Notice from the IGF Secretariat
This year we received an overwhelming response to the call for workshop proposals and unfortunately there is not enough room to accommodate all workshops.
We noticed that many of the workshop proposals cover similair topics and, like last year, we are therefore as a first step incouraging the merging of workshops. Merged workshops will get priority in the allocation of slots and rooms.
In addition to that, depending on the nature of the merged workshops, special slots will be made available, where best practices can be identified around the session.
Please note that the workshops should ideally be balanced in terms of geography and stakeholder representation. This is an important element that will be considered in the allocation of workshops.
Taking this into account, please kindly let us know if you are interested in getting in touch with other workshop organizers. We will then provide you the contact details for that purpose.
About deadlines
You will recall that 15 of June was set for submitting final proposals, but that workshop organizers could send the list of workshop speakers by 30 of June.
Accordingly, the deadline to inform us about the merge is 15 of June.
Workshop Proposal Submitted to IGF by April 21, 2009
1. Propose a title for a workshop (not more than 10 words)
Flourishing Asia-Pacific Indigenous & Traditional Knowledge on the Internet
2. Provide a concise description of the workshop (not more than 200 words)
The long history and wide geographical distribution grant Asia-Pacific Region a rich, diversified and robust culture tradition, in which the indigenous and traditional knowledge that has been building up generation by generation during thousands of years is the most precious culture heritage that deserves special preservation and protection. The Internet technology brings up brand new opportunity to document, display or even rescue such knowledge (such as http://www.wdl.org/en/), particularly some of which are being lost against the predominating western culture. The workshop will not only provide the valuable opportunity to discuss the current practices and exchange the experience on protection and preservation of indigenous and traditional knowledge on Asia-Pacific networks, but address critical issue of stimulation of new knowledge production on the Internet through reviving and resurrecting such knowledge sources, which is still a missing prospective at the IGF. The discussion will range from adoption of indigenous Internet identities and identifiers to development of online content and communication tools. The workshop will expect to arouse cross-region multi-stakeholder support for flourishing Asia-Pacific indigenous and traditional knowledge on the Internet.
