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AUSTRALIA: Australian Community Networking Alliance (ACNA) In Australia, there is a close association with the Community Information Centre movement, and a very close connection between CN's and the social service community. "The CIC's are volunteer run locations where members of the community can drop in to get a wide range of "community" information --pensions, immigration, schooling etc. The Community Networks are developing out of these CICs as they get the means to bring themselves on-line. What this means is that in contrast to Canada, the CNs in Australia are beginning from a very rich information and volunteer base." (Michael Gurstein). ACNA is a loose coalition of groups and organizations, represented by 7 states, intended "to draw in" participation in community networking and to lobby for its concerns. There is a federal council that meets online (Web Board based), every two months, and a small management group.
Represented at ECN98 by: ken@civ.org.au
WHEN ESTABLISHED:
WEBSITES: http://www.civ.org.au
CHALLENGES:
CATALONIA: BCNET is the web based local community network for the City of Barcelona It's the product of a partnership between the City and cANet (Center for Internet Applications) of the Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya. It provides "a platform for integration of community services at the local level." It is being designed from the bottom up as "the network of networks in Barcelona...the sum of all the small nets." cANet's focus is on "the design of the next generation of Internet based communities, applications and services: digital universities, virtual companies, security and certification authorities, community networks and smart cities,...and their integration mechanisms."
The sources of funding for ECN98 were entirely local, from Barcelona and
Catalonia. This is primary evidence of how seriously BCNET views the
issues of getting community networks onto the European Commission EDC
agenda and sharing national experience through the formalization of EACN.
The city of Barcelona is an active participant in the European Digital
Cities (EDC) programme. But the city is not waiting for an integration of
community networks and Telecities. It is acting on this agenda on its own.
It actively seeks out and supports "virtual communities" of associations,
districts (a formal unit of city government, see for example
Represented at ECN98 by: artur@ac.upc.es WHEN ESTABLISHED: 1996
WEBSITES: http://www.bcnet.upc.es http://www.canet.upc.es
CHALLENGES: EUROPE: Telecities: the European Digital Cities (EDC) Partnership Telecities is an "open network for concerted urban development through telematics." EDC is a European Commission sponsored project that includes Telecities as a partner. Telecities' objective is to achieve a common definition for telematics applications that support the regeneration of urban areas through:
By providing an open cooperation network for concerted urban development through Telematics, the European Digital Cities project aims to accelerate the deployment of cost-effective telematics solutions responding to a common definition of the "urban demand" for telematics services and applications. The scope of this project covers a number of networking activities by cities, towns and regions with a view to laying the foundations of the Global Information Society as outlined by the G7 world conference of Feb.'95, the Delors White Paper and the Bangemann report. Through this open network, local authorities have access to an important forum for information exchange and expertise which enable policy and decision makers more effectively to promote the development of new urban telematics systems and services, based on knowledge and 'best practice' derived at the European level. By undertaking concerted activities on telematics applications in urban and surrounding areas and measuring the development of urban telematics and the contribution that these are making to economic and social growth, the project also seeks to establish a consensus on appropriate technological solutions to the challenges facing urban areas in Europe.
Telecities was described at ECN98 by the Barcelona City Hall contact for
the Telecities Network, Tere Sera. But the formal contact is: Telecities Coordination Office telecities@mcr1.poptel.org.uk telecities@enter.org edc@mcr1.poptel.org.uk c/o Eurocities Office, 18, square de Meeus B-1050 Brussels Tel: (32) 2 552 08 68 Fax: (32) 2 552 08 89 ISDN : +32 2 502 96 03 (videoconference)
WHEN ESTABLISHED:
WEBSITE: http://www.edc.eu.int/telecities/
CHALLENGES: Telecities brings together cities and towns sharing similar interests and goals for the development of telematics applications in an urban context. It is essential to maintain a high profile for local authorities/city governments, as the democratic expression of user needs and demand in the urban context. This level of political commitment that Telecities has from the most senior politicians representing local interests across Europe, is what differentiates Telecities from other initiatives and networks, and is why Telecities stresses the importance of universal access to the information society and of support for cultural and linguistic diversity at all levels.
Telecities provides an open cooperation network for European Digital
Cities, with:
Technical working groups are coordinated by a city selected each year among the Telecities members. Each working group collates and synthesizes case studies, reports on best practices, and any other relevant documents to draw lessons and analyze possible deployment in other sites. Their work is based on a series of workshops/seminars and demonstration visits to develop a consensus on applications responding to urban priorities, through the exchange of information and knowledge by a wide range of cities and experts in Europe. There are 102 members including 92 from the 13 member states of the EC. The current topics of interest are:
FRANCE: VECAM is European in focus and their representative did not attempt an overview of community or civic networking potential in France.
Represented at ECN98 by: vecam@globenet.org
WHEN ESTABLISHED:
WEBSITE: http://www.globenet.org/vecamCHALLENGES: "Formidable industrial, financial and technological resources are now being used by commercial networks and providers and software houses to dominate the realm of information. Although these new technologies can be used to provide original means of exchange, the citizens that use these technologies are above seen as consumers... VECAM's conviction is that the challenge is above all political before being technological and that we must mobilize our energy and knowledge and fight so that the scientific and technological advances made are put to the service of human development, to the benefit of the greatest number and not a privileged few, or a new elite endowed with exorbitant wealth. "There is a big diversity - more and more grassroots organizations and they don't disappear. But I don't like 'community networks.' I don't understand "community.' I like 'citizens' movements'. It is necessary to share resources and ideas. There is a need to form an alternative political movement because something is wrong. Governments are not competent to solve all these problems. " We need the movement to feel part of history, to have real power, to be part of the decision making process." (Veronique Kleck).
CURRENT ACTIVITIES:
ITALY:
Status of community nets in Italy described by: decindi@dsiunimi.it fiorella_de_cindio@rcm.dsi.unimi.it Prof. of computer science, Univ. degli Studi di Milano
Contact AIReC: Regione Lombardia
WEBSITE: http://cindy.usr.dsi.unimi.it/airec/CHALLENGES: Although "Reti Civiche" is a very popular name in Italy, a comprehensive and reliable picture of the status of civic networks doesn't exist. Fiorella De Cindio was familiar with the Milan and Lombardy situations and generalized from that. She felt that a definition of community and civic networking was essential because "they don't all do the same things." Especially, "they talk about 'participation' but they don't all practice it." Disregarding "city webs" that are basically tourist information, she saw three models in operation:
She sees a need for a common vision that blends both ends of that spectrum to create a new kind of citizenship and democracy, a new kind of social contract. She quoted Rousseau, "Not buildings but citizens are essential to community." She called for the design of the "res publica" through the involvement of all the community where, "the community is the resource for itself, and the community network is the resource for the community. We need the creativity of citizens that are owners of sovereignty, not users and clients." "We recognize a central role for community networks related to the right of the citizen to be on the Net." (Vichi Cannada Bartoli).
JAPAN: The text below comes mostly from the CAN web site. The status of CN initiatives in Japan was described at ECN98 by:
Izumi Aizu izumi@anr.org Principal, Asia Network Research Sdn Bhd A more immediate contact might be: Tooru Ono, Executive Director of [the Institution for a Hyper Network Society], and Secretary General of Japan's most advanced local community network [New Coara] in Oita Prefecture. GLOCOM serves as Secretariat for CAN Forum. Takahiro Miyao, Professor of Economics at University of Tsukuba was appointed as its general manager.
WHEN ESTABLISHED: CAN Forum's Inaugural Meeting Held at GLOCOM, May 29, 1997
WEBSITE: www.can.or.jpCHALLENGES: Community Area Networks (CAN) are Information networks built from within, in basic community units: i.e., local residents, organizations, corporate groups, etc. CAN Forum is the organization that has been put together to promote and support the community-driven establishment of information networks, and serve as a platform for exchanges of local experience and information to that end. Founding forum members believe computer networking in Japan has been a top-down process in which local community networks are considered subordinate to backbone central networks. CAN Forum seeks to change this centralized nature of Japanese computer networks into one that is more collaborative, de-centralized, and autonomous. With this end in view, it will encourage local governments, communities and residents to take initiative and actively improve network environments. CAN Forum hopes that such user-oriented efforts will contribute to narrowing the huge gap in information infrastructure between the U.S. and Japan. CAN Forum consists of various nonprofit organizations, organizations for the promotion of regional informatization, third-sector organizations, government agencies, academics, volunteers, and corporations supportive of the CAN philosophy. Led by proponents of regional informatization, the Forum serves as a vehicle for the sharing of relevant information by various members involved in the community information revolution, and is striving to foster exchange and cooperation with a view to the promotion of tangible projects. CAN Forum strives to foster the spread and utilization of leading-edge technologies well-adapted to the task of building the information infrastructure essential to community-based networking. In addition, it will help educate and work with individuals at the community level who are capable of readily harnessing that infrastructure for the dissemination and utilization of information. Small businesses will be expected to spearhead the drive to help their communities become networked. CAN Forum is planning various measures aimed at helping small businesses assume that role and grow and prosper through the use of electronic commerce and cybermoney. Three prefectural governments, Oita, Kochi, and Okayama,are among the founding members of CAN Forum and are actively involved in promoting CANs. In Japan, Oita is recognized as having an advanced network community, thanks to the success of New Coara. Meanwhile, Okayama Prefecture is trying to connect each of its residents to the Internet under its Okayama Information Super Highway project. In addition, [Suwa City's Smart Lake Project] in Nagano Prefecture is also a participant of the Forum. These local communities have high expectations for CAN Forum. Koichi Kuratani, who represented Suwa's Smart Lake Project, said that CAN Forum can provide a collaborative platform in an environment free of intervention from the central government. Four ministries from the Japanese central government are participating in CAN Forum as observers: the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications, Ministry of Construction, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Ministry of International Trade and Industry.
Basic Principle:
Specific Principles: (b) Companies, local government offices, schools, hospitals, shopping centers, apartment complexes, and other potential network nodes should first be equipped with LANs, and then interconnected through those LANs. (c) LANs and CANs must have at least as much bandwidth as public trunk lines, if not more. (d) The overwhelming share of all information flowing through CANs will be generated by consumer and business activities in each community. That information will be generated not only by citizens, but also by products and places. (e) It is only natural that CANs vary community by community in terms of the technologies they utilize, the tangible forms they take, and the administrative structures that run them. (f) Each community will find it imperative to engage in active exchanges of information with its peers, and strive to design and implement CAN models that are ideally suited to its needs, while fully bearing in mind that most communities face their own unique set of circumstances.
CURRENT ACTIVITIES: (i) Policy recommendations; (2) International exchange (study missions abroad, invitations of foreign speakers). (3) Research on CAN-oriented information and communications infrastructure, experimentation, and network installation work, including: (i) Web content broadcasting via satellite transmissions (4) Research groups, information sharing, joint pilot projects, and the joint construction of systems for the following CAN applications (i) Electronic commerce (electronic transactions, settlements, certifications, etc.) (5) The collection of relevant information from sources worldwide.
NETHERLANDS- AMSTERDAM: DDS is a place for cultural and social development for individuals. It "plays a part in securing the Internet as a public domain." It "strives for the "common weal in virtual space, a neutral environment that is not dominated by government or business monopolies and Internet users as active participants who use the medium as a means for individual emancipation." DCF has not received any subsidies since 1995. Free services to the community are financed by providing professional services to a variety of clients nationwide. In 1998, there are 25 paid staff and use community of 80,000 citizens.
Represented at ECN98 by: lvdkar@dds.nl Project Manager, Finance and General Management Digital City Foundation Prins Hendrikkade 193-A 1011 TD Amsterdam, Netherlands Tel: 31-20-6257493 Fax: 31-20-6382817WHEN ESTABLISHED: January 14 1994
WEBSITE: http://www.dds.nl/CURRENT PRIORITIES: Projects that activate or motivate vulnerable groups in society to use the Internet, including: elderly, immigrants, women, unemployed people, people with handicaps, drug addicts, and small business.
"Idealistic / not for profit policy issues of DDS"
WHAT NEEDS DOING?
RUSSIA:
Friends and Partners Russia:
Goals of FP's programs:
Supported by: Ford Foundation, US State Department, NATO, the International Science Foundation (Open Society Institute), Sun Microsystems, Radio Free Europe, the Russian Education and Learning Network, and the Pushchino Biological Center.
Represented at ECN98 by:
Contact US Office: gcole@solar.cini.utk.edu
WHEN ESTABLISHED:
WEBSITE: http://alice.ibpm.serpukhov.su/friends/
CHALLENGES: The first phase of CIVNET-Russia began on April 1, 1997, funded on a five month research and development grant by the Ford Foundation. The objectives of the first phase included:
The primary goal of phase two of the Russian Civic Networking Program (RCNP) is to cooperatively develop three to four (3-4) model civic network sites within Russia and to broadly disseminate the results and the findings of these initiatives. The RCNP represents a close partnership between community networking activists in Russia and the U.S. It is expected that success of these projects and a good information base describing the progress of their development will result in momentum for a broader civic networking movement within Russia and improved civic networks for participants in U.S. communities. The support of the Ford Foundation made possible a competitive application in which three Russian communities have been chosen and are being provided with equipment, travel funding for an initial planning/strategy conference in the US, and funding for basic operating and salary expenses. The recipients of the grant are the Samara Civic Network, the Chelyabinsk Civic Network and the Sergiev-Posad Civic Network. The deadline for submission of proposals was Monday, September 15, 1997, with a decision reached in December, 1997. The overall quality of the proposals was excellent, far surpassing anything that Friends and Partners had anticipated. The decision to choose these three proposals was difficult. They received first-rate proposals from across Russia and would like to continue working with those who are interested in developing community networking by assisting in any way they are able with the implementation and continued fund raising.
UNITED KINGDOM:
For UK Communities Online, the key phrase governing their activities is
"social inclusion." UKCO is "making the case for a locally focused
information society," harnessing information and communication technology
"for the benefit of all." It is running a three-year campaign to enable
everyone in the UK to be able to join their own local online community that
would include:
Contact: mailto:michael@communities.org.uk
WHEN ESTABLISHED:
WEBSITE: www.communities.org.uk
CHALLENGES: But "businesses are afraid of governments forcing universal access in the framework of social inclusion questions." Samantha Hellawell, IBM-UK.
CURRENT ACTIVITIES:
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: AFCN is a national non-profit membership organization dedicated to improving the visibility, viability, and vitality of Community Networking. AFCN links and serves the more than one hundred and fifty community networks around the USA. AFCN also builds public awareness, identifies best practices, encourages research, and develops products and services. AFCN's role is to help communities make use of the great technical advances available to them, in both rural and urban settings. They define community networks as place-based electronic public spaces where community development occurs. "Social exclusion is not a concept in the United States." (Steve Clift). Start-up activities were supported by Apple Computer, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the University of Michigan, the Morino Institute, and a group of 50 founding contributors. AFCN is incorporated in the state of Colorado, and is administered by a virtual Board of community networking professionals: Amy Borgstrom, Appalachian Center for Economic Networks; Steve Cisler, formerly of Apple Computer; Richard Civille, Center for Civic Networking; Joan Durrance, University of Michigan School of Information; Madeline Gonzalez, Boulder Community Network; and Steve Snow, Charlotte's Web in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Represented at ECN98 by: amyb@seorf.ohiou.edu
Alternate contact: madeline@rmi.net Consultant & Co-founder of Boulder Community Network,
WHEN ESTABLISHED:
WEBSITE: http://bcn.boulder.co.us/afcn/
CHALLENGES:
CURRENT ACTIVITIES:
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