GLOBAL ALLIANCE LAUNCHES WEBSITE, BLOG FOR GENEVA YOUTH FORUM

The United Nations Global Alliance for Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for Development today launched the website http://un-gaid.org/en/gfyouth of the Forum on Youth and ICT for Development, to be held on 24-26 September in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Youth Forum aims to involve young people in discussions with policymakers, thought leaders and representatives from the private sector and civil society, and to explore ways to empower them and encourage their full participation in society through the use of information and communications technology.

The website will feature information and updates about the Forum and includes a blog to stimulate conversation within the Global Alliance’s main areas of concentration -- education, entrepreneurship, governance and health.

“We are including a blog in the part of our website dedicated to the Forum as a way to begin the discussion among the participants and get their feedback,” said Global Alliance Executive Director Sarbuland Khan.

“The blog will allow young people to discuss the use of ICT in these fields and address specific cases, lessons learned, protagonists and policies,” said Mr. Khan.  “Experts from various sectors will moderate the blog and will be raising difficult questions or highlight controversial issues in order to engage readers and provoke them to respond with their positions and to ask further questions”.

“We believe young people will value this opportunity to interact with an expert, and will give us useful feedback while we organize panels and workshops for the Forum and kick-start the exchange of ideas.”

Some 600 participants, including youth organizations, are expected to attend the Youth Forum, whose theme is “Youth and ICT as Agents for Change”.

The event is organized by the Global Alliance and the International Telecommunication Union, in partnership with Department of Economic and Social Affairs, International Labour Organization, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, World Health Organization, United Nations Population Fund, UN-Habitat and civil society organizations (Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationships with the United Nations, World Federation of United Nations Association, TakingItGlobal, Universal Education Foundation, Education Development Centre, La Francophonie and Astro All Asia Networks, among others).

For further information, visit http://www.un-gaid.org, or contact Enrica Murmura at the Global Alliance secretariat, tel: 212 963 5913, e-mail: murmura@un.org.

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For information media • not an official record