Marouen Bloggin' his Life

I’m pleased to publish here some news about one of the ICT4D projects I’m involved in and which is a new vision to resolve a lot of connectivity problems in Africa. Even if this project isn’t targeting the WSIS (I think), an entire schedule was established to use this important event to let more people know about the power of Wireless technology in bridging the digital divide. If you’re adding the WSIS, try to know miss these dates to get back to your country with a new and “easy” knowledge. I’m also proud of being one of the orators in the first short panel and I’ll try to be present in the other panels in case we have some technical questions in French or in Arabic.

CAPACITY BUILDING FOR COMMUNITY WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY IN AFRICA
http://www.apc.org/wireless/

This partnership project, coordinated by the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) and funded by IDRC and OSI, focuses on capacity building through training, materials development, knowledge networking, information dissemination, and general awareness raising, drawing on the considerable expertise of the implementing partners in community wireless projects on the one hand, and training and support materials development on the other.

COMMUNITY WIRELESS @ WSIS SCHEDULE

15 NOVEMBER

Session: Cantenna building demonstration.
Time: 9:00 - 10:00
Languages: French and Arabic
Presenters: Bruno Roger and Marouen Mraihi
Venue: IDRC booth

16 NOVEMBER

Session: ''Introduction to wireless technologies: vision and basic concepts''.
Time: 9:00 - 11:00
Language: English
Presenters: Sebastian Buettrich and Tomas Krag
Venue: Kasserine
Session overview: General introduction, cases and vision of what can be done with community wireless networking, basic technical concepts for non-techies.

17 NOVEMBER

Session: Cantenna building demonstration.
Time: 9:00 - 10:00
Language: English
Presenter: Dwayne Bailey
Venue: IDRC booth

Session: ''Introduction to wireless technologies: vision and basic concepts''.
Time: 9:00 - 11:00:
Language: French
Presenter: Bruno
Venue: Kasserine
Session overview: General introduction, cases and vision of what can be done with community wireless networking, basic technical concepts for non-techies.

18 NOVEMBER

Session: Free Networks, Free Software: Linux-based wireless infrastructure
Time: 9:00 - 11:00
Language: French
Presenter: Bruno Roger
Venue: Kasserine
Session overview: Using Free Software such as Gnu/Linux to solve real community connectivity issues. How low-cost embedded hardware, and low-power servers can improve the both the user experience and the total costs of expensive capped internet connections such as VSAT links.

Session: Mesh Networks
Time: 12:00 - 13:30
Language: English
Presenters: Tomas Krag and Sebastian Buettrich
Venue: Expo Room 9
Session overview: This presentation will explain the basics of mesh networking and look at examples of how mesh networking can empower communities in urban contexts as well as in rural and development scenarios. Some hands-on demos of low-budget quick start approaches will be given, as well as some case studies.

I want just to let you know about one of the projects I'm linked to on the framework of the WSIS. This is the descriptive text Summarizing its aims.

Do you have something to say about cultural diversity, access to information, or creating gender equality through information and communications technology (ICT)?

Would you like to reach an international audience? If you think you've got something worth saying, then 'reach out'!

reach out aims to bring young Arabic and English speaking people together online, and then face-to-face in Tunisia to discuss important issues on a global scale as part of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS).

How do you get involved?

Register online and join the discussion forums to share your views on topics such as cultural diversity, access to information and creating gender equality through ICTs.

Go to Tunis. If you are among the best online contributors you will be selected to continue your discussions face-to-face in Tunis and video conference with a group from the UK at Café Informatique International. You'll also have the opportunity to meet government representatives from around the world and share your views with them.

Run your own project. You'll no doubt be inspired to act on what you've learned at WSIS. So you'll then have the opportunity with your new colleagues to identify a project and work together to make it happen.

Interested? Then register at: http://www.britishcouncil.org/reachout/

reach out is a British Council initiative linked to the United Nation's World Summit on the Information Society. Its aim is to connect young people and encourage debate on culturally important issues.