[Mailman-Developers] Fwd: Casablanca Statement on ICT Localisation in Africa

[Tobias Eigen]

Dear friends,

I just returned from a fascinating trip to Morocco, where, among other 
things, I helped to organize this event on language localization in 
Casablanca. I thought this statement might be of interest. Take note in 
particular of the project homepage (http://www.bisharat.net/PanAfrLoc). 
This announcement is also posted on the Kabissa site at 
http://www.kabissa.org/gong_gong/ict_news/casablanca_statement.html

It would be interesting to discuss where Mailman fits into this picture.

Best wishes,

Tobias

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Donald Z. Osborn" <dzo at BISHARAT.NET>
> Date: June 21, 2005 10:52:57 AM EDT
> To: AFRIK-IT at LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
> Subject: Casablanca Statement on ICT Localisation in Africa
> Reply-To: "African Network of IT Experts and Professionals (ANITEP) 
> List" <AFRIK-IT at LISTSERV.HEANET.IE>
>
> The PanAfrican Localisation workshop held in Casablanca, June 13-15, 
> brought
> together localisation experts and representatives of localisation 
> projects from
> various countries in Africa and some beyond. We considered the state of
> localisation on the continent, key issues, and ideas for facilitating 
> and
> advancing localisation efforts. The meeting also produced a brief 
> declaration
> (below). URLs for the sponsoring and collaborationg agencies and for 
> the
> project webpage follow. (Pardon the cross-posts.)
>
> Don Osborn
> Bisharat.net
> Coordinator of the PanAfrican Localisation Project
>
>
>
> Pan African Localisation Workshop
>
> Casablanca Statement
>
> African localisation experts met in Casablanca in a workshop organised 
> by
> Kabissa with Bisharat under IDRC funding, and in collaboration with 
> MTDS and
> the Casablanca Technopark centre. The event benefitted from 
> contributions from
> the Moroccan Minister-Delegate to the Prime Minister in Charge of 
> General and
> Economic Affairs, the Canadian Ambassador to Morocco, and experts from 
> other
> continents.
>
> After three days of work, the participants in the meeting reached the 
> following
> conclusions:
> * Limiting people to the use of information and communication 
> technology (ICT)
> in a foreign language tends to exacerbate the digital divide; makes ICT
> adoption long, difficult, and expensive; and impoverishes local 
> culture.
> * Localisation makes ICT more accessible to everybody, including users 
> from
> rural areas and young students, reinforcing the importance of our 
> culture and
> helping us preserve our identity.
> * Localisation of ICT into indigenous African languages is therefore 
> key to
> rapid and fair development in Africa.
> * For localisation to succeed and have its maximum impact in society,
> collaboration among governments, civil society, educators, linguists, 
> computer
> professionals, standards organisations and development agencies is 
> necessary.
>
> We, the participants, commit ourselves to promoting this vision and 
> working
> towards social development in Africa through ICT localisation.
>
>
> Casablanca, 15 June 2005
>
>
>
> IDRC  http://www.idrc.ca/
> Kabissa  http://www.kabissa.org/
> Bisharat  http://www.bisharat.net/
> MTDS  http://www.mtds.com/
> Casablanca Technopark  http://www.casablanca-technopark.ma/
> PanAfrican Localisation Project  http://www.bisharat.net/PanAfrLoc
>
> For further information, write: bisharat at bisharat.net