Invitation activist meeting on the Internet and freedom of expression, Delhi

Dear all,

The Centre for Internet and Society (India) and the Central American Institute for Studies of Social Democracy - DEMOS (Guatemala) have the pleasure to invite you to a day-long workshop on the role of the Internet in fostering freedom of expression and strengthening activism in India. The workshop will take place in the Deputy Chairman's Hall, Constitution Club, Rafi Marg, Delhi 110001, on 4 March 2011.

With the signficant role reported for new technologies in recent revolutions in Tunesia, Egypt, and elsewhere, activists in India, too, have taken a renewed interest in the potential of the Internet to support their struggles for social change and social justice. But what are some of the potential stumbleblocks activists in India might run into in their exploration of the Internet's potential? What are the legal restrictions and frameworks activists should be aware of when they use new technologies in their work? And what can we do to create an environment in which the online world unequivocally supports efforts for greater democratisation and social justice offline, rather than thwart them?

It is questions such as these that this workshop seeks to answer, through an exciting mix of panel discussions, unconference sessions, a film screening, and technical and legal clinics in its day-long program.  Our hope is that the workshop will help participants as well as organisers to get a stronger sense of the potential and challenges of online activism in the particular context of India, as well as to start building stronger networks among the activists interested in these issues in the country.

The workshop will take place in the presence of Mr. Frank La Rue, President of our partner organisation, the Central American Institute for Studies of Social Democracy, as well as UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression. Participation in the workshop is free; however, we would be grateful if you could confirm your attendance by emailing Anja Kovacs at anja@cis-india.org, ideally by 2 March.

A draft agenda of the workshop is available here: http://www.cis-india.org/events/fostering-freedom-of-expression

Hope we will be able to welcome you there!

Best wishes,

Anja Kovacs
Centre for Internet and Society


INFORMATION ABOUT THE ORGANISERS

The Centre for Internet and Society
The Centre for Internet and Society is located in Bangalore, India. It critically engages with concerns of digital pluralism and public accountability in the field of Internet and Society, with particular emphasis on South-South dialogues and exchange. Through multidisciplinary research, intervention, and collaboration, it seeks to explore, understand, and affect the shape and form of the internet, and its relationship with the political, cultural, and social milieu of our times.

DEMOS Institute
The Demos Institute, based in Guatemala, is a research centre that promotes democratic alternatives for Guatemala, under the human rights framework. Within DEMOS, there is a research team which supports the mandate of Frank La Rue, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression, in the making of his annual reports before the United Nations Human Rights Council.