Introduction to the Conference Strands of thinking

"We have tools that can propel us toward the Millennium Development Goals, instruments with which to advance the cause of freedom and democracy, vehicles with which to propagate knowledge and mutual understanding. We have all of this potential. The challenge before this Summit is what to do with it".
Kofi Annan, United Nations Secretary-general Address to the World Summit on the Information Society during the Opening Ceremony, Geneva, 10 December 2003

Foresight of the Internet

In line with its mission, the Information Unit of the Destree Institute also participates in the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), whose innovating concept relies on the participation of multi-stakeholders in sessions organized by the United Nations (UN). With regard to Internet governance, the WSIS acts as a catalyst for a process that should be achieved, at international level, during the second phase which will take place in Tunis in November 2005, on the basis of the Declaration of Principles and the Plan of Action adopted in Geneva in December 2003.

Together with its partners, the Information Unit of the Destree Institute is holding an international conference on the "Foresight of the Internet", in the Castle of Namur (Wallonia), on Friday, March 4th, 2005 (simultaneous interpretation in English and in French will be provided). The common goal is to mobilize the stakeholders (States, companies, civil society) and, by applying the tools of foresight to Internet governance, to generate ideas. It is important to propose innovative solutions for the governance of tomorrow's Internet, in order to bridge the divides, to build an inclusive information society based on the sharing of knowledge, in respect of the principles of the Humans Rights and of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

Digital networks as structuring tools for the Knowledge Regions

The conference "Foresight of the Internet" is structured in three key issues : 1 - Technologies for the information society; 2 - Human resources towards the Knowledge-based Society; 3 - Transversal issues of the Internet governance. The open expertise-sharing debate should bring us closer to a knowledge-based society ‑ particularly in the field of territorial development ‑ in response to the request made by the Secretary-general of the United Nations in Geneva.

The conference is addressed at experts and decision makers in the ICT field, involved in research (universities, research centers), working for companies and institutions (the Wallonia Region, the French Community Wallonia -Brussels, the European Commission and partner regions) and from civil society. The conference's proceedings will be published online and in a book by the Destree Institute. The main conclusions will be structured in order to be presented during the WSIS's second phase in Tunis.

Last update : 04-11-2005  © The Destree Institute