Justice: Robin Gross
* W3C: Daniel Dardieller, Associate Chair for Europe
* Sun Microsystems: Susy Struble, Government Policy
* Free Software Foundation Europe: Georg Greve, President


For more information:

CPTech Webpage on IGF Open Standards Workshop
http://www.cptech.org/a2k/igf/athens110206/

Internet Governance Forum Website
http://www.intgovforum.org

IPJ Webpage on IGF Open Standards Workshop:
http://ipjustice.org/wp/campaigns/internet-governance/igf/open-standards-workshop/