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Egypt Actively Participates in the Second Phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)
Cairo, November 7, 2005
Following its participation in the global dialogue on the Information Society (IS), Egypt is sending a high caliber delegation to the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in the Tunisian capital on November 16-18, 2005. The delegation raises the slogan for cooperation between private and public sectors along with the civil society in building an IS, meanwhile, displaying Egypt's success in building its Information Society over the last five years through major projects.
Egypt has a 187.5 square meter booth in the official exhibition on the Summit sidelines - ICT4ALL - where governmental, non-governmental and civil society organizations accompanying the official delegations will exhibit their achievements in building a civil society.
Promoting digitalizing efforts, the National Council for Women will display its project offering training and consultation, in addition to development projects like the small projects aiming to open up the Egyptian job market. The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) will present the success of its IT clubs which are now available nationwide and will also describe the National Telecommunication Regulatory Authority's (NTRA) role in the comprehensive universal service fund projects.
In the field of e-content, the Center for Documentation of Cultural and Natural Heritage (CULTNAT) will present a comprehensive information system built to document Egyptian heritage, increasing its local and international exposure via hard-copy printing, on-line publishing and a state-of-the-art website using the latest communications and information technology (IT). CULTNAT will receive the World Summit Award for culture for its website:www.eternalegypt.com and will announce an initiative for documenting and digitalizing the Egyptian Documentation House in cooperation with MCIT and IBM. Also presenting e-content, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina exhibits its digital book, Describing Egypt; a database about President Gamal Abdel Nasser; its "A Million Books on the Internet" project; International networks language; and a database of digital sources.
Promoting e-government achievements, MCIT, the Ministry of State for Administrative Development and the National Postal Authority (NPA) will present their joint projects that aim to improve the quality and efficiency of public services and make use of the government's e-services.
For its achievements in e-access, MCIT will present its "PC for the Community", "Free Internet", Broadband", "Internet 2" , the "Egyptian Universities Network" initiatives, and the overall developments seen in the communications and IT sector.
Furthermore, on e-learning achievements, MCIT will present the E-Learning Competence Center, human resource development programs, and communications and IT training. This includes the Basic Skills Development Program and Specialized Training Program, and the International Computer Driving License. This is in addition to the ICT Trust Fund programs that include the Smart Schools Network project and the Mobile Information Technology Club.
CULTNAT will present a panoramic display of civilization that will include nine interactive parts of Egyptian heritage: Pharaohnic, Coptic, Islamic, natural and modern, throughout the duration of this unique exhibition.
The Communications and Information Technology for All exhibition aims to allow WSIS participants to present their achievements in the following fields: e-solutions, solidarity & development, cooperation & finance and research & innovation.
Also on the WSIS sidelines, Egypt will participate in the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) three initiatives "Partners to Connect the World": PC for the Community, IT Clubs, and Free Internet. An exhibition for this initiative is set up on the main premises of the WSIS to display the core activities of those participating in the ITU initiative to "Connect the World".
In preparation for the WSIS, Egypt has launched a website www.egyptatwsis.com.eg which tracks steps taken towards building the Information Society, its regional Arab and African efforts to prepare for the WSIS, in addition to a detailed portrayal and information about the Egyptian exhibit at the Summit. Information on the participating organizations and the general activity expected during the summit are also available.
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