Remember Tunis and WSIS? The World Has Moved On...

Last year this time, I was preparing to come home to Ghana after almost twelve days in the North African country of Tunis. You can follow my trials and tribulations of those days at this blog here: http://twelvedaysintunis.blogspot.com, where I would attend, on behalf of my organisation, a UN-sponsored event called the World Summit on Information Society.

My Tunis blog, 12 Days in Tunis is less about the time spent being frivolous, and drooling about women there, than being privy to what I would call the prognostication, or foretelling, of a future, where the Internet continues to play a pivotal role in the lives of citizens, enriching and deepening, and facilitating all at the same time.

The so-called Information Society, understandably, may represent yet another nebulous concept coined by the perceived behemoth of the UN. What it is, in effect, in my view, is a global society, where ICT tools, not just computers, but mobile phones; radios and whatnot, serve as critical roles in ouor "development"--irrespective of where you may be. This means, for example, that it is a society where mobile internet is a reality; where there is an always-on internet; where it is not just accessible, but relatively affordable for ALL; where Internet cafes are within the environs of major cities, hang-outs, and even the country-side, where life is that much quieter; and where blogging facilitates an oppenness unparalleled in the facilitation of the work of the fourth estate.




An attempt at a rules-based information society is one of the reasons why the first-ever Internet Governance Forum took place in the country of regular visitor(s) Sissoula and Steph, which happens to be Greece. It took place from 30 October to 2 November inclusive. It might have gone unreported in mainstream media, but it certainly was an impactful event I would have loved to be part of--if only to take the opportunity to meet up, and have a drink with the latter:-))

Maybe next time!

Either way, if I were to be asked whether I would want to belong to a world where it was partially always-connected, or comprehensively connected, I know which one I'd join straight away! Being part of the latter has its proverbial drawbacks, but let's face it, when it gets too much, you can always blog about it!:-)

tags
internet governance forum;igf;greece internet;wsis;blogging;information society;internet governance;