--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- SPECIAL EDITION WORLD SUMMIT FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (WSSD) --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- *APCNews, the monthly newsletter of the Association for Progressive Communications (APC)* - August 2002 No. 26 - --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -- NEWS FROM THE MEMBERS -- -- NEWS FROM APC -- -- SITES OF INTEREST -- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -- NEWS FROM THE MEMBERS -- United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development Johannesburg, South Africa from 26 August to 4 September 2002 It's been ten years since the historic "Earth Summit" - the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janeiro 1992. The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), unofficially known as Rio+10, brings together governments, UN agencies, Civil Society organisations, multilateral financial institutions and business to assess global change since 1992. Governments will review their achievements (or failures) in supporting the Rio agreements on sustainable development, biodiversity and climate change. In a world where food, water, shelter, sanitation, energy, and health services are less secure for the majority of the world's population than they were just ten years ago, the issues under debate at the WSSD are more crucial than ever. Civil society, including representatives from APC member organizations, will meet at a parallel Global Forum, scheduled to run from 19 August 2002 to 4 September 2002, and is expected to host approximately 60,000 delegates from all over the world. ECONNECT, Czech Republic: Czech environmental clean-up portal inspired by the World Summit on Sustainable Development In March earlier this year, APC member in Prague, Econnect launched a new thematic portal - Playing with the Earth. The portal was created as a part of country-wide campaign of the same name organised by Czech non governmental organisations (NGOs) in preparation for the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development. The portal provides the background information to the campaign, which is aimed at raising the public's awareness on environmental issues and encouraging people to get actively involved in cleaning up their immediate environment. More information: http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=5047 Hraozemi "Playing with the Earth": http://www.hraozemi.cz/campaign.shtml Econnect: http://www.ecn.cz SANGONET, South Africa: Civil society communities publish directly online at the World Summit on Sustainable Development even if they don't have their own websites Africa Pulse, an open publishing portal for civil society communities in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region and initiative of APC member SANGONeT, is providing civil society organisations with an easy-to-use online publishing platform during the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD). The portal, which has the support of the WSSD Civil Society Secretariat, will be part of a three-pronged media approach by the Secretariat, which includes the Internet, print and radio. Africa Pulse uses state-of-the-art technology allowing organisations to publish content directly to the portal. It relies on a "bottom-up" publishing structure, inverting the dominant "top-down" editorial structures of traditional media, in an effort to stimulate and champion grassroots media and indigenous information. http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=6497 SANGONeT: A space for women at the World Summit on Sustainable Development The Women's Centre is an initiative by the Women's Forum, convened by the Women's National Coalition and the Commission on Gender Equality in South Africa to create a space for women at the World Summit on Sustainable Development to meet, relax, plan, workshop, network and communicate. The Women's Centre site offers news coverage, annotated links to external resources and a programme of activities. The Women's Centre website is supported by Women'sNet, an initiative of APC member SANGONeT and the Commission on Gender Equality. WSSD Women's Centre: http://www.womensnet.org.za/wssdwomen/ SANGONeT: http://www.sn.apc.org --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -- NEWS FROM APC -- REMINDER: Last chance to nominate outstanding ICT Policy initiatives for the APC Africa Hafkin Communications Prize 2002 DEADLINE FOR NOMINATIONS: September 15, 2002 THIS YEAR'S THEME: People-Centred Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Policy in Africa THE PRIZE IS OPEN TO: civil society organisations, government institutions, educational organisations, community-based groups, networks, social movements and individuals anywhere in Africa WE ARE LOOKING FOR ICT *POLICY* INITIATIVES THAT: - are people-centred and mobilise participation - raise awareness and build capacity - are Africa-driven and that develop Africa - have positive community impact at community level THE PRIZE: USD$7,500.00 will be shared amongst up to three winning initiatives. For more information and to make a nomination in English or French: http://www.apc.org/english/hafkin/2002.shtml or write to hafkin-prize@apc.org --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -- SITES OF INTEREST - Want to find out more about the World Summit on Sustainable Development? APC has compiled a page with information about APC members' WSSD-related activities, links to WSSD information sources, and civil society WSSD web sites. This is a collaborative resource, and we invite APC members and other visitors to use the online form to submit links to resources that will be of interest to the civil society sector. http://www.apc.org/english/wssd [English] What the WSSD is all about http://www.worldsummit2002.org/guide/index.htm [English] Press coverage live from WSSD by IPS Inter Press Service is at the WSSD producing an eight-page daily newspaper on-site for delegates and non-governmental organizations. "TerraViva" will be also available as an e- newsletter from the IPS website. Audio broadcasts are also available thanks to an agreement with United Nations radio. Specials on WSSD in English and Spanish: http://ipsnews.net and http://ipsenespanol.net [English and Spanish] Latin American coverage: http://www.tierramerica.net/riomas10/index.shtml [Spanish] The Association for Progressive Communications and the Networking of Global Civil Society: APC at the 1992 Earth Summit, By Rory O'Brien and Andrew Clement http://www.apc.org/english/about/history/full_story.shtml?x =5320 [English] --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- APCNews, in English, and APCNoticias, in Spanish, are distributed monthly by APC, the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), the international Internet community for peace, human rights, development and the environment. APCNews Archive: http://www.apc.org/english/news/apcnews/ CopyLeft. 2002 Association for Progressive Communications (APC). Permission is granted to use this document for personal use, for training and educational publications, and activities by peace, environmental, human rights or development organizations. Please provide an acknowledgment to APC.