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Diplo-IKME Social Reporting Lab at Internet Governance Forum 2009<BR>
Information management and knowledge sharing in global policy processes<BR>
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</SPAN></FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:12pt'><I>Have you ever thought about the many different types of information and knowledge gathered, exchanged and taken home from an international policy conference?<BR>
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There are so many different information sources, formats and channels: official documents, presentations, policy papers, reports; and now also instant photographs, video recordings, blog posts and short comments (such as Twitter) on the Internet. There are formal sessions, but also corridor conversations, side-meetings in restaurants and bars; formal statements and personal opinions. There is specialist and scientific knowledge and there are the realities of those who will live with the policies. How does this diverse information and knowledge landscape influence global policy processes? Can more holistic reporting help make policy processes more accessible and more inclusive?<BR>
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Diplo <<a href="http://">http://</a>www.diplomacy.edu/> and IKM Emergent <<a href="http://">http://</a>www.ikmemergent.net/> are organising a “social reporting lab” at this year's Internet Governance Forum (IGF) meeting in Egypt, with the aim to explore how multiple knowledges relevant to policy processes can be communicated - with help from online communities and the new Internet tools known as the social web. Together with other similar initiatives the “lab” will help make the Forum more accessible and inclusive.<BR>
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The IGF meetings belong to a new generation of international conferences, involving a much wider variety of participants from governments, civil society and businesses. Its operational procedures are relatively informal and pragmatic. It creates a multidisciplinary policy space involving people from a wide variety of professions, including diplomats, computer specialists, academics and business people. The issues discussed at the IGF affect a significant and constantly growing part of the global population and may determine the way a number of developmental themes,T ranging from education to equitable trade, develop in the future. As such, this is a particularly good environment for examining the potential of social reporting in a policy process.<BR>
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Social reporting is not new. It's already happening at international meetings worldwide, co-created by thousands of people around the world. However, the Diplo-IKME lab introduces some new reporting objectives and represents an experiment in information and knowledge sharing. Some of the objectives are: <BR>
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</SPAN></FONT><SPAN STYLE='font-size:12pt'><FONT FACE="Symbol">- </FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman">to help participants new to the social web begin to engage using available tools;<BR>
</FONT><FONT FACE="Symbol">- </FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman">to identify some of the multiple knowledges that exist in the policy space; <BR>
</FONT><FONT FACE="Symbol">- </FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman">to create “mashups” (a mix of multiple information streams) that demonstrate these multiple knowledges;<BR>
</FONT><FONT FACE="Symbol">- </FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman">to highlight developmental aspects of the IGF;<BR>
</FONT><FONT FACE="Symbol">- </FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman">to engage youth in the policy process<BR>
</FONT><FONT FACE="Symbol">- </FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman">to support remote participation of those who cannot attend the event in person.<BR>
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The social reporting lab will create a “cloud” of blogs, Twitter feeds, video interviews and other forms of online expression. The lab relies on a diverse team of participants from different professional, cultural, geographic and generational backgrounds, including youth groups and Diplo alumni. Remotely connected participants will also contribute and engage with the reporting and the online dialogue. To learn more about the Diplo-IKME lab visit <a href="http://www.diplointernetgovernance.org/">http://www.diplointernetgovernance.org/</a> or contact us at <a href="diplo-ikme@diplomacy.edu">diplo-ikme@diplomacy.edu</a>.<BR>
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