[Kictanet] IDLELO2 CONFERENCE ON THE DIGITAL COMMONS

[Bill Kagai]

THE SECOND IDLELO CONFERENCE ON THE DIGITAL COMMONS
www.fossfa.net/idlelo2
[ENTRENCHING THE SOFTWARE INDUSTRY IN AFRICA]
23RD-25TH FEBRUARY, 2005
SAFARI PARK HOTEL

The Free Software and Open Source Foundation for Africa (FOSSFA) in
collaboration with The Kenya e-Government Directorate in the Office of
the President together with the United Nations Economic Commission for
Africa (UNECA) are pleased to announce the Second IDLELO Conference on
the Digital Commons to be held at the Safari Park Hotel from 23rd to
25th February 2006. IDLELO is derived from a Zulu word for a common
grazing ground.

Software has become an integral part of modern life.  Today, basic
items such as Mobile Phones, Computers and TVs to complex equipment
such as Motor Vehicles, Industrial Plants and Telecommunication
infrastructure all rely on software to run their core functions.  The
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) E-Commerce
2004 Report estimates the software industry generates yearly revenues
in excess of US$300 billion. Developing Countries now have a real
chance in participating in the industry using community shared
software commonly referred to as Free & Open Source Software (FOSS).

FOSS is software that has made its source code free and public and
allows - perhaps even motivates - users to change the source code and
redistribute the derivative software. While liberating the source code
is a goal in itself, FOSS encourages, or even obliges, programmers to
give other programmers and users those same freedoms and
opportunities. The increased use of FOSS is sustainable development,
because FOSS is a technology that the local people (in Africa or
anywhere) can understand, maintain, and adapt to their needs. It also
creates new opportunities for employment and wealth creation.

To demonstrate how FOSS can generate revenues especially for the
youth, the IDLELO Key Note Speaker will be Mr. Mark Shuttleworth from
Ubuntu/Canonical, UK, a renowned youthful entrepreneur who made his
fortune through FOSS based business. He will also present a
motivational speech on how he achieved his childhood dreams of going
to the outer space by paying US$20 Million to become the First Space
Tourist to the NASA Space Station.

Other Confirmed High Level Speakers will include inter alia;
•	Mr. Abdoulie Janneh, UN Under Secretary General, Executive
Secretary, Economic Commission for Africa, UNECA, Ethiopia
•	Dr. Juma Oketch, ICT Secretary, Directorate of e-Government, Office
of the President, Kenya
•	Sir John Daniel, the Director General of Commonwealth of Learning
(COL), Canada
•	Ms. Zaheda Bhorat, Open Source Unit, Google, USA
•	Ms. Danese Cooper, Open Source Innovation Unit, Intel, USA
•	Professor Henry Moses Thairu, MD, Jomo Kenyatta University Enterprises, Kenya
•	Bildad Kagai, CEO, Circuits & Packets Communications Ltd, Kenya

The objectives of this conference are to stimulate a local Software
Industry in Africa and bring together Practioners, Decision Makers,
FOSS Software Developers and the General Public to learn how FOSS can
be of relevance to their sectors. This conference targets Key
Decision/Policy Makers in African Governments with emphasis on The
Central Government/E-Government Teams, Education and Health,
FOSS/Linux User Groups National Leaders and Leading FOSS Industry
Players from the Private Sector.

This conference has been made possible through support from:
1. Directorate of e-Government, Office of the President, Kenya
2. United Nations Economic Commission of Africa, Ethiopia
3. InWEnt - Capacity Building International, Germany
4. Hivos, Humanist Institute for Development Cooperation, Netherlands
5. Ubuntu Linux, UK
6. Google Inc. USA
7. Circuits & Packets Communications Ltd, Kenya

--
With Kind Regards,
Bildad Kagai
CEO - Circuits & Packets Communications Ltd
Coordinator - Free Software & Open Source Foundation for Africa (FOSSFA)
Suite B2, Tetu Apartments, State House Avenue
P. O. Box 20311 - 00200
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel. 254 20 2728332
Fax. 254 20 2726965
Cell. 254 722 379409
E. fossfa at gmail.com
URL. www.fossfa.net