Global Forum on Youth and ICT has started

September 24, 2007 in Justice, Life, LWF, UN, Youth, Youth participation

Can Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) really help young people to participate better in their societies? What can be done to make this possible.
Geneva started a Global Forum today that is adressing these issues. About 500 particpants discussing these issues with the basic topics:
- ICT and Education
- ICT and Health
- ICT and social activism

Three young participants from member churches of the Lutheran World Federation belong to them: Julia from Germany, Jeruel from the Phillipines and Josephat from Kenya. They will share their specific insights in the following days. We had a preperatory session together with the World Alliance of the Young Men’s Christian Associations (YMCAs) and the World Young Women’s Christian Association.
There we identified some key concerns from the perspective of young people:
- Access should be open for all / open source products / no divide / best use of cell phones.
- Education and opportunity / empowerment / proper training to use it / user friendly / understand what it is / combat illiteracy / computer literacy
- It is a means to an end, not a solution. It is a tool to decrease cultural barriers, advocacy, transperancy, for youth employment, evangelism, creative youth work.
- Combat abuse of ICTs

Some basic information you’ll find here on our blog.
If you have anything to add, you are free to do so in the comments.

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