NEWS RELEASES

December 10, 2003 (3:35 p.m. EST) No. 191

CANADA TO PARTICIPATE IN UNITED NATIONS WORLD SUMMIT

ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY

The Government of Canada today announced that a Canadian delegation, headed by Sergio Marchi, Canadian Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations and the World Trade Organization in Geneva, will participate in the first phase of the UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Geneva from December 10 to 12, 2003.

The Summit will provide an opportunity for government and industry leaders, UN agencies, civil society/non-governmental organizations, media and youth representatives to develop a better understanding of the opportunities and challenges created by the information and communications technologies (ICT) revolution. The Summit will result in a Declaration of Principles and Plan of Action, addressing the range of issues related to the information society.

"The Summit will focus the attention of world leaders on how people in developing countries can access, adapt and use technology to communicate and create information and knowledge in pursuit of their development goals," said Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham. "Canada supports Summit outcomes that focus on development goals, particularly those set out in the UN Millennium Declaration."

"During this Summit, Canada will have the opportunity to showcase the expertise and capacity it has developed in information and communications technologies. As a country, we are second to none in the real-world application of these technologies in education, health, business and content creation," said Industry Minister Allan Rock. "The Government of Canada has worked closely with other governments, industry and civil society to ensure that these ICT advancements expand access to these technologies in both large and small cities, rural and remote communities and developing countries around the world."

There will be many events at the Summit, including over 190 conferences, meetings and exhibitions planned by groups with expertise in a range of fields related to ICT and their application to economic and social development. The Canada Pavilion at the WSIS ICT-4D Platform will showcase various Government of Canada programs and initiatives and include an interactive demonstration area. Additionally, the eight Canadian World Summit Award nominees will be featured at the Pavilion. For more information on the Pavilion and Canadian ICT success stories, click on "Media" at www.wsis-smsi.gc.ca. For more information on the World Summit Award, visit www.wsis-award.org

Detailed information on all other events can be found at www.itu.int/wsis

The second phase of the Summit will take place in Tunis in 2005.

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For further information, media representatives may contact:

Isabelle Savard

Director of Communications

Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs

(613) 995-1851

Media Relations Office

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

(613) 995-1874

Mylène Dupéré

Press Secretary

Office of the Minister of Industry

(613) 995-9001

Media Relations

Industry Canada

(613) 943-2502

This document is also available on the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade's Internet site: http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca